17/9/11 A GREAT DINE

At about five in the afternoon, I went off to have my lunch and dinner in one go. Well my meal, since in Laos to this day had not been on proper schedule due to limited of choice and a tight schedule moving around. Since today will be my last day in Siem Reap, I thought of having real great meal.

(2) I went to the Champey Restaurant which is traditionally decorated. The way the Tables and those dining accessories were laid really made me go back to the day where my grandma used to serve me my lunch or dinner in the Kampung. The Tables are well covered. Plate, spoons and all sort are well organised. What really touched me was the way the napkin being organised. During my young days, my grandma would never forget to place air basuh tangan and kain lap tangan when foods were served. Their batik napkin remind me of those day.

(3) I ordered salad, steam fish, and green curry squid. All are delicious. I have my true Ice Tea and now I know how the Cambodian pronouces it. Istead of the perfect Ice Tea sound , just say I Tea and don't forget to specifically indicate Lipton, Jamine or any other teas.

(4) The salad, they really caught my attention. It is in fact the Thai Som Tam but with real creative modification. Here they served three salad in a package ie Pineaple, Banana Flowers and Palm Heart. The gravy in fact is just the same as the Som Tam, but instead of using the mango or papaya, they replaced them with pineaple slices, banana flower shredded jantung pisang; and palm heart umbut, I'm not really sure of the source, might be the sugar palm, but for sure it doesn't taste coconut shoot or bamboo. Probably we can further modifeid to suit Malaysian taste.

(5) The resturant is operated by a Franco-Italiano ie a man of France and Italian hybrid. He really know how to blend East and West as the Theme of his outlet. This is a two storey restaurant, with the upper floor is overlooking the Old and Night Market. He invited me to explore all his creativity. I feel honored not only having great lunch-dinner, but to have the opportunity to appreciate his layout, forms and colors arrangement.

(6) Next to his restaurant, there is the only Muslim operated outlet dealing on watches and spectacles. I met the lady owner but hardly could communicate again because of language bareer.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
5 Sept., 2011