102013 ISSUE82
Cambodian
COOK-OFF:
Dessert Special
www.asialifemagazine.com
note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group
Ellie Dyer Maybe it’s that sense of unashamed indulgence or the heady sensation of sugar sweeping through your veins, but there’s always something special about eating a dessert. Why else would cakes be baked to celebrate birthdays, or sweet treats — think chocolate Easter eggs, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and Chinese autumnal moon-cakes — used to mark cultural festivities around the world? In essence, I think desserts make people happy. So, given recent events, there’s no better time to celebrate the wealth of sweet options in Cambodia. From durian to jackfruit, pandan leaves to avocado and even at one point a rouge tomato, this month’s dessert edition is celebrating the best of Cambodia’s local ingredients, while showcasing the immense skill of Phnom Penhbased chefs and bakeries. We hope that the impressive creations dreamed up by our willing ‘cook-off’ participants will put smiles on the faces of local residents, and perhaps inspire you to make the most of the country’s natural produce at home by creating some puddings of your own. As many of the chefs demonstrate, a huge range of dishes can be made without the benefit of an oven — a kitchen item that can prove frustratingly elusive in the city’s rented apartments. If our feature causes you to overindulge (my sweettooth was at breaking point by the end of our research) then this month’s edition contains some inspiration of a different kind. Writer Marissa Carruthers has met some of the city’s body-builders to discover how they transform their bodies into a bonanza of bronzed muscles, while Joanna Mayhew has interviewed the inspiring Tep Rithivit. The businessman has helped revive Cambodian tennis and overseen the team’s successful performance at the recent Davis Cup in Dubai. For our travel section, AsiaLIFE’s adventurous publisher Mark Bibby Jackson threw himself down a Japanese mountain during his (somewhat hilarious) first attempt at skiing, proving that lack of experience and a bundle of nerves are no barrier against triumph on the slopes. The edition also contains a fabulous series of fashion photographs that showcase the timeless glamour of ball gowns. So, with this in mind, why not treat yourself ... slip on a nice outfit, tuck into an éclair and appreciate the good things about the beautiful country that is Cambodia.
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Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia
Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia
Managing Editor Cambodia: Ellie Dyer ellie@asialife.asia
Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia
Associate Editor: Marissa Carruthers
Art Director Cambodia: Hilary Fastier
Editor-at-Large Cambodia: Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen
Photographers: Charles Fox & Conor Wall
Siem Reap: Joanna Wolfarth
Distribution: Sorn Chandara 096 9999 351
Sales Director Cambodia: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia sornchantha@yahoo.com
Printing: Sok Heng Printing House
Sales and Accounts: Seang Seiha 012 581 455 Accountant: Seang Satya
For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878. Special thanks to: Ryan Taylor, Yulia Khouri, Darren Gall, Gemma Mullen, Sebastian Strangio, Claire Uebbing, Joanna Mayhew, Michael Klinkhamer, Amanda Saxton, Dara Saoyuthnea, Zeeshan Haider, Cambodian Restaurant Association and David Preece – for their contribution to this issue.
On the Cover Photography: Charles Fox Art Direction: Hilary Fastier AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © 360º Media.
A FINE LINE
Next time you're in Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialifemagazine.com
102013 ISSUE82
14 Picks of the Month
front
16 Openings
getaway
44 All About the Snow
food
48 Digby's
style & design
50 Behind the Design
back
57 Listings
46 After the Diamond Rush
20 Dispatches 22 Phnom Penh Calendar 24 Photo Essay
49 Alma CafĂŠ
28 Q&A: Tep Rithivit
on the cover
30 Cambodian Cook-Off
storyboard
36 The Twins of Pub Street 38 Pump it Up
52 Timeless Glamour
90 Phnom Penh Map 100 Pub Quiz
40 Shipwrecked 42 The Elephant Whisperers
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44 52
Oct 2013
Swing Dancers Rebrand
K’NYAY Moves To The Terrace
Popular vegan and vegetarian restaurant K’NYAY has moved from a location off Sihanouk Boulevard to a smart new home at The Terrace on 95 guesthouse near Monivong Boulevard. The popular eatery has started at its new residence with a bang, and is already selling fresh homemade soya milk to its customers. The executive chef, Run, is also developing new dishes for its creative menu. Call 092 665 225 to make an order or reserve a table. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
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Phnom Penh’s swing dancing group, formally known as PPPswings, has re-launched itself as Swing Penh. The rebranding means all new dance nights at some of Phnom Penh’s best venues with teacher Janice Wilson, who has travelled 12 countries while performing, choreographing and teaching dance and has toured with the likes of singer Michael Buble. “We just love live jazz music. And even better, we love moving to live jazz music,” she says. Classes are being held at Doors every Tuesday night and cost $3. For more information, visit swingpenh.com.
Friday Fish Market
Food fans are in for a treat as Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra unveils its Friday Fish Market in La Coupole restaurant. Offering a fresh and unique dining experience, the hotel hopes to become Phnom Penh’s end-of-week dining destination. La Coupole’s selection includes fresh seafood, such as Atlantic salmon, sea bass, squids, king prawns, langoustines, crabs and large Cambodian clams. Guests select their desired dish and order it to be cooked the way they like it, whether that be grilled, poached or steamed. And each dish is served up with a selection of side dishes and dressings, including salsa verde or lemon aspen vinaigrette. The Fish Market takes place every Friday from 6pm and costs $38 per person. Prices are exclusive of tax. To reserve a table, call 023 999 200.
Audiovisual Heritage Celebration
The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage will be marked by a series of events at Bophana Center on Street 200 on Oct. 25. The one-day event will focus on musical heritage and other art forms that have either been lost or almost lost. A workshop on Cambodian music will be held at 4pm, live traditional music will be played from 5pm, with the launch of a Khmer dance project at 6pm. Head to the centre for 7pm for cocktails and rock 'n’ roll music with The Underdogs. Admission is free.
CRA Competitions Set
The Cambodia Restaurant Association (CRA) is preparing for its fourth annual national hospitality competitions, to be held at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeetra on Oct. 19 and 20. Bartenders, baristas, fruit carvers and bed makers will be among the industry workers challenging to be named top in their category. Last year, nearly 200 competitors vied for glory and entrant numbers are growing year on year. The CRA was created in February 2010 with the aim to develop, improve and bring innovation to Cambodia’s restaurant industry. For more, visit cambodiarestaurantassociation.com.kh. asialife Cambodia 9
Oct 2013
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hunting and international trade for their horns is a major factor in the species' decline. “The status of deer and cattle species is one indicator of the health, diversity and
resilience of the entire Greater Mekong region’s natural environment,” says Dr Thomas Gray, manager of the WWF’s Greater Mekong species programme.
K. Fletcher & Baylis / WWF-Cambodia
The region’s majestic wild ungulates — animals with hooves — are on the edge of disappearing unless regional governments boost protection and intensify efforts to restore their numbers and habitats, according to a WWF report. The banteng, considered to be one of the most graceful wild cattle species, have declined by 80 percent since the late 1960s. Cambodia’s Eastern Plains are host to the world’s largest population, numbering between 2,700 and 5,700 individuals. Illegal
K. Fletcher & Baylis
Wild Hoofed Animals on Decline
Oct 2013
Siem Reap is saying goodbye to The Siem Reader this month as the final issue of the non-profit creative writing magazine that has provided an outlet for the literary talents of Temple Town since April 2011 is published. “We're really proud of what The Siem Reader has achieved over the last two and half years,” says co-founder Clementina Velasco. “We decided to wrap it up while still going strong and go out with a bang. Starting something new is easy to do and there are so many creative projects going on now, so we're excited to see what comes along to fill the space we've left.” Copies of The Siem Reader can be found at cafés, bars and spas around town. Keep
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an eye out for details about a farewell party that is taking place at the end of the month.
Queen for a Night
The McDermott Gallery in Siem Reap is exhibiting paintings by Kampot-based French artist Vincent Broustet. Titled Queen for a
Night, the body of work explores the inner world of young Cambodian women as they undergo day-to-evening transformations via elaborate beauty rituals and embellished evening gowns. Broustet uses a muted palette to sketch the women. They float on the canvas like figures from a dream, reminiscent of Rodin’s Apsara sketches or Degas’ dancers. The exhibition is open now at the Old Market gallery and runs until Oct. 31.
Clean Up Temple Town
Blue
Siem Reader Bids Farewell
Initially conceived by expat Richard Crlik as a small volunteer project, Clean Up Temple Town has swiftly swelled into a huge community endeavor. More than 100 locals and expats came together to
organise the first ‘clean up day’ on Sep. 22, making them the first group to represent Cambodia in World Clean Up Day. “With such a large number of people joining our campaign we have been able to cover a large area of Siem Reap,” Crlik explains. “Our initial aim is to create awareness through action to improve both the image of our town and have a positive effect upon our environment.” Working with local authorities, businesses, schools and NGOs, the group plans to expand the project, working towards improved garbage collections and promoting environmental awareness through education. Details can be found on the Clean Up Temple Town Facebook group.
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picks of the month Download: An Interactive Guide to Angkor
Take Part: The Amazing Silly Race
Ever pondered on the meaning of Angkor Wat’s famous bas reliefs, or wondered just who Bayon’s enigmatic faces may represent? If so, then An Interactive Guide to Angkor is a good investment for your next trip to Siem Reap. The comprehensive iBook is packed full of information, from the history of the Khmer Empire to architectural maps and handy tips for visitors. The main body of text contains facts and in-depth context, but weighty issues are cleverly broken up with information boxes and beautiful photographs, allowing you to browse pages while on the move. The built-in audio guide is a nice touch and, at AU$9.99 per iPad download, it’s a fascinating tool for those who want to know the story behind Cambodia’s famous stones.
In Phnom Penh’s version of popular TV show The Amazing Race, teams of four riding tuk-tuks will solve clues and undertake challenges as part of a British Business Association of Cambodia event on Oct. 13. The ‘silly’ race has more fun tests than ever before, and there’ll be a bouncy castle at ‘base camp’, aka Gasolina, for supporters and young family members. The team with the most challenge and time points will be crowned the winners, and decorated tuk-tuks are encouraged. Register by emailing executivedirector@ britchamcambodia. org. Entry costs $5 per person.
Read: Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree The Khmer Rouge Tribunal is again hitting the headlines, so what better time to indulge in a crime novel set around the court’s trials and tribulations? The action begins when tubby Inspector Singh comes to town to observe the war crimes court on behalf of ASEAN. The charismatic murder detective soon becomes sucked into a world of mystery and intrigue when a witness – a bookseller stationed by the National Museum – is murdered and he is tasked with helping a leading Cambodian cop to investigate. Written from the perspective of a visitor to the country, Shamini Flint’s fourth Inspector Singh book is well-observed. The author tackles a complicated subject with grace and compassion, while adding touches of wry humour along the way.
Attend: Oktoberfest With beer and bratwurst galore, Germans know how to throw a good party. Phnom Penh can indulge in a dose of traditional Munich hospitality at the annual Oktoberfest celebration at the capital’s Cambodiana Hotel from 6pm to 11pm on Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Highlights of the threenight festival hosted by the German Business Group of Cambodia with support from Eurocham Cambodia include performances by a five-member Bavarian band, a selection of hearty German cuisine and of course chilled beer. Tickets are $18, including $8 of food and beverage coupons.
Support: Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital On any given morning, hundreds of families line up outside the Kantha Bopha Hospital in Phnom Penh to seek treatment for ill children. The demand is such that the hospital providess free services to thousands of sick children each day, including those suffering from dengue fever and avian flu. Such free treatment comes at a price. Hospital founder Dr Beat Richner estimates that daily costs run at $120,000 and is appealing on Facebook for more donations to keep its valuable services running. For more information or to donate, visit www.beat-richner.com.
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Cage Fighting Long Sophy makes history as the first Cambodian fighter to enter the ring for a One FC mixed martial arts bout. Apple Tech giant launches its latest Smartphones, including the colourful iPhone 5C. Ruin The Khmer-language love story set in Cambodia wins award at Italy’s Venice Film Festival. Tony Abbott Controversial politician swaps Speedos for suits after being elected as Australia’s Prime Minister. Jurassic Park Dinosaur movie franchise revived with a long-awaited new film, Jurassic World, set for release in 2015.
GOING UP GOING DOWN Farewells Expats in Cambodia come and go, but is it just us or does it fell like peak leaving season? Thai Airways Airline makes international headlines after painting out its logo on a plane that skidded off a Bangkok runway. Twerking Pop starlet Miley Cyrus in twerking controversy after sexy performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Paper Notes Great Britain has plans to join Australia and Canada by rolling out plastic, polymer banknotes. Who’s next? Giant Watermelons Police hunt launched after 150-pound prize-winning watermelon is stolen from American garden.
openings Bacchus Delights
wine Hall Lovers of the grape are in for a treat with the opening of Wine Hall. With more than 100 red, white, rosé and sparkling wines from Italy, France, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and even further afield, this cash and carry-style store has something to suit every taste. Bottles of wine start at $7 and the range includes the popular Hardy’s brand, Côtes du Rhône and Vignerons de Caractère. It also stocks Australian brand Banrock Station, which contributes to conservation. Manager Pieter Staes says, “We have a great mix of old and new wines and a range of quality wines at affordable prices.” If customers buy in bulk, they can bag themselves a discount. 142 Norodom Boulevard, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 941. Open Monday to Sunday, from 8.30am to 7pm.
Modern Chic
Patio
Swimming in sumptuous surroundings is Patio’s selling-point. The new eight-storey boutique hotel boasts an infinity pool with white loungers, complete with parasols built into the water. Offering sweeping views over neighbouring Wat Langka and happy hour cocktails, doing anything but lounging poolside seems like hard work. Inside, the hotel screams modernchic. Each of the 45 rooms (from $90 to $210 a night) comes complete with a slick finish and mod-cons. The restaurant, offering Khmer and Western food, sits below the pool and is surrounded by a tranquil oasis of greenery. An Apsara dance performance takes place beside the pool on Saturday evenings and outside guests can use the pool for $7. 134Z Street 51, Phnom Penh. Restaurant and swimming pool open daily from 6am to 11pm.
bedding down
roots wine and café Café by day, wine bar by night, Roots brings with it a taste of the tranquil. Set on Street 302, the venue offers drinkers a serene outdoor space in which to enjoy beverages or an alternative bright, air-conditioned room kitted out with full-length windows, giving the feeling of being outside. Offering a range of wines, from Hardy’s Nottage Hill (glass $3.80, bottle $19.80) to Sunrise Merlot (glass $4.50, bottle $21.80) and champagne, Roots also serves up a selection of classic cocktails for $4.50. “We have a completely different design to other venues in Phnom Penh and have a beautiful space to sit outside as well as inside,” says manager Nou Vathanak. Roots also offers guests a selection of bites to eat, including French fries ($4.80), salmon carpaccio ($9.80) and assorted cheeses ($8.80). 2A Street 302, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 211 949. Open daily from 8am to 11pm.
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Espresso Expansion
Brown Sothearos
After building up a firm reputation in the city, Brown has launched a sixth coffee shop next to their latest venture, Fox Wine Bistro. The company’s first two-storey coffee shop echoes Brown’s signature modernist style, but benefits from huge windows and a large openplan upstairs space, with views over Wat Botum park. And this isn’t the end of the Brown Empire. There are more plans to create additional coffee shops across the capital. “The more Browns we have, the easier and nearer people could find Brown,” says 26-yearold Ngy Lay, one of the team. “We plan to have two more Browns in Phnom Penh at the end of this year.” 102Eo Sothearos Blvd, Corner of Street 266, Phnom Penh. Tel: 098 66 62 21, browncoffee.com.kh.
Taste of Texas
Cocina Cartel Minimal design combined with a minimal menu might sound like a bland combination, but Cocina Cartel is far from that. Carved out of owner Matt Harp’s love of Texan food, Cartel moves away from the stereotypical Mexican restaurant décor of red and green. Instead, he’s opted for white, with artistic black drawings decorating each wall. The menu is simple, with diners able to select each stage of their dish by circling ingredients on well-designed paper menus. Meats include pulled pork, beef and chicken, with added options ranging from cheese and lettuce to salsas and beans wrapped in a selection of Mexican favourites such as tacos and burritos. Classic cocktails with a twist also include the Banana Republic, Border Rum and Margarita. 198b Street 19, Phnom Penh. Tel: 089 227 182. Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11.30am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm.
Blooming Marvellous
Flower Story Café
BKK1 is awash with coffee shops, but one of the latest additions is offering something different in the form of an in-house florist. Flower Story Café is a quaint glass-fronted coffee shop situated on the ground floor of Sun City Apartments. The white interior is spacious and cool, while signature drinks include espressos ($1.50), mocha frappes ($2.75) and freshly squeezed mango juice ($3.50). In true café style, a selection of snacks is also on the menu, including croissants, quiche and chocolate cake ($1 to $3). And if you’re a woman, you can enjoy 20 percent off the price of everything on the menu. Tucked away in a corner is a small counter serving up a colourful array of flowers from Vietnam, including roses, carnations, lilies and orchids. “I would like to invite everyone to join us and see what we have to offer here,” says general manager Rin Sophearum. 255 Street 51, Phnom Penh. Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 7.30am to 7pm.
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Making Waves
Andart Rorm Seafood
Phnom Penh's seafood offerings just got better with the opening of Andart Rorm Seafood's spacious second restaurant in BKK1. Boasting a menu jam-packed with some of the finest seafood, such as deep-fried crispy Japanese fish, milk snails with mango salad and sweet-sour fish, the restaurant fuses traditional Khmer cooking with a modern twist. "Only the freshest seafood ingredients go into our cooking, prepared with recipes that tantalise the taste-buds and warm the soul,” says owner Bin Chovorn. Andart launched in 2007 in the Boeung Prolit area of Phnom Penh, before opening its second branch opposite Costa Coffee on Street 51. 207 Street 51, Phnom Penh. Tel: 077 533 338. Open Monday to Sunday, from 10am to midnight.
All in One
Succo Gene The capital is bursting to the seams with hotels, spas and cafés, but it’s rare to find all three under one roof. Newly opened Succo Gene caters for all modern needs by offering accommodation, spa services, massages, a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, coffee and food. “Succo means successful coffee,” says 20-year-old Vathana Chan, a shareholder of the modern and clean building. A rarity in Phnom Penh, Succo Gene has a large parking space for vehicles and imports food from overseas to cater for expats’ tastes. Inside the building sits a pleasant meeting room with a grand mirrored wall. “After a long day at work, people need a good place to relax and the environment in Succo Gene can satisfy them,” Vathana says. 237 Street 63, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 983 555. Café open daily, from 6.30am to midnight. Spa and hotel open from 8am to midnight.
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DISPATCHES
Travel news from around the region and beyond
Slow Down in Laos
Lao Plaza Hotel boasts Vientiane’s first fine Japanese restaurant, an outdoor terrace café and an eatery that serves Lao as well as other Asian and Western fare. Tall windows help to light the lobby, while simple and chic furnishings welcome guests into their rooms. The hotel now has rooms starting at $150 a night for those who book online. The price tag includes a daily buffet breakfast, a shuttle service to and from the airport, a welcome drink, a fruit basket and access to the gym, pool and sauna. For more, visit laoplazahotel.com.
Boracay Resort and Spa
Try a beach where the water stays shallow as far as the eye can see. Boracay Island in the Philippines offers a day in the ocean that poor swimmers and children alike can enjoy safely. For the next two months, the local Shangri-la is discounting 15 percent off rooms when booked 45 days in advance. The offer includes buffet breakfast at Vintana for two adults and two children below 12 years old, round-trip land and speedboat transfers via Caticlan and, best of all, use of non-motorised water sports facilities. Visit shangri-la. com/boracay for more.
Jogging in Jakarta
As the fourth biggest country on the planet, Indonesia has been a rising power for years. Now it’ll have a world-class marathon to match. The Jakarta Marathon is the first in the country’s capital, with a route that passes by such landmarks as the national monument, the Istiqlal mosque, the old town area and the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. The six categories include full and half marathons, 10k, 5k, wheelchair and children’s sprint. An arts and culture festival will highlight music from all over the country, while a sports expo will host a fashion show of athletic apparel and Indonesian food. Sign up for the Oct. 27 marathon for $60 at thejakartamarathon.com.
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Have an event coming up? Send information and dates to maris.carruthers@gmail.com
CALENDAR PHNOM PENH OCT
05 06
Advanced two-day course with Nathan Horton Photography Tours. The weekend involves a day spent out and about in Phnom Penh and a trip to a large floating village in Kampong Chnang. For more information, visit nathanhortonphotography.com.
OCT
Charlie Corrie plays Doors at 8pm. The pop and R’n’B ballad specialist comes armed with vocal covers, plus a guitar and a grand piano.
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OCT
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OCT
Poni Hoax electrorock concert at NRG 89fm, 131B Street 271, from 7pm. Tickets are on sale at the media library of the French Institute for $8 (adults) and $4 (students and under 18s).
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The Australian Women’s Connection's Plate for a Cause gala dinner at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, featuring food from five notable Phnom Penh chefs, fine wines, a charity auction and dancing. Tickets cost $70 for non-members and $60 for members. For more, email awcphn@gmail.com.
OCT
One Enchanted Evening, a night of wine and food courtesy of top chef Song Teng and the Domaine Louis Jadot winery, will be held at 7pm at L’Amboise Restaurant in Hotel Cambodiana. Formal attire, tickets are $65 all inclusive, RSVP to dosm@ hotelcambodiana.com.kh.
OCT
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue at Doors from 9.30pm. GTS gathers the cream of Cambodia’s jazz artists to recreate the legendary 1959 album.
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OCT
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OCT
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Mixed ability photography course with Nathan Horton Photography Tours in Phnom Penh. For more information, visit nathanhorton photography.com.
Phnom Penh's silliest tuk-tuk race is back by popular demand. Bring your own tuk-tuk to start at Gasolina at 12.30pm. Tickets are $5 per player including a free drink, email executivedirector@britchamcambodia.org to register a team of four.
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OCT
Kimchi Collective at Backstage on Sisowath Quay at 10pm. Backstage is hosting a group of Phnom Penh's most discerning DJs, designers and party promoters to create events featuring electronic sounds and cutting-edge party music.
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OCT
Technology conference BarCamp Phnom Penh will be held at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia from 8am to 5.30pm. To register or learn more visit http://2013. barcampphnompenh.org.
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OCT
25
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage at the Bophana Center on Street 200. A workshop on Cambodian music will be held at 4pm, live traditional music will be played from 5pm, with the launch of a Khmer dance project at 6pm. Head to the centre for 7pm for cocktails and rock n’ roll with The Underdogs.
OCT
OCT
The History of Things to Come vintage clothing sales returns to 21 Street 306, a private residence next to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in BKK1. The sale runs from 8am to 8pm until Oct. 28 and is set to feature a flurry of silks, cottons, satins, chiffon, calico's and treasures from bygone eras.
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Cambodia’s third national social enterprise conference will be held at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre at Royal University Phnom Penh. The event, co-organised by Friends International, will focus on how social enterprises create opportunities for disadvantaged youth and development in disadvantaged communities. To join the event email nikolai@friendsintenational.org, chanrith@rupp. org or i.lyne@uws.edu.au.
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OCT
The first Thansur Bokor half-marathon and bike race will take place on Bokor Mountain, Kampot, with proceeds donated to the Cambodia Red Cross. Register online at www.thansurbokor.com, in person at Sokha hotels or Thusur Bokor Highland Resort or email marathon@thansurebokor.com.
OCT
Oktoberfest Cambodia is returning to Hotel Cambodiana to celebrate beer, brats, and ladies dressed in dirndls. The event has been extended from two nights to three nights this year, and it is anticipated that up to 1,400 visitors will attend each night. Tickets are $18.
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EVERY MONDAY
Mad Monday at The Empire, 6pm • Yoga at Yoga Phnom Penh. Sweat and Samadhi at 8am, Slow Flow at 12.15pm and Deep Flow at 5.45pm. See yogaphnompenh.com
EVERY TUESDAY
Swing dancing at Doors with lindy-hop specialist Janice Wilson from 7pm. Classes are $3 or $25 for 10 lessons
EVERY WEDNESDAY
Latin Fever at The Latin Quarter • Trivia in the garden at The Willow, $2 entry and 7.30pm start • Salsa Classes at Ebony Tree on Street 29. Beginners class from 7pm to 8pm. Intermediate class from 8pm to 9pm. $5 for expats, $2.50 for locals • Salsa with DJ Jimmy at Equinox on Street 278 • Acoustic music at Kep’s Sailing Club by guitarist Mr Rya from 6pm to 9pm • Acoustic sessions at Doors Phnom Penh from 8pm
EVERY THURSDAY
Open Mic at Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar • Art House Sessions at 8.30pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. Enjoy the secret treasures of the big screen for $3.50 • Steak Night at The Empire. Weekly special at a big discount • Women’s Night at The Riverhouse • Movie nights on the beach at Kep’s Sailing Club from 7pm
EVERY FRIDAY
Special happy hatha yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, 5.45pm discounted happy hour class • Seafood Haven at Korean Grill restaurant, NagaWorld, from 5.30pm to 10pm. $20 per person excluding beer, $30 per person including free flow draft beer. Tel: 023 22 88 22, www.nagaworld.com • Groove sessions at Doors from 9.30pm
EVERY SATURDAY
Cine Saturday at the Bophana Center, 64 Street 200, at 4pm (note this will not run on the first week of October due to Pchum Benh) • Art classes for both children and adults at Romeet Gallery on Street 178, costing $8.50 per session or $65 for 10. All material is provsided. Register interest with Sreymao at romeetgallery@gmail.com or by calling 077 55 07 59
EVERY SUNDAY
Escape at the InterContinental hotel’s Regency Café from 11.30am to 3pm. Free-flow wine at $36 plus taxes per person • Morning meditation with Beth Goldring, a zen Buddhist nun teacher. Sessions held in a private home close to the national museum, all religions welcome. yogaphnompenh.com • Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers’ run. Meet at 2.15pm at the railway station
EVERY DAY
Yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, close to BKK market. For information visit yogaphnompenh.com or enquire at 012 739 419 • Daily four-hour photography tours with Michael Klinkhamer. Starts at FCC, 363 Sisowath Quay, at 1.30pm. $35 per person (for groups of less than four people add $10pp). Call 069 873 847 or visit klinkphoto.com
EVERY WEEKDAY
High tea at Public House on Street 204½, 3pm to 5.30pm. Scones, finger sandwiches, sweets and tea. $9pp for high tea, $14 with a glass of sparkling wine, $30pp with a bottle, $50 with a bottle of champagne. Book for a min. of two guests at least one day in advance 017 770 754
EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Cultural performance at the National Museum at 7pm. Tickets on sale at the door, price for foreign adults $12, $5 for Cambodians. For booking and information call 017 998 570 or email events@ cambodianlivingarts.org
EVERY WEEKEND
Fishing trips on the Tonle Sap river from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. For more information, visit fishinginphnompenh.wordpress.com or email fishingboattrip@yahoo.com • Kids Sessions at 2pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. $3.50 for adults, $2 for under 18 • Weekend brunch at Public House on Street 240½, from 10.30am to 3pm. $25 per person including bellinis or bloody Marys, $15 per person if you’re on the wagon. Book in advance: 017 770 754
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PHOTO ESSAY
Lady Hurt Locker A brigade of young female de-mining experts is helping to clear Cambodia of the millions of explosives and antipersonnel mines still buried in the ground. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre women work in declared minefields day after day in tropical conditions. “I make this work to help my country”, says Dim Sokphea, age 20, as sweat drips of her face in Battambang province. “So many of our people make the wrong step and die or get injured seriously, I want to stop that.” The female de-miners work in a group of five. Supported by a male assistant, they go about their meticulous and cautious work, scanning every inch of the ground with a metal detector, cutters and brushes before setting the next step forward. In between three-hour shifts, they spend time in hammocks, eating and playing games on their phones, relaxing and dreaming of a good life. Just like any other woman. Photographs and words by Michael Klinkhamer. For more, visit www.klinkphoto.com
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Te p R i t h i v i t What do you remember about living here when your father, Tep Khunnah, was a tennis champion? I remember following my dad everywhere, carrying his bag. He took me to watch him play almost every night. After his games, he would teach me using shadow tennis. It was quite embarrassing; everyone was hitting balls, and I was hitting air. I was so anxious to hit my first ball. He said to be patient. I can’t remember hitting the ball once in Cambodia. We left in 1973, two years before Pol Pot. I was ten. I remember my dad bought me my first pair of closed shoes. They were so tight, and the flight seemed so long. My dad told me we would probably never be able to come back. That was shocking to me. I remember being so sad that I would not see friends again, or our house again. Next thing you know, well, I’m in France with hurting feet. Have you always loved tennis? My love came in sequences, then it became hatred. I am the first son, so everybody expected me to be the next winner, the future hope. It was my downfall. I failed miserably as a player. I was very gifted but didn’t train hard enough. At 19, I realised I didn’t want it anymore. I remember taking down my trophies and clippings. I was a confused kid who just wanted to have fun. I think somewhere along the way people forgot to tell me to have fun playing tennis.
My love for tennis finally returned when I returned to Cambodia 22 years ago. Coming back transformed me. I walked on the same court where my dad had taught me. I felt so nostalgic, so sad. My dad was losing a battle to cancer, and I knew he would die soon. I wondered how I could best honour him. I felt I needed to carry his reputation and ensure people didn’t forget him. How did you begin to reinstate tennis? I started by teaching tennis to the ball boys. A handful showed up, I guess for the free food. By 1996, I was hosting my first competition. I named it in honour of my father, who had passed away the year prior. The lowest point was the 1997 Southeast Asian Games. We were less than underdogs. We didn’t win one game, let alone a set. I told the players, “Let’s promise each other we’ll never, ever forget this day. This day is the lowest for Cambodian tennis. I don’t know how, but we’re not going to stay here.” Ten years later, we won our first bronze medal. The next competition, another bronze. The next, another. Since 2007, competition tennis has exploded. You just returned from the Davis Cup tournament in Dubai. How did it go? Last year was our first time competing, and we were elevated from Group IV to Group III. My goal this year was to remain there in order to stabilise progression, and we
The Secretary General of the Tennis Federation of Cambodia and Chairman of venture capital and investment consulting company DEVENCO is credited with reviving tennis in Cambodia. Son of a top tennis star, Rithivit and his family had to leave the country before the sport was eradicated under the Khmer Rouge. Years later, he kick-started its rebirth. Interview by Joanna Mayhew, photography by Charles Fox. managed it. It could have gone either way. I couldn’t be prouder of our players. They showed heart; they refused to lie down. I often tell them, “Win or lose, shake your opponent’s hand, but never forget this: next time, you’re going to do your utmost to kick his ass. But respect that, at least today, you have lost.” I want them to realise how privileged they are to be playing. The goal is to win, but not at any cost. It’s about representing our country and the sport we love properly. What is the landscape of tennis in Cambodia today? At a national level, we used to just be participants. Today we’re proving we are contenders. People are no longer taking us for granted. Our opponents will have to earn each point, each match. But we’re still underdogs, and I like that position. At the grassroots level, we provide tennis training to 2,800 children, cost-free. Our goal is to continue providing access and popularising the sport. With less than 40 tennis courts in the country, we have only been able to make achievements through sheer determination and pure belief in the sport. Tennis is never growing fast enough for me, but if I step back, it has been growing fast. Where is tennis in Cambodia headed? We are contenders in Southeast Asia, but I dare to say we could
be winners. If we continue on the current trajectory, within ten years, we could produce a Cambodian player to win Southeast Asia and perhaps be a big contender in Asia overall. I firmly believe we could be on top, but I don’t want to set targets. I’m just enjoying and living the dream. How do you feel when you reflect on the last two decades of tennis? The success we’ve been able to achieve as a tennis federation, representing a nation with a tremendous and difficult past, is amazing. We’ve revived tennis and given access to children who want to play, regardless of their social status. I feel I am deeply indebted to tennis. It saved my life so many times. It kept me out of trouble, provided me with jobs and has been good for my business. I didn’t come back to rebuild. I just do my thing, as a responsible citizen. I’m proud of being who I am, a Cambodian. What would your father think of tennis in Cambodia today? I hope he’s proud of me, and that I’ve bought back some of the years of disappointment I gave him. He wanted me to become a champion, and I never did. If I could tell him anything, it would be, “Look at us now, dad.” That’s it. I’m content with my guys; content with the sacrifices; content with the hard years; content that I came through 1997. And look at us now.
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Cambodian
COOK-OFF:
Sugar Rush In AsiaLIFE’s second annual cook-off, we challenge five of Phnom Penh’s best to make a creative dish that celebrates Cambodia’s local ingredients. The twist: it must be a dessert. With chefs, pastry experts and bakers all pitting their sugar skills against each other, here is what they dreamt up. Words by Ellie Dyer and Marissa Carruthers, photographs by Charles Fox.
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executive chef Song Teng Cambodiana HOTEL
Tomato Medley of Four Desserts With Kampong Speu tomato, pandan leaf, coconut, avocado, pineapple and banana among the local products used in Song Teng’s beautifully-presented tasting plate of mouth-watering desserts, it’s clear the talented executive chef of the Cambodiana Hotel is proud of his country’s produce. The highly-respected chef, who first cooked for Cambodia’s Royal family in 1992 and continues to do so today, even picked green gooseberries straight from the garden to top one element of his dish: a coconut filled with juicy tropical fruit, flambéed in Grand Marnier liqueur and topped with a sabayon sauce. Beside it on the plate, which resembles an artist’s palette thanks to bright swirls of caramel, mint and strawberry sauces, lies a delicate layered tower of filo pastry,
crème patisserie and sweet banana. Next along the line is a perfect mound of delicately-flavoured avocado and agar mixed with coconut milk and a touch of pandan leaf — a traditional ingredient often used to flavour rice. In the final pièce de résistance, the chef has sweetened a hollowed-out red tomato in syrup before filling it with a warm Christmasy fruit and nut medley, topped off with a ball of vanilla ice cream and a dash of mint sauce for a cooling, fresh finish. “People may say I’m crazy. I don’t mind — this is my style,” Song Teng says of combining a tomato into a dessert. Having previously worked with the Accor group, Song Teng’s creative dish has touches of French technique, from the tall flames that almost licked the kitchen’s roof (and our photographer’s
To use a tomato in dessert like chef Song Teng, first boil it in hot water to remove the skin. Then peel and deseed. Finally boil water and sugar together to make a syrup, and place the tomato in the liquid for two or three minutes until it becomes sweet.
camera) when he flambéed a pan of tropical fruit, to the creamy sabayon sauce that combines eggs, sugar and Grand Marnier. Yet, with the addition of a touch of coconut juice, he gives the sabayon, like the rest of his ingredients, an Asian lift — combining international flavours and styles to create something new and unique. “I just create my own thing,” he says. “When we have all this fruit, you can do anything.” asialife Cambodia 31
Sem Sichan & Ann Bopha Bloom
Lime Lime and Coconut Cake With sugary teapots sprinkled in edible glitter and vibrant lime polka-dots spread throughout its interior, the indulgent cake dreamed up by Bloom is a case study in the fun and fabulous. The brain-child of the bakery’s production manager, Sem Sichan, and assistant production manager, Ann Bopha, the adapted layered pound cake celebrates both Cambodia’s local limes and coconuts as well as the friendly atmosphere of their workplace. “Everybody likes to drink coconuts … and we want to do something special for Cambodia,” says Sichan, who coordinated the cake’s spring-like colours with a rounded motif that echoes its key ingredients. “The tea pots and the cups are because of friends and all the customers who come in and love cupcakes and drink coffee and tea and have fun.” 32 asialife Cambodia
Bloom’s cake, which took two days to create, is a riot of colour and taste. The cream cheese icing is laden with lime zest, creating a delightful sour tang that contrasts with the sweet, moist coconut cake, containing both coconut milk and a desiccated version of the nut. Spheres of zingy lime cake dot the cake’s heart, though how they got there is a trade secret, and edible tea cups totter around the exterior for an added sugar rush. “I love my job so much,” adds Sichan, while staring at the finished creation in a quiet corner of Bloom café, where mountains of cupcakes have created a sugar lover’s paradise. Yet creating imaginative cakes to order can be a complicated process. For a typical cake, Bopha and Sichan think up a concept after talking to the customer,
Bloom’s lime and cream cheese icing has bags of flavour. The bakery recommends using the outer zest of the fruit to create a zingy tang. Avoid using the lime’s bitter white layer at all costs.
and draw a diagram showing each cake’s composition and theme. The illustrations are passed to the bakery and the sugar workers, who create the cakes and edible decorations. Both skills-sets are then brought together in the final creations, which have in the past included designer handbags, Chinese checker boards and jewellery boxes. “They are artists,” adds Ruth Larwill, Bloom’s director and founder. “I love the concept because that’s what life is about, those happy moments. Dessert is about those special times together.”
Executive chef Craig Napper Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra
Durian Durian Bombe Alaska Chef Craig Napper still remembers his first encounter with the infamous “king of fruits,” better known as durian. At the tender age of 20, the Australian had gone to a Chinese restaurant when an unfamiliar whiff struck his nose. “I didn’t like it all. I hated the smell,” he recalls. Napper was persuaded by his friend, a fellow chef, to try the fruit after an experimental meal that involved tucking into a dish of chicken’s feet. Years later, and now firmly entrenched in Asia as the executive chef at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, he has learned to appreciate its controversial tang. “It’s beautiful and very good for you,” he says, presenting a spectacular Durian Bombe Alaska to the AsiaLIFE team. The dessert is a towering vision that binds together seemingly contrasting flavours — salt, caramel
and Cambodia’s infamous durian — into a single dish. A durian ice cream, coated with delicate icicles of light Swiss meringue, sits on top of a slice of moist caramel mud cake containing hints of white chocolate. The tips of the meringue have been doused in brandy and set alight with a blow torch, while swirls of rich caramel sauce surround the plate along with bite-sized pieces of salted caramel popcorn. “For me, it’s Asian meets French elegance,” says Napper as the fruit’s distinctive scent wafts over the table once the dramatic bombe has been cut into two, revealing its durian-laced interior. The chef has worked hard to mellow the fruit’s distinctive smell, toning it down by combining just 350 grams of durian into a litre of creamy ice cream.
Both loved and loathed, durian has famously been banned on public transport networks thanks to its cloying whiff. If you’re not a fan of the raw form, Napper recommends poaching the fruit or marinating it in syrup to dilute its pungent flavour.
“If you make it a lot more dominant, the durian may overwhelm the palate,” Napper says. “You just want that subtle, nice flavour.” The dense cake and crunchy popcorn add new dimensions to the dish, as does the contrast between the soft meringue and chilled ice cream, all ensuring that even durian haters could be converted to its distinctive taste. “When you play with desserts or food, always look at your textures,” explains the experienced chef, who is a self-confessed dessert fan. “You’ve got to have your soft and your firm.” asialife Cambodia 33
Chef Timothy BruynS The Common Tiger
Jackfruit Jackfruit, Yoghurt and
Peanut Pudding
Slices of glistening jackfruit cut through the peanut butter powder scattered over creamy balls of yoghurt panna cotta. Delicate dollops of yoghurt and lime-leaf purée ornately decorate the plate; the thin peanut and dehydrated yoghurt and mint crisps protruding from them adding an extra dimension to the dish. “Everybody has heard of mango, passion fruit and watermelon but I rarely hear of jackfruit being used, and you can do so much with it,” says Timothy Bruyns, owner and chef at The Common Tiger. “I wanted to showcase that.” The 32-year-old South African has given the common jackfruit a modern twist, by compressing it with lime, star 34 asialife Cambodia
anise, cinnamon and vanilla, while combining in traditional flavours such as peanut and lime to create a pudding alive with flavours. The result is a fusion of textures: the creamy richness of the panna cotta, the cool rush of the jackfruit and the sharp crunch of the crisps. Sweet and sour hits of mint, peanut, jackfruit and lime creep up separately with each bite, before coming together with a punch at the end. Putting an emphasis on using food as a form of self-expression, Bruyns' dishes are full of textures and subtle fusions of flavours. “My Dad and Gran are amazing cooks, and the other side of my family are amazing artists,” he says. “I can’t
This versatile fruit works well in both sweet and savoury dishes, and is even a good option for breakfast. “I love it with muesli and yoghurt,” Bruyns says. One way to spice it up, Bruyns suggests, is eating it with a dash of sugar and lime. It can also be found in savoury dishes such as Thai curries.
draw so it’s through food that I found my self-expression.” And as well as showcasing jackfruit, Bruyns is keen to promote locally-made produce, such as the yoghurt sourced from Garden Center Café on Street 57. “There are some people out there who are making some things in this country that have value and good quality,” he says. “In terms of the standards of this yoghurt, it could be made anywhere in the world. It’s amazing.”
Pastry chef Christophe Le Cardinal La Patisserie
Mango ‘Here and E lsewhere’
C hocolate Mousse
The chocolate mousse is surprisingly light and wispy, melting like little clouds of heaven on the tongue. Homemade whipped Chantilly cream adds a refreshing kick of pepper, lemon and ginger to the equation, complimenting rich scoops of mango sorbet and mango and passionfruit compote, topped off with a beautifully-crafted swirl of crunchy speculoos biscuit. "I wanted to create a real fusion of flavours using a lot of local elements," says Christophe Le Cardinal, owner of La Patisserie."There are so many good ingredients grown locally here in Cambodia and I don't think people realise this," he adds, putting the
finishing touches to his masterpiece, which includes traditional fruits combined with Kampot pepper, Kampot honey and palm sugar. Using a creative combination of cream, brown, green and orange shades, Le Cardinal's dessert gets top marks in the visual stakes. With delicate drops of purĂŠe drizzled around the dish, it looks truly indulgent. But one bite reveals a fusion of sweet and sour, soft and crunchy. "I wanted to play with the textures and tastes and put together elements that you wouldn't expect. I wanted to experiment and show how versatile these ingredients really can be," says the French pastry
The mango season usually runs from December, when the tastiest and most succulent fruits are available across Cambodia. His favourite way to cook up the fruit is in a compote, but it also tastes great served up alongside duck.
chef, who counts La Residence restaurant as one of his clients. Despite the dish taking almost two hours to create, Le Cardinal says the recipe for the chocolate mousse, mango and passionfruit compote with Chantilly and mango sorbet is in fact simple, and can easily be adapted to be made at home, or experimented with to create new dishes. "There are many uses for all of these ingredients and there is no reason why you can't play with them at home to see what you like," he says. asialife Cambodia 35
The Twins of Pub Street
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In a male-dominated culinary world, two talented Cambodian women have risen up the food chain to the top of a successful Siem Reap restaurant group. Joanna Wolfarth meets the Pub Street “twins” who are reinventing traditional Khmer food. Photograph by Conor Wall. For a decade, Cambodian chefs Pol Kimsan and Sok Kimsan have been a fixture of the Siem Reap dining scene. Though not related, the women — known locally as the “Kimsan Twins” due to their similar backgrounds and names — have worked their way to the top of the Angkor W restaurant group. Charged with creating compelling fusion menus at the company’s three new restaurants, set to open later this year at the city’s King’s Road Angkor development, they relish the creativity and freedom of their roles. Yet both culinary powerhouses attribute
modest career aspirations. “After I finished my training I thought that, because I was small, I’d work in a bakery, as it’s not such hard work, says the 31-year-old. “But my mentors advised me it wasn’t a good fit for me, and eventually pushed me into French food and fine dining at the Bistro at the Angkor Victoria Hotel.” Her “twin”, Sok Kimsan, trained at the Sala Bai hotel and restaurant school, followed by a two-year stint at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai. She came back to Cambodia in 2008 and is now assistant executive chef at Angkor W, which owns nine well-known restaurants in Siem
as there are different flavours. But we want customers to taste our real Khmer food, so we take the original recipes and change them a little bit,” says Pol Kimsan. “Like prahok, the fish paste. It’s a deep flavour, but we make it lighter and less salty. And real amok is cooked with a whole cat fish, with the bones and no vegetables. But for foreigners we add vegetables, mushrooms — things the customer are used to eating,” she adds. The “twins” add that it can be equally difficult to persuade Cambodian relatives to try the food in their restaurants, but their own
hygiene and high standards of working, so they don’t give a chance to local people to work at a high level. Although that culture is changing and now some hotels are hiring Khmer head chefs.” Their success has enabled them to represent their country. Sok Kimsan recently returned from competing in the Pattaya Chef Competition in Thailand, and both women are active members of the Cambodian Chef Association, which aims to promote Khmer food and to encourage more Cambodians to travel abroad to gain experience and ideas. “In our future we are
“What we have in common makes our foundation stronger”
their love of cooking to time spent in the family kitchen. “I always liked to cook and my mum showed me how,” explains the group’s executive chef Pol Kimsan. “I always wanted to taste different flavours and cook different kinds of food.” It was this passion sparked her to move from Kampot to Siem Reap in 2002, where she spent nine months training at the Paul Dubrule L'Ecole d'Hôtellerie et de Tourisme. At first, the top chef had
Reap including Banana Leaf, Amok and Champey. Having worked closely for so long, the “twins” think their collective moniker is apt. “We are more than friends and we consider ourselves to be like real sisters, as our relationship is so close. What we have in common makes our foundation stronger,” says Pol Kimsan. While both still draw inspiration from their mothers’ kitchens, they appreciate that it can be hard for foreigners to adjust to local ingredients. “Food we had at home was really simple and for foreigners it’s a bit difficult,
tastes are much broader. Another important part of their job is securing the best supplies. Where possible, they source ingredients locally. An emphasis is also put on clean working areas and good food storage. But though they now have the freedom to influence local food culture, both acknowledge that they have bucked a trend in rising to the top in the industry. “It is difficult for ladies to be famous chefs and women don’t get as many chances,” says Pol Kimsan. “Also, hotels often think that it is only foreigner chefs who are able to focus on
planning high, high level Khmer food, mixed with other Asian food, but with dishes that customers won’t have tasted before in other restaurants,” adds Pol, who believes that Siem Reap has developed significantly and is now able to compete with the variety and standards of Phnom Penh. “Now there is more freedom for us.” For more information on the Angkor W group and its new developments, visit www. angkorw.com. asialife Cambodia 37
Pump It Up Beads of sweat run down 22-year-old Vibol Neem‘s ripped torso as he pushes his body to the max on a bench press. At the other end of the gym, the faces of two young men contort as they come to the end of a grueling session on exercise bikes before hitting the running machines, while others flex their muscles in the mirror. This snapshot of activity is just a fraction of the daily slog experienced by Team Fitness Life, a group of five amateur athletes, in the run up to the country’s biggest bodybuilding contest in Siem Reap. The third annual Angkor Body Building Association (ABBA) competition, held last month, saw more than 50 bronzed 38 asialife Cambodia
As bodybuilding’s popularity gains weight in the Kingdom, Marissa Carruthers meets a champion team to find out why more Cambodians are taking up the sport. Photography by Charles Fox. bodybuilders from across the country battle it out over five weight categories to be crowned king of the stage. “It’s really tough because you have to train your body, especially in the run up to a competition. One day you have lots of energy and feel happy, and the next you can be so tired,” says team member Sela Angkor, who placed second overall in the nationwide competition. “That’s why we work together in a team, to motivate each other.” The 26-year-old is one of a growing number of Cambodian youths being drawn to bodybuilding contests in a country that has traditionally lacked health and fitness
education. Experts say that awareness of leading a wellrounded lifestyle is on the rise, while a young generation is being influenced by greater access to the Internet and international media, and the pictures of perfection portrayed within them. “I started body building because I wanted to be a model and models always have really nice bodies,” explains team member Vibol, who has been body building for 18 months and placed third overall at ABBA. “I feel so much better for it now, both in my health and in myself.” The woman behind the team’s success is trainer Maria Ahlberg, who co-runs
the Intercontinental Hotel gym, where locals make up 50 percent of clientele. The nutritionist believes that the internet is opening up a “whole new world” to a young generation. “They see other people in good shape and want to be like them,” she says. Having competed in bodybuilding contests herself since 1996, Swedish-born Ahlberg was determined to continue with her passion when she moved to Cambodia in 2009. But faced with a country where the supplements essential for bodybuilding were non-existent and good quality training facilities were a rarity, the nutritionist initially struggled.
“It was impossible to get protein powder or anything like that. I used to have to beg people coming from Europe or America to bring it with them,” she says. “Now there are a few small protein shops popping up, so it is becoming more popular.” Wanting to share her passion with enthusiastic young Khmers, Ahlberg decided to form Team Fitness Life when she first met Sela at the ABBA competition two years ago. She was so impressed that she relocated him to Phnom Penh and gave him a job in the gym. Since then, the team has gradually grown as Ahlberg spots future talent. “I can see something in them; they have potential,”
she says. “I’m very happy to help them be in the best shape possible, especially when you’re a beginner because there’s so much to do. There’s the actual fitness, the body building, the nutrition and the timing of when is best to eat and drink.” In the run-up to any competition, the athletes need support while their bodies endure a grueling regime, hitting the gym twice a day for an hour of cardio. Additional stints of lifting weights five days a week are essential, and competitors must eat six to seven meals a day. “It needs to be very clean food with a lot of protein and slow carbs, like sweet potato
and brown rice. This is hard to teach Cambodians because rice is a staple to their meals and they eat a lot of quick carbs with no protein,” says Ahlberg, who helped the team persevere and trade in the bad for the good. They now tuck into plenty of healthy foods, such as chicken, fresh fish and broccoli. As well as being able to pump the iron, looking your best is another vital part of the competition. The evening before a major contest is spent carrying out a preening process. Competitors will spend the evening slathering themselves in a special bronzing cream to colour their skin and they will cut down on their salt and water intake. These measures
help to make their muscles look more defined. In the competition, contenders in the five separate weight categories line up on stage and strike classic poses, including shapes that show off front double biceps and triceps. This is followed by an onstage pose-down before the winners are announced. Team Fitness Life's hard work paid off, with team member Ravy Tek named overall champion, with Sela and Vibol following close behind in second and third. "I'm a very proud trainer,” says Ahlberg. “My team did so well and I'm really happy for them. They deserve it after all of their hard work." asialife Cambodia 39
SHIPWRECKED
Underwater archaeological sites could reveal much about the history of the region — if treasure hunters don’t plunder them first. Chris Mueller and Ellie Dyer investigate. Photo by Fred Wissink.
Captain Kidd, one of the world’s most infamous pirates, was hanged in London in 1701, his body left to rot in the open as a warning to others. Before his death, Kidd is said to have buried a massive amount of treasure — upwards of $15 million today — during his world travels. Many have scoured old maps, books and the open ocean trying to find it, but its whereabouts still remain a mystery. In the early 1980s, a failed British actor named Richard Knight thought he had found the treasure’s location on the small island of Hon Tre Lon near Phu Quoc, off the southern coasts of Vietnam and Cambodia. Knight and his American partner Cork Graham left Thailand in 1983 and headed to the island. Author Glenys Roberts, who helped Knight write his memoirs, wrote that Knight claimed to have actually found Kidd’s stash before this trip but couldn’t transport it alone. So he and Graham had gone back to the island to claim it. Before they could finish digging, something went wrong. Knight and Graham were arrested by Vietnamese militia and ended up spending 14 months in prison. Years later, Knight disappeared and Roberts wrote in a Daily Mail article that he had died some time in 2001, still claiming he knew the location of Kidd’s lost treasure. Whether Knight was telling the truth about Captain Kidd’s gold may never be known. But what is now clear is that the region’s coast, islands and rivers are chock-full of treasures that are arguably more valuable than any pirate booty ever could be. “The sheer volume along the [Vietnamese] coast is truly astounding,” says Dr Mark 40 asialife Cambodia
Staniforth, a senior researcher in maritime archaeology at Monash University in Australia. Staniforth first visited Vietnam in 2008 when he was able to work on one of the country’s more significant sites on the Bach Dang River, in the country’s north. It was here that in 1288 an invading Mongol fleet was destroyed. Prior to the battle, a Mongol army sent by Kublai Khan had taken the Vietnamese capital of Thang Long (now Hanoi), but soon found themselves stuck in a city without supplies. The invaders abandoned the capital, choosing to retreat rather than starve. The Vietnamese had other plans. Led by the famous Gen-
water sites have to offer. Traders moving between China and the Arab world would have stopped at Vietnam’s many ports beginning in the 7th century, while mercantile routes are known to have skirted along Cambodia coastline. Indeed, a ship laden with goods thought to originate from the Chao Phraya River in Thailand and dating from the 14th to 16th century was discovered by fishermen off Koh Sdach in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province in 2005. “Some basic salvage operations brought up a wonderful cargo of earthenware cooking pots and other items, a variety of stoneware such as large storage vessels, and quite lovely
“The sheer volume along the coast is truly astounding.” eral Tran Hung Dao, Vietnamese forces lured the fleet of 400 Mongol ships down the river just as the tide ebbed. The retreating Mongols were forced into hundreds of wooden stakes that had been driven into the riverbed. By the end of the battle, the Vietnamese had burned or sunk most of the enemy ships, and defeated the invading horde. Today, many of these wooden stakes still exist and some have been recovered. There is also evidence of the destroyed fleet. While the Vietnamese have been working on this site since the 1950s, Staniforth says there is still much to be discovered. “That site itself could keep a team working for a decade and it could reveal all sorts of things about the 13th-century invasions,” he says. But it’s not only battles and pirates that the region’s under-
porcelain known as Celadon wares,” says Nancy Beavan, a senior research fellow at New Zealand’s University of Otago. The wreck had a further impact on archaeological work in Cambodia. Radiocarbon-dated cargo matched ceramics found in hillside burial jar sites in the Cardamom Mountains, implying that 15th-century highlanders had a connection with the coastal traders. Yet despite the wealth of potential wrecks in the region, exploring underwater sites can be difficult. Staniforth says that, in Vietnam, underwater archaeologists can lack basic equipment to do proper research. “When we first started coming over in 2008 they asked us to bring some of our equipment,” Staniforth says. “We quickly realised they meant equipment down to a basic level, such as boats.”
Experts in Cambodia suspect that the Mekong may be a prolific region for underwater cultural heritage, with epic river battles between the Khmer and Cham people represented in Bayon and Banteay Chhmar temples, but working in the waterway remains “a difficult challenge”. “There are strong currents, the river carries sediments that may have covered up archaeological remains, and the visibility is bad,” says Veronica Walker Vadillo, from the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology. “Therefore the role of advanced equipment for remote sensing will be very important.” Plunder can also be a problem. Vietnam has thousands of sites across the country, but there is little the authorities can do to protect ones that have been found. Fishermen discover many of the sites, but plunder the artifacts and sell them on the black market. If the locals don’t get to them first, often salvage companies or professional treasure hunters do. Things are however looking up, as officials place more emphasis on underwater heritage. Efforts are underway in Cambodia to establish an underwater cultural heritage unit within the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and the country ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, which is against the commercial exploitation of archaeological material from underwater sites, in 2006. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Institute of Archaeology started an underwater archaeology department in July. “More and more archaeological sites are being excavated and preserved,” explains Dr Le Thi Lien, who heads the new department.
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The Elephant Whisperers Jack Highwood is helping to protect Cambodia's dwindling elephant population. Marissa Carruthers heads into the Mondulkiri jungle to find out more about the Brit’s work. Photography by Zeeshan Haider. A deafening trumpet sounds in a plain of grass edged by thick forest. Heavy thuds soon reverberate through the ground as trees dance in the distance and small saplings snap underfoot. Within minutes, a trio of giant elephants emerge from the Mondulkiri jungle. Rhythmic stomping sets the beat for swaying trunks as the beasts lumber towards a river that slices through the landscape. They spend the next few hours frolicking in the water, using their trunks to toss mud onto their backs before basking in the sun. But life hasn’t always been so carefree. If you look closely, many of the beasts bear the scars of hardship and pain. 42 asialife Cambodia
With Cambodian elephants often used in the tourism and logging industries, some were reportedly worked close to breaking point before being offered respite at the Elephant Valley Project (EVP), set near the provincial capital of Sen Monorom. “Elephants are essentially wild animals but are, however, considered to be domestic,” says Englishman Jack Highwood, who set up the project. “They're not designed to do the work that is required of them and often suffer as a result.” The 30-year-old Brit first began working with elephants when a friend recommended that he visit a sanctuary while
travelling in Thailand, an experience he calls “love at first sight”. Though he had no professional background in caring for beasts, Highwood believes his upbringing helped him forge an instant bond with the mammals. “I grew up on a farm, where common sense rules… Elephants are much the same, their care is all about common sense,” he says. After visiting and working at various Thai sanctuaries, he went on to launch his own in Cambodia in 2007. Using his savings together with some small donations, EVP was started and Highwood’s passion for the animals continues to grow every day. “If you watch an elephant,
you can see when it’s concentrating,” he says. “Normally, they flap [their ears] gently when they’re relaxed and faster when they’re excited. However, when an elephant looks at you in the eye and pins its ears back and spends time to concentrate and examine you up close, you really feel a connection and realise, for a moment, just how intelligent they are.” It’s this admiration for the animals, and his ability to connect with them, that has enabled Highwood to develop the successful centre. EVP provides rest and recuperation for working elephants, while offering compensation — either financial or in the form of rice — to their owners or mahouts. Many of the elephants take a year's respite before being returned, while those who are unable to return
"A project of this kind gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy elephants in their natural habitat instead of exploiting them by visiting elephant camps."
to work will live out the rest of their lives at the centre. Over time, it has become a haven for elephants, with a total of 14 animals now cared for in a vibrant valley full of bamboo and other delicacies suited to a pachyderm’s palate. Onion is just one elephant at the centre that carries the weight of a sorry story. Grueling days pulling large logs to a saw-mill took its toll on the animal, and one day she refused to work. Unable to afford the financial loss, her owners made a hole in her forehead where they inserted a hook in order to control her. Eventually, she was brought to the project in need of urgent medical treatment for the infected wound. It has now healed and Onion lives a relaxing life in the jungle. At one point she found love with fellow pachyderm Bob, until he
unexpectedly died in August. And while each elephant carries its own life experience, Highwood has an innate ability to build up relationships with the genial giants as they come and go. Like any bond, it can be a painful process. “I used to have a favourite elephant called Princess but unfortunately she died suddenly and in the process broke my heart,” he says, emphasising that each beast has its own personality, shaped by the conditions it has been kept in. “After that I decided I wouldn’t allow myself to have a favourite as I couldn’t go through the pain again.” With an estimated population of 250 to 260 elephants left in the Cambodian wild, and 85 to 90 elephants in captivity — 54 of which live in Mondilkiri province — the work carried
out by EVP is vital in helping keep the rapidly dwindling population in good health. Louise Rogerson, founder of elephant rescue foundation EARS, says that such projects play a vital role in highlighting the importance of protecting the animals. “A project of this kind gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy elephants in their natural habitat instead of exploiting them by visiting elephant camps,” she says, adding that the eco-tourism aspect of the project is equally beneficial, providing employment to locals and educating visitors. EVP runs a volunteer scheme where visitors can spend a day, a week or even months helping out at the sanctuary. This involves immersing themselves in the daily lives of the elephants, helping them with their daily wash in the
river and clearing parts of the valley and planting bamboo to feed them. They are also expected to contribute to a series of projects, including digging trenches, building water towers and weeding. Volunteers are also given the chance to observe the elephants in their natural habitat as they tear down trees, cool down in the river, splash themselves with mud and stomp through the forest. “We’ve seen aggressive elephants become gentle, and brave elephants become fun and playful in the face of living in a herd again,” says Highwood. “It's a privilege to work towards them having a better future and I just hope that the work is making enough of a difference for their future.” For more information on EVP, visit: www. elephantvalleyproject.org. asialife Cambodia 43
All About the
Snow
First-time skier Mark Bibby Jackson hurls himself down the slopes of Niseko Village in Hokkaido Island, northern Japan. Luckily for him, a soft bed of snow is there to break his fall.
I keep hearing the same message, as if it is an unfamiliar Buddhist mantra. “It’s all about the snow,” everyone chants. The hotel staff, my fellow guests, the waiter at Yo restaurant and even the naked Englishman in the Onsen hot springs — more of that later — agree that it’s the quality of the snow that makes skiing at Niseko Village a unique experience. The snow is of such excellence that even seasoned skiers from Europe fly here 44 asialife Cambodia
rather than take the short trip to the Alps, Augie Vong, the director of sales for YTL, a group that owns both the Green Leaf Hotel in which I am staying and the nearby ski runs, informs me. The naked Englishman, who I meet soon after arrival, agrees. “I just love skiing up to my waist in the snow,” he says to a French-Canadian sitting next to him. I just hope he skies in more appropriate attire than he bathes. Like myself, he has cast
aside natural British reticence and braved intermittent snow flurries to walk to the outdoor Onsen for his traditional Japanese ablution, with a flimsy piece of cloth the size of a beer mat the only protection for national pride. Clearly Japanese do not have much to hide. “It’s the best,” adds Chris, an Australian waiter at Yo, a traditional Japanese Irori restaurant where customers sit around a sunken hearth. “It’s better than Australia and
France. The snow is softer and more dry.” I’m not sure what surprises me most — that snow can be dry or you can ski in Australia. Clearly I have plenty to learn about skiing. Chris’ occupation — a ski instructor by day and waiter by night — typifies the twin attractions of Niseko Village. There are no steins of beer and fondue here, but sake and teppanyaki. In addition to Yo, the Hilton in Niseko has numerous restaurants,
including a fantastic teppanyaki grill offering fresh seafood and buttery marbled wagyu beef. There’s also an ice bar, literally cut into the ice that melts away each spring. Just don’t ask for your sake hot here. But despite the excellent food on offer, the skiers who come to Niseko each year are drawn in by the snow. Peter Novom, my ski instructor, grew up on the slopes of Vermont and explains that the particularly soft snow is the result of dry winds from Siberia. Between 15 to 18 metres falls each year, about three times more than in Vermont, meaning the snow is always fresh. “They do not even have a snow making machine here,” Novom says. “The snow is reliable. I haven’t heard anyone leaving disappointed.” There may be dry winds and soft snow, but there is still a mountain to descend on long sticks that seemed to be crying out “break a leg” in a timehonoured thespian tradition. “Don’t worry the snow is soft,” says Aja Ng, YTL’s director of public relations. “It cushions the blow.” Now, why don’t I find that totally reassuring? This is my first time skiing, unless you count one alcohol-
induced assault on a dry slope in England, when my cousin persuaded me to take the chair to the top of the slope and make my own way down. She said I was a natural skier — the sole reason I was persuaded to take on Essex’s equivalent of the Matterhorn, that and a few pints. Both my cousin and the alcohol had lied, I found to my cost, as my descent concluded with me
to Buddha, but simply a case of wearing what fitted. Like a condemned man joining the chain gang I stomped my way to the nursery slopes — ski boots are not made for walking. There, Novom showed me how to swerve left and right as well as the art of stopping safely — something I had never mastered in Essex. In truth, these skills, even for a klutz like myself, are pretty
I descend the mountain like a large orange heffalump with the certainty of a novice duckling encountering an icy pond for the first time. becoming wrapped around a welcoming tree. So, this afternoon, standing at the top of the community run in Japan, the finest teppanyaki lining my stomach, I try to banish all thoughts of my previous foolhardy venture and focus instead on the softness of the snow. The morning had gone smoothly enough, with my greatest ordeal finding a skisuit and boots large enough for me. The consequent orange ensemble was neither fashion statement nor forlorn appeal
simple to pick up. I think I only discovered how soft the snow was once and that was at a pedestrian pace. But, standing at the top of the run, both my mind and knees turn to jelly. A sharp intake of fresh air and I am off. There is something both exhilarating and paralysing about attempting an activity that is essentially lifethreatening. Each time I master a slow curve I get a sense of accomplishment, each time I loose control my heart beats faster. I descend the mountain
like a large orange heffalump with the certainty of a novice duckling encountering an icy pond for the first time. Just as I feel I have begun to stand on my own two feet, a small boy, perhaps five or six years old, comes whizzing past me, his relaxed mother close behind. Undeterred I persevere — after all I can hardly walk down in these boots. With the finishing line in sight and the Hilton hotel lying in wait for me, the slope appears to grow steeper, or is that the effect of the adrenaline playing a trick on my mind? I lose my head and hurl myself to the ground one last time, assured in the knowledge that the slope’s soft snow will break my fall and not my legs. After all, what is it everyone has been telling me all week — it’s all about the snow, all about the snow. Skiing at Niseko Village (nisekovillage.com) runs from December to April / May depending on the snow. During the summer the ski runs turn into a golf course. The Green Leaf (thegreenleafhotel.com) is open from December to March. Flights go from Bangkok direct to New Chitose Airport Sapporo, a three-hour shuttle bus trip from the ski resort. asialife Cambodia 45
Sunset at Vale do Capao. Photo: Taisa Sganzerla
Brazilian journalist Taisa Sganzerla treks through Brazil’s true hidden gem: Chapada Diamantina, a sprawling national park once known for its rich diamond deposits.
As we approached the city of Itaberaba, during the 500km drive from Salvador to Lençois, the landscape began to change. Isolated mesas and huge blocks of rock started to emerge on a once-uneventful horizon. When I opened the windows, I could feel a light chill in the dry, crisp air — much different from Salvador's moist sea breeze. We were still two hours away from Chapada Diamantina National Park's main city and entrance, but I could already tell we were in for some breathtaking scenery. The national park encloses 152,000 hectares of mesas, mountains, canyons, caves, lush vegetation and countless 46 asialife Cambodia
waterfalls. It's located in the countryside of Bahia, in northeast Brazil, and almost every river that bathes this part of the country is born here. While it's a mecca of ecotourism for Brazilians, Chapada is often overlooked by international visitors who usually stick to Brazil's famous beaches. Five main towns surround the park and work as bases for exploring it. Most of them were founded in the 17th century, when the first colonists discovered gold mines and rich alluvial diamond deposits in the region. By the 1870s, almost every single diamond had been extracted, and Chapada
Diamantina fell into disrepair. It was not until 1985, when its geological, environmental and historic importance was finally acknowledged, that the national park was created. Lençois was the first stop on our trip. This charming colonial town is Chapada's main tourist hub, with boutique hotels and little bistros making it a favourite spot for the less adventurous — not that it's unattractive for more intrepid explorers. A 15-minute walk from town led us to Serrano, a beautiful set of waterfalls and pools amid rock and sandstone formations. A few minutes from there is one of Lençois’ main attractions:
Salão de Areia, or Sand Saloon, a cave made entirely of sand, a result of the decomposition of very old rocks. We didn't linger long. Our real destination was the village of Caeté-Açu, known by its geological location: Vale do Capão, or Capao Valley. It's not exactly easy to get there. From the small town of Palmeiras, some 50km from Lençois, a 45-minute drive on a dirt road leads to this village that time seems to have forgotten. There wasn’t even cell reception here. Most of Vale do Capao's nature-loving dwellers arrived in the 1970s, wishing to trade an urban lifestyle for the tranquility of the country.
Waterfall near Ibicoara, on the way to Fumacinha. Photo: Iuri Kothe
Vale do Pati. Photo: Iuri Kothe
Fumacinha's canyon and waterfall. Photo: Iuri Kothe
A stone house at the ghost town of Igatu. Photo: Iuri Kothe
Trek in the Buracão canyon. Photo: Iuri Kothe
There you will find vegetarian restaurants, shiatsu massage houses and the town's own local circus. This alternative community of artists and hippies, many of them foreign, are welcoming; just don’t complain about the unpaved roads. They prefer to keep their little town as it is, and even the recent arrival of wifi encountered some resistance. The village is shielded by one of South America's tallest waterfalls. Cachoeira da Fumaça, or Smoke Falls, is a tiny stream that falls over a 350m cliff. A two-hour hike leads to the top, where we sat and admired the breathtaking view of Capao Valley.
The falls are beautiful, but most trekkers visiting Chapada Diamantina agree the mustsee spot is Vale do Pati. There are many ways to explore the valley, mostly by hikes that last from three to six days (hire a local guide). There are no towns or villages in Vale do Pati, but some of the few inhabitants have turned their own homes into guest houses. One of them, Dona Raquel, has lived in the middle of Pati long before the park even existed, and now her hospitality is known in every corner of it. Raquel's house is a perfect base for exploring Morro do Castelo, a huge, castle-like mountain. While it’s a tough
hump to the summit, even an inexperienced trekker can do it without any climbing gear. Farther southeast is the town of Andaraí. Most pass through it to visit the real gem of the east: the ghost town of Igatu. Igatu was one of Chapada Diamantina's main towns in the 19th century, with 10,000 or so inhabitants at the peak of the diamond era. Today, fewer than 500 people live there permanently. Its small population gives the village an abandoned look, and the small stone houses constructed by gold diggers of old add an air of mystique. Finally, we made our way to Ibicoara, the final stop before
returning back to Salvador. This little village is probably the least-visited town in Chapada Diamantina. Nearby, however, are two of the park's most remarkable waterfalls: Fumacinha and Buracao. Both are located inside canyons with 200-metre-high walls. The falls are only accessible in the drier seasons, usually from May through October. The view from Fumacinha canyon is spectacular: a tall and narrow waterfall entering a deep, dark pool, embraced by greenish walls covered with moss and lichen. Just one of the many reasons Chapada Diamantina is an underrated national treasure. asialife Cambodia 47
Digby’s Rows of Kettle Chips, Betty Crocker pancake mix, Bonne Maman jams, biscuits, wines and cereal fill one half of a spacious room. At the far end, a small butcher ’s counter offers an almost endless selection of plump sausages and meats. To the side lies a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables and a bustling café. Despite its location in BKK1, walking through the door of Digby’s is like being whisked into a trend-setting delicatessen in the Western world. The industrial-style building oozes modern chic, with lots of black and white and a spacious café area tastefully decorated with quirky antique typewriters, clocks, teapots and telephones. “You find this sort of thing a lot in San Francisco and New York,” says owner David Chiv, who was born in Cambodia but raised in San Francisco. “That’s what we 48 asialife Cambodia
Marissa Carruthers heads to Digby’s to find out more about Phnom Penh’s grocery store slash cafe. Photography by Conor Wall. wanted to do, bring a bit of San Francisco to Cambodia.” David Chiv spent almost two years working on the project together with his wife, Amy. The effort paid off, as within just weeks of opening, Digby’s proved to be a hit. In what is a first for Phnom Penh, the open-plan, high-end deli also serves up a sumptuous selection of home-made breads, pastries, cakes and meals. With the words organic and natural all sitting high on the menu, the couple has also ensured Digby’s is littered with healthy options. “We wanted to try and promote natural and organic foods,” says David, who also owns sister company Digby’s butchers. “We feel it’s important to raise awareness of healthy eating.” The café menu features snacks as well as main meals, from chicken noodle soup
“We wanted to try and promote natural and organic foods... We feel it’s important to raise awareness of healthy eating.” ($4.50) and German Aglio Olio pasta ($6) to beef pot pie ($5) and an American beef burger ($8.80). The butcher boasts more than 100 types of sausages (from $9 for 1kg) and a selection of meats including English, streaky, French and Chinese bacon (from $10 for a kilo). There is also a charcuterie with a range of meats cured
in store and an area where shoppers can buy vegetables from their organic partner, Discovery Farms. A selection of freshly-baked pastries and breads — including multigrain, muesli and soft white — are also on sale. “It’s a great awakening for me to come back to see my own country and my own people. I realised that I’m blessed in a way to be able to go to the US to learn and get experience,” says David, who has a wider plan to open two additional restaurants upstairs offering Japanese cuisine and Italian tapas. “The business was not in my mind when we set up. In my heart I wanted to provide jobs for people here. This is more than just a business for me and my wife.” 34A Street 306, junction with Street 63, Phnom Penh. Open Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 10pm.
Alma Cafe Head to most Mexican restaurants in Phnom Penh and you’re bound to see cheese-laden tacos, sizzling fajitas and salty-sweet margaritas by the dozen. But take a ride to Alma Cafe near Russian Market and you’ll find a restaurant that is not afraid to defy the crowd. Each day just two lunch specials grace the eatery’s menu, alongside five set breakfast dishes. Yet fear not, when it comes to authentic Mexican cuisine, Alma is the real deal. Inside its kitchen, a team of Mexican chefs is cooking up a storm, offering the public hearty fare echoing the home-cooked dishes provided by loving mothers throughout the country of 112 million people. On the day of our visit, the two specials were both stews. The first, a pork version called puerco guisado ($5 including bread and a drink),
Ellie Dyer and photographer Charles Fox try out authentic Mexican cuisine at Alma Cafe. was one of the best brothbased dishes I’ve ever eaten. The liquid element was light and refreshing, containing a touch of smokiness from the chipotle chillies balanced out by a zingy tomatillo sauce and the sweetness of caramelised red onion. The generous serving contained slices of corn on the cob that burst in the mouth and huge hunks of tender pork shoulder. The meat was masterfully cooked; falling apart with the lightest touch of a spoon. The delicate flavour worked in symbiosis with the broth, taking it to a richer level, but my favourite part was left until last. After slurping down half the bowl, I discovered the chickpeas that had sunk to the bottom, infusing all the interesting flavours of the dish into one. It was simply delicious. The other special on our trip, frijoles blancos with kale and sausage ($5 including tea
or limeade), was also excellent, though not quite as interesting as its predecessor. A thick white bean stew benefitted from bursts of spicy sausage tempered by a mound of white rice. An additional side of cheese-laden folded tortillas meant that the carbohydrateheavy dish was not for the faint hearted, but it symbolises what Alma does so well: homely, comforting fare. Alma’s breakfast menu is small and good value, but from my experience remains less adventurous than its specials, which have previously featured chicken crêpes doused with Mexico’s famous mole sauce, a cheesy tortilla soup and marinated chicken thigh in achiote paste. The breakfast huevos rancheros ($4, including juice and coffee) consists of a tortilla topped with two fried eggs, doused in a sauce with a sizeable chilli kick. The
addition of refried beans and smoked bacon created a solid, yet simple, meal. Along with the excellent stew, it’s the flan ($2) that I’ll be coming back for. The dish is one of Alma’s desserts, which also regularly change and are kept in the glass cabinet inside the modest restaurant space. A mound of pleasingly wobbly set custard was topped with a rich caramel sauce and a swirl of solid caramel. The combination of textures, along with a jawaching indulgent sweetness, made it a dish to remember. Alma may not have a lavish interior or grace the most desired street in town, but the food speaks volumes about its quality. The only disappointment I had is that, for the moment, it only opens for breakfast and lunch. 43A junction of Streets 123 and 454, Phnom Penh. Tel: 092 424 903. Open from 7am to 2pm, closed Tuesdays. asialife Cambodia 49
BEHIND the
DESIGN
Frangipani
Villa Hotels The frangipani tree, known in Cambodia as the champei, produces delicate flowers that are renowned for their fragrance and beauty. The plant is also the fitting symbol of the country’s successful Frangipani Villa Hotel group, where sympathetic renovation and green design concepts are being put to the fore. In an age of technological advancement and globalisation, many hotel owners choose to import expensive materials from abroad for their fledgling developments. But Din Somethearith, the co-founder and chief executive officer of 50 asialife Cambodia
Frangipani Villa Hotels, has a different ethos. The Cambodian businessman uses local Khmer products, like rattan, water hyacinth and areca palm, to decorate his hotels. “The styles harmonise with [the] original style of the old buildings,” explains the 40-year-old, who started his first hotel – the 60s Hotel – in 2007. The family of hotels has steadily grown over the years and now includes the Fine Arts Hotel and Frangipani Villa Royal Palace Hotel in Phnom Penh. Buildings dating back to the 1960s and 1990s have also been restored to create two
more locations in the capital, as well as the Frangipani Villa and Green Garden Hotel & Spa in Siem Reap. “We make and design most of the furniture by ourselves such as sinks, chairs, tables,” explains Somethearith. “I always use less expensive and simple materials which can be found in our country and are ignored by most hotels’ owners.” Rather than using brick or wood on the ground floor of the Living Arts Hotel, for example, the floor has instead been paved with pebbles. Tables and chairs are often wooden, while locally produced materials can be found in all the rooms. The group also benefits from the touch of Somethearith’s wife, Sarunya Lormaneenopparat, who is a landscape architect and responsible for designing the gardens and outdoor
environments at the hotels. Nature is a strong element in all the group’s sites, where trees are common and guests can enjoy the sound of birds in the early morning, as if they are staying inside a green forest. “I spend a lot of money to buy trees to plant in my hotels,” Din Somethearith says, explaining that the rare Snaeng Kdan tree has been placed next to bamboo walls around the swimming pool of the capital’s Living Arts Hotel, while Angkea Bos and Champei trees decorate additional venues. “Avoiding using valuable wooden furniture can not only save my money, but can also save the forests,” adds the businessman, who aims to not only create a successful company, but also help protect the environment. Words by Dara Saoyuthnea. Photographs by Charles Fox.
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Timeless Glamour
Gown: SCT Jewellery: Paperdolls Previous page: Gown: Juli Handayani Private Collection Jewellery: Paperdolls
Gown: Daisy Boutique Jewellery: Paperdolls
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Gown: SCT Boots: Mango Jewellery: Paperdolls Photographer: Sean Sithekun @ Photo City Studio Model: Yulia Khouri Styling, hair and make up: Ryan Taylor Location: Emergency Room
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Listings
hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies
Air Asia Domestic Terminal Arrival Office NºA17, Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 035 Asiana Airlines Room A16 at Phnom Penh International Airport. Tel: 023 890 441 Bangkok Airways #61A, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 722 545 Cambodia Angkor Air Branch Office in Phnom Penh #206A Preah Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 6666 788 Cebu Pacific Air No. 333B, Preah Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Orussey 4, Khan 7 Makara, 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 161 China Airlines #32, Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 056
China Eastern No. 68, st. 606, Sangkat Beung Kak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel: 016 985 668 #304, Steung Thmey Village, Siem Reap Tel: 063 965 229 China Southern Room F-G-H-I,Ground floor Nº53, Phnom Penh Hotel, Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 424 588 DragonAir #168, Monireth Boulevard, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 424 300 Eva Air Suite 11-14B, Street 205, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 911 Jet Star Asia #333B, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air #254, R03, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 2240 47-49 Lao Airlines #58B, Preah Sihanouk Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 956 Malaysia Airlines #35-37, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 218 923-924 Myanmar Airways International No. 90-94Eo, Charles de Gaulle (St. 217), 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 866 404
Qatar Airways Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. www.qatarairways.com Skywing Asia Airlines IOC buld, Monivong Blvd, Beoung Riang, Doun Penh Tel: 023 217130 Silk Air Regency Complex C, Suite 2-4 Samdach, Monireth Blvd, S.k. Tomnoubteouk, Khan Chamkarmorn Tel: 023 988 629 Thai Airways #294, Mao Tse Toung Blvd., Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 359 Tiger Airways No. 296, Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Intercontinental Hotel, Suit 16B, 12306 Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 5515 888 Vietnam Airlines #41, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 215 998
Battambang
La Villa 185 Pom Romchek 5 Tel: 017 411 880 / 053 730 151, lavilla.battambang@gmail.com, www.lavilla-battambang.com Beautifully restored 1930s colonial house with six rooms is the premium hotel in the country’s second city and with an excellent kitchen and bar. Riverside Balcony Bar & Restaurant West bank of river. Tel: 012 437 421
Traditional wooden house with great views of the river and good food, ideal for a sunset cocktail lounging over the river. Open Tues – Sun, 4pm - 11pm.
Kampot
Blissful Guest House Tel: 012 848 390 www.blissfulguesthouse.com Small guest house, with 18 rooms, set in guest house street with downstairs garden bar and restaurant and bar, Sunday roast, home-baked bread. Bokor Mountain Lodge Riverfront Tel: 033 932 314 / 017 712 062 www.bokorlodge.com Beautiful French colonial building situated on riverfront with well-fitted air-conditioned rooms. Has a good restaurant and bar. Epic Arts Café Old Market Street Employing deaf staff, this café next to the old market has a good range of bagels, shakes, brownies and coffee. Is also the centre for the community arts programme. Open from 7am - 6pm. Les Manguiers 2km north of Kampot Tel: 092 330 050 Small resort with bungalows and rooms set in beautiful gardens overlooking the river with a restaurant which has daily changing, freshly prepared food.
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Mea Culpa 44 Sovansokar Tel: 012 504 769 meaculpakampot@gmail.com Accommodation established by the former manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge set in the French Quarter. Six rooms have air con, hot water, DVD and TV. The large garden has a patio pizzeria and bar. Nataya Coral Bay Resort Prek Ampil, Kampot, Tel: 016 226 471 / 012 902 823. natayaresort@yahoo.com Only 16km from Kampot, this topend hideaway comes complete with eight beachfront bungalows, a 25m infinity pool, a 2km private beach, stilt huts off a 300m pier, and simply oodles of relaxation. Rikitikitavi Riverfront Tel: 012 274 820 / 012 235 102 www.rikitikitavi-kampot.com Western food served in large portions in this river-facing restaurant, bar and three-room guesthouse. A more upmarket venue for Kampot, the upstairs seating affords great sunset views. Restaurant and bar open 7 days a week. Rusty Keyhole Riverfront This British pub is the place for expats to chew the fat over a pint. Friendly British owner has recreated the atmosphere of a rural pub in outer Kampot, or at least as close as it gets. The ribs remain as good as ever. Open 8.30am until midnight.
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Kep
Breezes Route 33. Tel: 097 675 9072 Situated on the main coast road about halfway between Kep Beach and the ferry to Rabbit Island, this stylish restaurant and lounge is located right by the sea in a green, wooded area. The food is a fusion of Asian and western with a focus on small dishes with plenty of seafood. Free pick-up and return to Kep hotels. Kep Lodge Tel: 092 435 330. www.keplodge.com Nestled just below the calm Kep National Park, this boutique resort offers only 10 standard and luxury bungalows, all with private balcony, hot water and sea view. The comfortable restaurant pampers you with local and Swiss specialties and the lively bar. The beautiful infinity salt water pool has one of the best views in Kep and is the perfect place for a sunset. Knai Bang Chatt Resort Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service and modernist style. Lush and private grounds house a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. With 18 unique rooms the resort includes an infinity pool, full spa, and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards. Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club. Le Bout du Monde Kep, Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com
Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located at a top of a hill with good views and nice gardens. Serves French and Khmer cuisine. Rooms have hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe.
14 exclusive private Bungalow villas embodying the north eastern lifestyle. The first eco-tourism resort in Sen Monorom city located just 1 Km from downtown, surrounded by wonderful views of the highlands.
Saravoan Hotel Thmey Village, Kep, Tel: 036 639 3909 012 715 588 / 012 357 729 Recently renovated building with 17 rooms has all the modern amenities including an inviting swimming pool and sweeping views of the sea.
Phnom Penh – Deluxe
Veranda Natural Resort Tel: 033 399 035, 012 888 619 www.veranda-resort.com Traditional wooden bungalows set in the hillside. Settle down for the night and listen to the jungle purr. Has a good restaurant and bar with some quite stunning sweeping views down to the coast. Villa S’aat Tel 017 38 31 85 www.villa-kep.com Your holiday home in Kep! Elegant and spacious villa for rent in Kep during holidays and weekends. Located around 2 km from the crab market, with spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool, large terrace, garden and household staff. Maximum capacity of 12 guests.
Mondulkiri
Mayura Hill Resort (Mondulkiri 4 star Boutique Resort) Phnom Penh Office: 225 Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 711 177/017 811 188 www.mayurahillresort.com Mayura Hill Hotel & Resort located in Mondulkiri Province has
Amanjaya 1 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 214 747 www.amanjaya-pancam-hotel.com Large hotel with a great central location along the riverfront. The rooms are spacious and wellequipped with tasteful Khmer decorations. The downstairs restaurant doubles up as the air-con K-West bar. Bellevue Serviced Apartments 68 Tonle Sap Street. Tel: 023 432 999 www.bellevueservicedapartments.com www.facebook.com/ bellevueservicedapartments Located in a deluxe hotel complex on the riverbank of the Tonle Sap, Bellevue offers spacious, contemporary accommodation 10 minutes away from the city. Facilities include infinity swimming pool, tennis court, gym and children’s playhouse, 24 hour security, housekeeping, internet and complimentary shuttle to the city. Studio to 3 bedroom units available. Cambodiana 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 426 288 www.hotelcambodiana.com Great riverside location with spectacular sweeping views of the confluence of three rivers. Large rooms with air-con, in-room safes and good bathrooms. Live band plays nightly (except Mondays) from 8.15pm until late.
The Governor’s House 3 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. nr cnr Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 987 025 www.governorshouse.net Welcome to The Governor’s House Colonial Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh. The Governor’s house offers an exclusive 10 rooms 5-star boutique hotel embodied in an original colonial-style mansion in the heart of BKK I, surrounded by the top residential area in downtown Phnom Penh city, Kingdom of Wonder. Himawari 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 214 555 www.himawarihotel.com The 115 beautifully-designed suites have air-con, cable TV, IDD, Internet, inroom safes and large bathrooms. Nice swimming pool and good gym facilities as well as two good tennis courts. Imperial Garden Hotel 315 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 219 991 Large hotel and villa complex next to the Cambodiana. Has a swimming pool, gym and tennis court. InterContinental 296 Mao Tse Tung. Tel: 023 424 888 www.ihg.com One of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious 5-star hotels, the 346 air-con rooms have all the expected facilities including in-room safes and king size beds. Also has a large swimming pool, a fitness centre and a spa. Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.phnompenh.raffles.com Emanates the same class as its more famous namesake in Singapore. The Elephant Bar is a popular expat haunt during the 4pm to 8pm happy hour. Beautiful gardens with a separate swimming pool for kids plus reasonably priced apartments for long stays. The rooms at the front are particularly special. Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district. Along with 201 luxurious rooms and suites with Mekong or Bassac river views, are chic restaurants and bars, an upscale spa, two swimming pools, a sports club and the finest conferencing facilities in Cambodia.
Phnom Penh – Mid
Almond Hotel 128F Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 822 www.almondhotel.com.kh 56-room hotel located close to the Royal Palace and the riverfront with spacious rooms with WiFi. Downstairs restaurant serves dim sum and Cantonese food. AQUA Boutique Hotel 2 Street 278. / Tel: 012414596 info@aqua-pp.com Modern Indochina villa offers 7 rooms in a stunning Art Deco building, All en-suite with A/C. and on-sight pool, sun bed, wine bar and tapas restaurant.
Asia Club 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 766 An oasis of water and green in the city, the five bungalows and four rooms with air-con and bath, large safe and flatscreen tv. The beautiful swimming pool is tucked around the back of Man Han Lou Restaurant and you can have drinks and food delivered from Man Han Lou Restaurant. Blue Lime 42 Street 19z (off Street 19), Tel: 023 222 260. www.bluelime.asia Centrally-located mini-hotel with a great swimming pool and contemporary rooms is a good flashpacker option. FCC Phnom Penh 362 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 253 222 www.fcccambodia.com Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has seven rooms with balconies offering views of the river. Each is individually designed and meticulously outfitted with high-speed Internet access and the latest mod cons. Homefeel CS Hotel #23AB, Street 278. Tel: 023 214 571 www.homefeelcs-hotel.com Located in the heart of the tourist area in the center of Phnom Penh, Homefeel CS Hotel welcomes you warmly and guarantees you will get this feeling. Hotel Cara 18 Street 47 & 84 Tel: 023 430 066 / 023 998 422 stay@hotelcara.com www.hotelcara.com Just north of Wat Phnom, this stylish boutique hotel has well-fitted rooms at very reasonable rates and a great sushi restaurant. Lebiz Hotel & Library 79F Street 128. Tel: 023 998 608 / 610 info@lebizhotel.com www.lebizhotel.com Luxury accommodation with a competitive edge and sleek modern design offers a full range of specialty services tailored to business needs, and cutting-edge technology to maximise comfort and productivity. Has unique library. Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 990 321. www.paddyrice.net Former Hope and Anchor has newly refurbished rooms with solar hot water, cable TV, air conditioning, WiFi and great views of the river from its balconies. Downstairs restaurant offers full western and Asian cuisine Splash Inn Hotel 5 Street 244. Tel: 023 986 174 www.splashinncambodia.com The Splash Inn opened in March 2011 after full renovations to two traditional Khmer villas, one block from the Royal Palace. All rooms boast handmade furniture, en-suite bathroom, flat-screen LCD TV, DVD, Wi-fi, fridge and mini-bar. River 108 2 Street 108. Tel: 023 218 785 www.river108.com Art deco hotel aimed at the flashpacker set, the river view rooms are extremely comfortable with flat screen TV and separate bathroom and toilet. Efficient WiFi, good working space and spacious rooms make this the perfect business option.
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The Little Garden 8 Street 398. Tel: 078 217 871 Stylish boutique hotel with a swimming pool. A quiet retreat from the city’s chaos. Rooms feature attractive Cambodian furniture and gorgeous colonial tiles. The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa 28 Street 184. Tel: 023 215 151 http://theplantatation.asia 70 rooms – including a penthouse suite, two swimming pools, a restaurant, two bars, a gym, a spa and a meeting room. Centrally situated close to most of Phnom Penh’s main attractions. The Pavilion 227 Street 19. Tel: 023 222 280 www.pavilion-cambodia.com Beautiful boutique hotel set in a colonial building with large, unique rooms, each with either a small balcony or garden. Outdoor swimming pool, free WiFi and a small poolside restaurant. The Quay Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 http://thequayhotel.com Five-storey, 16-room riverside boutique hotel has beautiful contemporary rooms designed by Gary Fell. The stand-out features are the roof-top jacuzzi and the very contemporary ground-floor bar and Chow Restaurant with WiFi. Queen Boutique Hotel 49A Street 214. Tel: 023 211 683 om@queenboutique.asia Boutique hotel located conveniently close to all the major attractions including the Royal Palace and National Museum. Villa Borann 235A Street 19. Tel 023 211 518 www.villa-borann-boutique-hotel.com Business boutique hotel in the historical centre of Phnom Penh with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant. Nicely furnished rooms. Colonial style. Villa SALT 4 Street 294. Tel: 012 815 066 villasalt@sentosasilk.com Whether you are touring Phnom Penh or planning a long vacation, Villa SALT
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along with SentosaSilk, create an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. Explore 14 artistically decorated rooms, each created to give you that authentic sense of uniqueness. Villa Samnang Street 302, BKK1. Tel : 023 221 644 www.villa-samnang.com Boutique hotel with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant. Villa Srey 16 Street 306. Tel: 023 213 219 www.villasrey.com Charming hotel, six rooms with terrace and swimming pool. Very quiet in the heart of Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh - Budget
California 2 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 www.cafecaliforniaphnompenh.com New guest house and bar on the river front with well-priced rooms with air con and security box. Downstairs bar has great Tex-Mex food and pool table. Feeling Home Cnr. Streets 278 & 63. Tel: 023 221 522 www.feelinghomecambodia.com Stylish nine-room boutique hotel with ample rooms at competitive rates, including flatscreen TV, air-con, security box and great beds. Also has two apartments, an Asian restaurant and a Café Sentiment coffee house. L’Imprevu Highway 1, 7km past Monivong Bridge Tel: 024 390 405 Complex with twenty-four bungalows just outside of Phnom Penh. Tennis courts and excellent swimming pool make this a good break from the city. Le Rit’s 71 Street 240. Tel: 023-213-160 Small & charming 6-room guesthouse with spacious rooms is managed by NYEMO NGO, part of its hospitality training. Rooms equipped with queen sized bed, cable TV, private bathroom. The restaurant has a European set lunch menu and serves authentic Khmer food a la carte for diner. Tonle Sap Guest House 4-6 Street 104. Tel: 023 986 722 www.tonlesapguesthouse.com
Clean, well-kept guesthouse upstairs with 15 rooms, with air-con, fans, hot water, cable TV. Downstairs Pickled Parrot bar open 24 hours.
Sihanoukville
Club RED 25 Tola St., Ochheuteal Beach Tel: 068 319 481 Located in the very heart of the city, this unique nightclub, bar, and lounge is open every night of the week. Great music, dance shows and live entertainment. Enjoy exclusive drinks and cocktails served in stylish surroundings by our friendly staff. Open 8pm till late. Independence Hotel Independence Beach Tel: 012 728 090 www.independencehotel.net Beautifully restored hotel on Independence Beach, originally opened in 1963, reopened in 2007 following a complete refurbishment. Has sweeping ocean views from most rooms. Also has a gym, conference rooms and circular restaurant. Reef Resort Road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 315 338 www.reefresort.com.kh Guesthouse set around a beautiful pool with well apportioned air-con rooms, in-room safe and cable TV, family rooms also available. Has a welcoming bar with excellent TV screen, slate pool table and excellent Mexican cuisine. Scuba Nation Lane off road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 604 680 / 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Five-star PADI centre offering daily trips to the area’s many islands and reefs including the decent dive sites at Koh Rung Samloem and Koh Kon, also runs a range of PADI-certified courses, and has an office in Phnom Penh. Sokha Beach Resort Sokha Beach. Tel: 034 935 999 With its own private beach, excellent swimming pool and fine restaurants, Sokha is the most up-market place to stay in Sihanoukville. A live Filipino band plays around the cocktail bar at night.
The Secret Garden Otres Beach Tel: 0976 495 131 www.secretgardenotres.com Modern beachside air-con bungalows with hot water, jungle showers or baths, TV, WiFi and Otres Beach’s only swimming pool. Restaurant run by professional Australian chef with draught and imported beers. Zoco Independence Hotel Road to Serendipity Beach Two fashion boutiques – one on the way to Serendipity Beach, the other in Independence Hotel – run by the Spanish-born Nuria, sells dresses, skirts, bags and accessories.
Travel
Cambodia Uncovered 11B Street 370. Tel: 012 507 097 www.cambodiauncovered.com Offers village and cultural tours in Phnom Penh and surrounds including road trips, Mekong cruises, accommodation, cooking classes and other activities. Exotissimo Travel No. 66, Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 218 948 www.exotissimo.com Excellent French-owned agency specialising in adventure tourism, flight bookings, package holidays and a range of tours of Southeast Asia. Helicopters Cambodia 10 Street 310. Tel: 012 814 500 www.helicopterscambodia.com Over 12 years experience operating in the Kingdom offers scenic flights around the Temples of Angkor and beyond. Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Helicopters New Zealand Group. Intrepid Travel 468 Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 063 966 655 For travellers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world of adventure travel. With a huge variety of tours available. Travel Indochina 43-44EO Street 108. Tel: 023 991 978 www.travelindochina.com.au Australian-owned and managed travel company specialising in small group journeys around Asia that can tailor trips for individuals.
Listings
Laid back, gay-friendly bar with extremely chilled Buddha Bar tunes and some amazing light boxes that serves a great range of cocktails. Free WiFi. Open 5pm until late. Miss Wong Lane off Pub Street. Tel: 092 428 332 Imagine yourself in China at the turn of the last century and you won’t go much wrong in Miss Wong with excellent and original cocktails and dim sum. Open late.
siem reap Siem Reap - Bars
AHA The Passage. Tel: 063 965 501 Sophisticated and beautifully designed wine bar selling a wide range of wines from around the world and tapas, as well as great cheese and Lavazza coffee. Open 10.30am to 10.30pm. Angkor What? Pub Street. Tel: 012 181 4001 “Promoting irresponsible drinking since 1998,” this graffiti-laden bar is the mainstay of Pub Street. A healthy mix of loud rock, punk and grunge, buckets of vodka and red bull for $6. Laundry Bar Old Market Extremely chilled music bar just off Pub Street with great mellow decor and extremely cool t-shirts. Free drink during the 6pm to 9pm washing hours. Open 6pm until late. Linga Bar Alley behind Pub Street Tel: 012 246 912. www.lingabar.com
Nest Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 063 966 381 A step up for Siem Reap, Nest is high level drinking and dining, serving light Mediterranean and Asian food in a unique, highly stylised setting, with loungers and table settings. Picasso Alley West A very cosy wine and tapas bar, with artful décor and a curved bar making conversation easy and fun. Good selection of wines and delicious tapas make this a regular haunt for expats. Open 5pm until midnight. The Station Wine Bar Street 7, close to Pub Street Tel: 097 850 4043 www.thestationwinebarsiemreap.com For lovers and lovers of wine offers a selection of fine wines, always 20 by the glass and a list of over 100 by the bottle. Good music and pleasant decor in air conditioned comfort. Tuesdays, varietal wine tastings and every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday our Lady Boy Variety Show. The Warehouse Old Market Tel: 012 530 227 Popular expat bar plays great music with good Asian-Western fusion cuisine. Best
stocked bar in town and homemade infused vodkas. Open 10am to 3am.
Siem Reap - Cafés
Blue Pumpkin Old Market Tel: 012 946 227/ 063 463 574 www.tbpumpkin.com Popular café with a great range of freshly baked breads and pastries, shakes and coffee. Also at Angkor Wat and the airport. Open daily from 6am to 10pm. Free WiFi.
Siem Reap - Galleries
Diwo Galleries One at Vat Svay, Tonle Sap Road and another between Monument Books and Ta Prohm Hotel on the riverside Features a selection of refined Khmer statues and Buddhas. The larger Vat Svay location features a gallery exhibition of Thierry Diwo’s photography, as well as sells home decor and books. Drinks are available in the garden and on the terrace. Happy Cambodia Gallery 2 Hospital Street, between Psar Chaas and Pub Street Tel: 063 963 114 www.happypainting.net McDermott Gallery I & II FCC Complex Pokambor Avenue, Alley behind Pub Street. Tel: 092 668 181 www.mcdermottgallery.com Two galleries devoted to photographic works. with permanent exhibition of photographs taken by John McDermott. Open 10am to 10pm.
Siem Reap - Hotels
Golden Banana Boutique Resort Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10, Siem Reap Tel: 012 654 638 / 063 766 655 goldenbanana2@gmail.com, www. goldenbanana.info
Deluxe suites & villas in modern Asian style build around a salt-water pool. Private balcony or terrace with outdoor bathtub/splash shower. Gay-friendly. 3mn walk to Old Market. Golden Orange Off East River Road Tel: 063 965 389 reservations@goldenorangehotel.com www.goldenorangehotel.com Mini-hotel with good sized air-con rooms that tends to have customers when others are empty. Nice outside bar makes for a good place to sit and have a few beers. Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor 1 Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 963 888 www.raffles.com Elegant hotel with opulent gardens and a spectacular swimming pool in its grounds. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 964 600/ 610 www.sofitel.com Ultimate in comfort and refinement, combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style. 5-star accommodation, 5 bars and restaurants, swimming pool, spa and international standard18-hole 72-par golf course, 16km outside Siem Reap.
Siem Reap - Leisure
Angkor Silk Farm Puok District (20min from Siem Reap downtown) Open daily from 8am to 5pm Tel: 063 5555 768 www.artisansdangkor.com Learn about the meticulous process of silk-making and traditional silk weaving. A free shuttle bus departing from Artisans Angkor’s shop in Siem Reap center to the Angkor Silk Farm is available daily at 9.30am and 1.30pm.
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Body Tune 293-290 Pokambor Av. (next to the old market along Riverside) Tel: 063 764 141 www.bodytune.co.th When you need to re-balance and rejuvenate your body in between daily routines, BODY TUNE is the perfect place to regain your energy. Open daily 10:00am - 10:30pm. Helicopters Cambodia 658 Hup Quan Street. Tel: 063 963 316 Professionally run company that has flights over the temples and beyond in modern, safe helicopters. Phare, The Cambodian Circus Behind Angkor National Museum on Komay Road. Tel: 015 499 480. www.facebook.com/PhareCambodianCircus A unique professional Cambodian theatrical circus show mixing traditional and modern artistic skills. Emotion guaranteed every night for only $15. 7.30pm daily. Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 056 396 4600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf.com International standard 18-hole, 72-par golf course 16km outside of Siem Reap. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant. Sam Veasna Centre Wat Bo Area. Tel: 063 96 37 10 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award winner. Some of the rarest birds in Asia can be seen at Prek Toal and Ang Trapang Thmor, a day-trip from Siem Reap, or combine bird watching with temple trips to Koh Ker and Beng Melea.
Siem Reap - Medical
Royal Angkor International Hospital National Route #6 Phum Kasekam, Khum Sra Ngea. Tel: 063-761-888. Fax: 063-761-739 www.royalangkorhospital.com Royal Angkor International Hospital is part of the well known Bangkok Hospital Network. We offer high quality care for all eventualities from routine care to emergency treatment 24 hours a day.
Siem Reap - Restaurants
Chanrey Tree Pokombo Ave. Tel: (855) 63 76 79 97 www.chanreytree.com Traditional Khmer food in a beautiful contemporary setting. Alongside the river, 50m brfore Preah Phrum Rath Pagoda. Open daily. Lunch 11am2.30pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm.
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Maharajah Indian Restaurant Next to Pub Street, btwn CAB bank & provincial hospital. Old Market Area Tel: 063-966221 / 092-506622 Authentic Indian vegetarian and nonvegetarian food. Maharajah believes that exclusivity with a touch of simplicity is important in the creation of every dish. Open daily 11am – 10pm. Marum 8a Route B, btwn Wat Polanka & Catholic Church. Tel: 017 363 284 contact@marum-restaurant.org Great food, good service. Part of the Friends International group that trains marginalized and vulnerable young people for a career in the hospitality industry. Profits go back into the training programme. Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm.
Siem Reap - Shops
Artisans Angkor Boutique and Workshops Stung Thmey Street (2min from the Old Market) Open daily from 7.30am to 6.30pm Tel: 063 963 330 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique offering a large collection of handmade souvenirs such as high-quality silk scarves, clothing and accessories, wooden and stone sculptures, lacquer paintings and decorative items for all contemporary lifestyles. Also offers free guided tours of the handicraft workshops to see some of the secrets of traditional Khmer craftsmanship. De Silk 18 Oum Khun Blvd Tel: 063 761 198 / 011 775 168 www desilk.com Boutique offering 24/7 tailoring services using 100% Khmer traditional silk, that has expertise in making clothes and accessories. Smateria The Alley West Tel: 063 964 343 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.
Siem Reap - Spas
Sokkhak Spa Sok San Street, next to Haven Restaurant, Old Market Area Tel: +63 763 797 www.sokkhakspa.com In Khmer, Sokkhak means ‘tranquility’. A nature-inspired décor with a soft, warm and tranquil atmosphere in which to relax, refresh and indulge and using carefully chosen natural botanical and marine-based products. Open daily 11am - 10pm.
siem reap
Siem Reap Wats Joanna Wolfarth With bright white walls, vivid murals and orange robes, the wats of Siem Reap provide a colourful contrast to the monumental temples of Angkor and give a glimpse of modern Theravada Buddhism, the majority religion of Cambodia. Normally a wat complex will consist of a main worship hall (vihear), a dining hall (sala chan), modest housing for monks and funerary monuments (stupa). Wat Prohm Roth, which lies on the west side of the river near the Old Market, was established in the 16th century, but its current buildings were constructed in the 1940s. The mural paintings are contemporary, with a sequence that narrates the life story of Buddha, embellished with glitter and neon paint. At the back of the vihear, behind the colossal seated Buddha, is a beautiful reclining Buddha made of wood. The title of oldest wat building in Siem Reap in fact goes to Wat Bo, which lies east of the river and was established in the 18th century. The vihear is more than 100 years old and French army officers appear in murals illustrating the life of the Buddha. It is common for wats to be constructed at Angkorian sites, and temple ruins are often still present. One of the most interesting and atmospheric examples is found at Wat Atvea. To get there, head south on the river road towards to the Tonle Sap, and the wat is on the right. Here a small, yet impressive, 11th-century
Angkorian temple towers over a beautiful wat built in 1935. The main hall was reconstructed in 1980 after it was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, and its exterior is decorated with murals. Preah Nan Cek Preah Nan Cam is a popular shrine situated in the Raffles Gardens in the centre of town. The two Buddha statues, which represent female spirits, were rescued from a warlord and enshrined in their current location in 1990. Near the shrine, in the middle of the road, is a statue of Yay Deb, believed to be a female spirit with a thirst for crucified chickens. Locals come here to ask the spirits for good luck and success, and it’s a popular spot around exam time. Wat Dam Nak, on the opposite side of the river from Old Market, once had a royal connection and, as well as being a very active wat, now houses a research centre and a well-stocked public reading library. Wat Thmei, found on the back road to Angkor, has a small monument commemorating those killed under the Khmer Rouge and a short information display. With many wats, there is usually a monk or two around. Most are usually happy to chat about life in a monastery and the basic tenets of Buddhism. The wats are free to visit but a small donation is appreciated. Visitors should always dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees and removing hats before entering.
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Listings
food & drink Cambodian
Khmer Surin 9 Street 57. Tel 012 887 320 Elegant restaurant featuring wood and silk décor with a tropical garden that serves Cambodian and Thai favourites. Dishes are well prepsred and large enough to share. K’NYAY The Terrace on 95, 43 Street 95 (corner of Street 348) Tel: 093 665 225. www.knyay.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away off Monivong Blvd, with a menu including a selection of freshly prepared vegan dishes, along with traditional Cambodian specialities. Offers a selection of cakes, ice creams and sorbets, using all vegan ingredients. Open 12-9pm (Tue to Fri), 7am-9pm (Sat & Sun), closed Monday. Malis 136 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 221 022 www.malisrestaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow water channels and decorated with terracotta floor tiles. Has air-con rooms inside for those who find the midday sun too much. The cuisine is modern Khmer, with no MSG. Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 (see also restaurants, French) Romdeng 74 Street 174 Tel: 092 219 565 Come to Romdeng and order some delicious Khmer food for you and also for your children from our new kid’s menu, serving creative and healthy treats for little one! While waiting for your dishes, let you kids enjoy the playroom while you relax by the pool… And before leaving don’t miss our new gift shop in the first floor. Special lunch set menu everyday. Open 11am - 9pm. Chinese Emperors of China 19 Street 163 Tel: 097 929 2699 Up-market Chinese restaurant, popular with the capital’s large Chinese community, private dinning rooms, specializes in Peking duck and dim sum. Fortune Palace NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park Chinese restaurant with authentic Greater Chinese cuisine and all-youcan-eat Dim Sum buffet on Sundays. Open from 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10pm.
Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. 023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience. Open from 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Dim Sum weekend from 8am - 2.30pm. Hua Nam 753 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 364 005 Large Chinese restaurant that specialises in seafood and duck and has a good selection of wines, with VIP rooms. Open 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm. Man Han Lou Restaurant 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 966 Micro-brewery with four types of German-style beer. Has extensive Chinese, Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese menus, as well as dim sum breakfast. Open from 6am - 10am. Sam Doo 56-58 Kampuchea Krom Tel: 023 218 773 The place for dim sum in Phnom Penh, baskets of steamed prawn dumplings, pork buns and more go for a pittance. The wonton soup and other tasty meals are a steal. Open 7am - 2am. Xiang Palace InterContinental Phnom Penh 2/F, 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 424 888 x 3562 Xiang Palace is locally acclaimed for its authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicious dim sum, all prepared with the finest ingredients. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant 128F Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 922 www.almondhotel.com.kh Set on the ground floor of the Almond Hotel, this stylish restaurant specialises in Cantonese food and dim sum that fuses the traditional with the contemporary, including excellent dim sum. Open from 6.30am - 10am, 11.30am - 2pm and 5.30pm - 10pm – Dim Sum not served in the evening.
French
Armand’s 33 Street 108 Tel: 015 548 966 A true bistro experience in a cosy wood-panelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers. Open 5pm until late. Closed Mondays.
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Cambodian
Khmer Surin 9 Street 57. Tel 012 887 320 Elegant restaurant featuring wood and silk décor with a tropical garden that serves Cambodian and Thai favourites. Dishes are well prepsred and large enough to share. K’NYAY The Terrace on 95, 43 Street 95 (corner of Street 348) Tel: 093 665 225. www.knyay.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away off Monivong Blvd, with a menu including a selection of freshly prepared vegan dishes, along with traditional Cambodian specialities. Offers a selection of cakes, ice creams and sorbets, using all vegan ingredients. Open 12-9pm (Tue to Fri), 7am-9pm (Sat & Sun), closed Monday. Malis 136 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 221 022 www.malisrestaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow water channels and decorated with terracotta floor tiles. Has air-con rooms inside for those who find the midday sun too much. The cuisine is modern Khmer, with no MSG. Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 (see also restaurants, French)
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Romdeng 74 Street 174. Tel: 092 219 565 Come to Romdeng and order some delicious Khmer food for you and also for your children from our new kid’s menu, serving creative and healthy treats for little one! While waiting for your dishes, let you kids enjoy the playroom while you relax by the pool… And before leaving don’t miss our new gift shop in the first floor. Special lunch set menu everyday. Open 11am - 9pm. Chinese Emperors of China 19 Street 163 Tel: 097 929 2699 Up-market Chinese restaurant, popular with the capital’s large Chinese community, private dinning rooms, specializes in Peking duck and dim sum. Fortune Palace NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park Chinese restaurant with authentic Greater Chinese cuisine and all-youcan-eat Dim Sum buffet on Sundays. Open from 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10pm. Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience. Open from 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Dim Sum weekend from 8am - 2.30pm.
Hua Nam 753 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 364 005 Large Chinese restaurant that specialises in seafood and duck and has a good selection of wines, with VIP rooms. Open 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm.
Set on the ground floor of the Almond Hotel, this stylish restaurant specialises in Cantonese food and dim sum that fuses the traditional with the contemporary, including excellent dim sum. Open from 6.30am - 10am, 11.30am - 2pm and 5.30pm - 10pm – Dim Sum not served in the evening.
Man Han Lou Restaurant 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 966 Micro-brewery with four types of German-style beer. Has extensive Chinese, Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese menus, as well as dim sum breakfast. Open from 6am - 10am.
French
Sam Doo 56-58 Kampuchea Krom Tel: 023 218 773 The place for dim sum in Phnom Penh, baskets of steamed prawn dumplings, pork buns and more go for a pittance. The wonton soup and other tasty meals are a steal. Open 7am - 2am. Xiang Palace InterContinental Phnom Penh 2/F, 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 424 888 x 3562 Xiang Palace is locally acclaimed for its authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicious dim sum, all prepared with the finest ingredients. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant 128F Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 922 www.almondhotel.com.kh
Armand’s 33 Street 108. Tel: 015 548 966 A true bistro experience in a cosy wood-panelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers. Open 5pm until late. Closed Mondays. Brasserie du Port 49E Sisowath Quay, cnr Street 84 Tel: 012 607 507 Seaside bistro featuring eclectic menu of haute cuisine mixed with pasta and ish specials. French classics including flambéed duck, pork filet mignon and home-made fois gras available at reasonable prices. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Brasserie’s long wooden bar is the perfect spot for enjoying a sea breeze and the restaurant’s comprehensive wine list. Open daily, 8am – 11pm. Comme à la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 www.commealamaisondelicatessen.com Sophisticated French restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace area at the front, yet secluded from the street. One of the best French kitchens in town. Small delicatessen at the back of the restaurant. Open daily from 6am - 10.30pm.
K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747 Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excelllent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm to 8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight. La Marmite Cnr Streets 108 & 51. Tel: 012 391 746 This small, reasonably priced French bistro has two adjoining rooms (one non-smoking) creating a relaxed, cosy atmosphere. Serves excellent fish, steaks and offal as well as daily specials, for a taste of real home-cooked French cuisine. Open 11am-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm. La Residence Restaurant 22/24 Street 214. Tel: 023 224 582 Fine dining on an international scale in this sophisticated restaurant, where French classics meet gourmet, modern cuisine. Open from 11.30am-2pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm. Le Café Mith Samlanh French Institute, Street 184 Tel: 092 471 791 Set in the lush garden of the French Institute (formerly CCF), Le Café offers an extensive à la carte menu with Khmer and French dishes. All proceeds go towards Mith Samlanh’s programmes for marginalised youth. Open 7am - 5pm, closed Sundays. Le Gourmet NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822. Kitsch meets tradition at this up-scale
restaurant. Quality ingredients come together in beautiful presentation on the plate, with the luxury of the surroundings complemented by professional and attentive service. Open daily from 12pm-3pm and 6pm-10pm. Le Jardin 16 Street 360. Tel: 011 723 399 Beautiful shaded restaurant with large garden and spacious outdoor play area for kids with excellent ice cream. Open 8am - 10pm (closed Mondays). Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh dining. phompenh@raffles.com Treat yourself to the finest French & Khmer cuisine in one of Indochina’s most elegant restaurants. The Chef’s Degustation menu allows you to try a myriad of dishes in a single meal in a refined atmosphere. Private rooms are available on request. Open from 6.30pm-10.30pm. The Wine Restaurant 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 223 527 Excellent fine dining restaurant in the same grounds as Open Wine deli. The fresh food and extensive selection of wines make this one of the exclusive places to dine in town. Topaz 182 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 012 346 555/ 023 221 622 Sophisticated, air-con restaurant with outside dining, upstairs bar, wine shop, cigar room and private rooms. One of
Phnom Penh’s finest restaurants. Has a popular piano bar, night club upstairs. Open 11am-2pm, 6pm-11pm. Van’s Restaurant 5 Street 102. Tel: 023 722 067 French fine-dining in a grand setting awaits at Van’s, located on the second floor of a well preserved colonial era building near the city’s Post Office. Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-10.30pm.
Indian Sub-Continent
Dosa Corner 15 Street 51. Tel: 012 673 276 This small south Indian restaurant opened in January. True to its name it has a wide range of very good value dosa as well as thali and biryani dishes. Air-conditioned. Open 7am-10pm. East India 9 Street 114. Tel: 023 992 007 South Indian cuisine predominates in this pristine restaurant with excellent breads including nine types of dosa. Open 11am-2pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm. Flavours of India 158 Street 63. Tel: 012 886 374, Relaxing Indian and Nepalese restaurant with friendly staff and a good range of dishes including good value vegetarian and meat thalis. Open 10am - 11pm. Indian Delight 115Eo Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 724 885 / 098 776 543
Delicious North Indian tastes served at a modest yet clean and bright on riverside. Opposite Titanic restaurant. Open everyday 11am – 1pm. Shiva Shakti Street 63, between Mao Tse Tung Blvd. and Street 466 Tel: 012 813 817 / 023 213 062 Decidedly upmarket and sophisticated Indian restaurant in a beautiful setting with prices to match. Good place for an Indian treat. Open from 11am - 2pm, 6pm 10.30pm. Closed Mondays.
Indochine
Indochine NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park With a focus on Southeast Asian cuisine, Indochine offers tradition dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand in a sophisticated space. Open 11am - 11pm. Irrawaddi 24 Street 334. Tel: 012 979 510 Authentic Myanmar food at very reasonable prices in a clean setting with paintings of the Burmese countryside decorating the walls. Open 10am - 10pm, closed - Mondays. Lemongrass 14 Street 130. Tel: 012 996 707 Elegant Thai-managed restaurant with stylish use of heavy wood and artefacts to create a far more luxurious ambience than the reasonable prices would suggest. Open 10am - 10pm.
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Le Wok 33 Street 178. Tel: 092 821 857 Light and modern pan-Asian and French eatery with dishes such as prawns with lime and wasabi and Mekong lobster thermidor, and a comprehensive list of wines and cocktails. Open daily 9am - 11pm. Ngon 60 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 151 www.ngonpnh.com Open air restaurant that features a vast range of Vietnamese food in a garden environment. Meaning delicious, although the food does not live up to its name, the ambience makes up for it. Pangea Fusion Restaurant NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Pan-Asian fusion restaurant with a western flair that specialises in allyou-can-eat dinner buffets. Open daily 6am - 10.30pm.
International
Aussie XL Café 205A Street 51. Tel: 023 301 301 Aussie style bistro food with quick lunch menu and a good selection of house wines and retail wines. Open 7am - 11pm. Beirut Resto-Café 117 Sisowath Quay, (after night market) Tel: 023 720 011/ 092 483 759 The only authentic Lebanese halal cuisine and Sisha Lounge in the town. Offering middle east flavours including mezze tapas – hummus, shish kebab, baba ganouj, falafel, vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebab wraps. Delivery, takeaway, catering. Open daily 10am until late. Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 Wicker armchairs and marble tables covered with crisp white tablecloths create the perfect place to relax and linger over a delightful alfresco breakfast, lunch or dinner. Western and Asian cuisines are available buffet-style or a la carte. Private rooms are available on request. Buffet from 6am - 10am, 12pm - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm, A la carte from 11am - 11pm. Doors Restaurant 18, Street 47 & 84. Tel : 023 998 114 www.doorspp.com New tapas restaurant, with live music. Open 11am until late
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eLYXIR 3 Street 466 (near Thai embassy), Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each course was dreamed up in order to marry perfectly the wines on our menu. Elyxir includes a swimming pool, champagne bar, private rooms & all our wines are available at our Wine Shop. Open Tuesday - Sunday, 10am until late. Equinox 3a Street 278. Tel: 023 676 7593 www.equinox-cambodia.com marco@equinox-cambodia.com anthony@equinox-cambodia.com French-run bar and restaurant. International menu, pool tables, splitlevel bar. Art exhibitions each month and live music gigs most Saturdays. Bachata class on Tuesdays, Salsa class on Wednesday and swing nights on Thursdays. Open daily 11am – late. FCC Phnom Penh 363 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 724 014 The first stop for newcomers and it’s easy to see why. Set in a beautiful colonial house with sumptuous views across the river on one side and the National Museum to the other, it’s best to come at sunset when the streets below are most crowded, the cocktails are half price and draft beer goes for $1. Open daily from 7am to midnight. Fish Sisowath Quay, cnr of Street 108, Tel: 023 222 685 www.fishphnompenh.com Contemporary, modern restaurant specialising in all things oceanic. Menu includes everything from lobster through sushi to gourmet fish and chips for upmarket, but reasonable prices. Open 7am-late. Flavours Corner St 51 and St 282 Tel: 017 765 896 Relaxing restaurant and popular bar run by Quebecois with comfortable chairs that fall out onto the street. The mix of Asian and western cuisine has proved so popular that they have a copycat restaurant opposite. Open 7am - late. FOX Wine Bistro 104 Sothearos Blvd & St. 266. Tel.: 098 78 99 61 Casual wine-dining. For passionate food and wine lovers who want an unforgettable dining experience or even just a place to hang-out that’s unlike elsewhere in Phnom Penh. Serving simple yet thoughtful dishes and drinks in a comfortable, hip and trendy atmosphere.
dining
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Friends 215 Street 13. Tel: 012 802 072 Non-profit training restaurant where all the proceeds go to the neighbouring street-kid school. Food is a reliable mix of Mediterranean and Asian with tapas thrown in if you are not feeling too hungry. Great juices. Another one of Phnom Penh’s places designed to take it easy, but this time with a clear conscience. Open 11am - 9pm. Gasolina 56/58 Street 57. Tel: 012 373 009 The largest garden bar in town has an extensive menu. Crèche facilities make this a popular choice with families at weekends. Has regular events with live music and DJs, even fashion shows. Open from 8am - 12am. Gastrobar Botanico 9b Street 29. Tel: 017 873 101 info@gastrobarbotanico.com Located in its own habitat with over 2,000 plants. Open-air. Offers tapas, salads, sandwich, and straightforward food, yet with character, in lush garden setting. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Espresso bar. Cocktails, wines, fruit shakes. Open daily 8am - 9:30pm. Irina Russian Restaurant 22 Street 29 Tel: 012 833 524/ 092 833 524 www.irinacambodia.com Russian restaurant of iconic Phnom Penh status. If you can walk out of the restaurant after hitting the vodkas then you are doing well. Open daily from 11am until the vodka runs out. Java Cafe & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org Great coffees, salads, mix-and-match sandwiches and juices served in an elegant setting. The upstairs terrace, overlooking the Independence Monument, is a good place to watch the chaos below, while the downstairs space is a great place for coffee and catching up on your emails. Has exhibitions both upstairs and down. Open 7am - 10pm. La Coupole Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200. www.sofitel.com Casual and authentic Indochinese and French cuisine with live cooking by chefs in an open kitchen concept. Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Sunday brunch, all set in a stunning restaurant with high ceilings and natural light. La Croisette 241 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 220 554 Riverfront restaurant with an ample outside dining area screened off by trees that serves good, reasonablypriced food, also has a cool, air-con restaurant inside. Often arranges special events. Open 7am until late.
TEL 023 21 51 79
eryday
La Plaza Spanish Tapas Bar 22b Street 278, nr cnr Street 57 Tel: 012 825 443 Recreates to perfection the best known and most delicious Spanish tapas, making of seafood Paella its signature dish. Tapas are the result of hundreds of years of Spanish culinary history and evolution. Simple, tasty and healthy dishes have become a standard to be enjoyed with friends while drinking large amounts of sangría. Open 11am - 2pm,5pm - 10pm. All day on the weekend.
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LA ROSE Restaurant 164b Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Revive your strength and restore your health with La Rose Restaurant’s healthy option menu. Cozy ground floor restaurant with experienced chefs serving both Asian and Western cuisine. Latin Quarter Cnr Street 178 and Street 19 Tel: 093 319 081. Latin restaurant and bar that serves excellent tapas and mains with extra salsa. Beautiful courtyard often hosts live music and salsa dancing while the air-con restaurant is available for private hire. Open from breakfast until the music stops. Le Quay Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 110 Tel: 023 998 730, www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Enjoy the menu of sushi, salads, paninis, crepes and Asian specialities, with a wide range of healthy power juices, smoothies, cocktails, coffees, beers and wines, either beside a relaxing water feature or on the riverside terrace. Smoke free environment for lunch and dinner. Open 10.30am-10.30pm. Lime Restaurant + Bar 79F Street 128 Tel: 023 998 608/ 610 info@lebizhotel.com, www.lebizhotel.com Located in Lebiz Hotel Lime serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a stylish mix of Asian and western favourites with a focus on fresh, healthy and local ingredients, with regular changes to the menu. Lotus Blanc 152 Street 51 Tel: 017 602 251 Run by local NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, this centrally located training restaurant has a monthly changing lunch menu as well as a la carte Khmer dishes. Serves both Asian and continental breakfast. Open Monday – Saturday, 7am - 10 pm. Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 Cool east-meets-west decor and a chic menu offering tapas, starters and mains, comprehensive cocktail menu, favourite among which is the Espresso Martini, Metro also offers a range of classic breakfasts and an elegant lunch spot with free wifi in an air-con and smoke-free (until 10pm) atmosphere. Open daily 9:30am - 1am. Mike’s Burger House Russian Blvd, inside Sokimex Petrol Station. Tel: 012 633 971 Hugely popular burger bar that serves food with plastic knives and forks and equally plastic French fries with cheese sauce. Ideal for those who believe that American culture starts with a Mc. Mr Grill Restaurant & Bar 23 Street 288. Tel: 023 997 255 Japanese run restaurant in BKK1 where comfort meets a good atmosphere. Guests can enjoy dishes including appetizers, salads, grill, side menus and drinks. Open daily 11am-midnight.
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New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung Blvd. Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining experience in the famed Phnom Penh Steak restaurant. The innovative menu features New-York Steakhouse signature prime cuts of beef charred to perfection accompanied by decadent sides and desserts. Open Daily from 11am-2pm and 13pm-midnight. Ocean 11 Street 288. Tel: 017 766 690 European managed Mediterranean restaurant that dishes up some of the best fish and seafood in town. Try the red snapper or the squid with rocket. Often has exhibitions around the understated walls. One More Pub 16E Street 294. Tel: 017 327 378 (see bars) Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net (see bars) Regency Cafe InterContinental Phnom Penh 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 3603 Regency Cafe features sumptuous international and Asian buffets as well as a la carte dining for the most discerning palates. Open daily 6am-10.30pm Restaurant Tell 13 Street 90. Tel: 023 430 650 Up-market eatery that re-creates the genuine feel of an Alpine chalet, has a spacious indoor restaurant and outdoor terrace with rotisserie and bar. European menu with imported steaks, fondue, raclette and an extensive wine list. Open 11.30am - 2pm, 5pm - 11pm. Rising Sun 20 Street 178. Tel: 012 970 718 (see bars) Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 012 277 882/ 023 213 898 Popular restaurant with expats and tourists alike mainly due to its large outdoor terrace area to view the river. Serves a mixture of Asian and western food with an emphasis on German cuisine. Has rock music videos and a pool table in the music bar at the back. Open from 7am - 2am. Samba Brazilian Steakhouse 64 Sihanouk Blvd. (Nr Independence Monument). Tel: 023 222 599 Experience the unique Brazilian Churrasco way of cookingwith a large variety of meats skewered and roasted to perfection and served piping hot direct from the skewers to your plate! Open daily 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10:30pm. Stella Restaurant 55 Street 75 Tel: 099 574 188 / 012 735 002 A cosy restaurant located near Wat Phnom, Stella serves pizzas, grilled food and Asian cuisine in a peaceful garden atmosphere. Steve’s Steakhouse 8 Street 240. Tel: 023 987 320 Longstanding restaurant specialising
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in local grain-fed beef as well as a large variety of imported steaks, hamburgers, ribs and Greek cuisine. Has a terraced lounge with pool tables upstairs as well as a sports bar with large screen TV and happy hour from 12pm to 7pm. Open daily 11am - 10.30pm. Stonegrill 649 Sisovath Quay. Tel: 023 999 950 www.stonegrill.com.kh Stonegrill offers a unique interactive dining experience where diners meals are served cooking at the table on a natural volcanic stones heated to 400C (752F). Open daily 11am - midnight. T-Bone Steak House 392 Monivong Boulevard & Street 360 Tel: 012 900 138 Contemporary restaurant serving a premium selection of both imported and Cambodian beef, in a sophisticated air-conditioned setting – a carnivore’s delight. Open 12pm - 2pm, 5pm -11pm. Tepui Restaurant Lounge Chinese House, 45 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 991 514 Located on the second floor of Chinese House, Tepui offers a mix of Mediterranean and South American small plates with Asian accents.The skilled Venezuelan chef is considered one of the city’s best culinary talents. Open 6pm-10.30pm, closed Mondays. The Exchange / The Vault 28 Street 47. Tel: 078 886 889 Large colonial mansion contains The Vault, Phnom Penh’s first private member’s club for thoses who have $1000 to burn. Underneath, the Exchange has elegany exposed brickwork and low lighting as well as an impressive fusion menu. Open daily, 10am - midnight. The Quay 277 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 Rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to enjoy a drink during half price 4pm-8pm happy hour. Food is a mix of tapas and more substantial offerings, including an excellent duck confit. Open daily 7am – 11pm. The Lost Room 43 Street 21 Tel: 078 700 001 A hidden gem, with eclectic food in an urbane environment. This small restaurant and bar owned by the former owners of Talkin To A Stranger offers small plates of food for sharing. Using imported and local foods, the menu encompasses global foods and unique cocktail and wine listings at reasonable prices. Caring and experienced staff makes for a pleasant evening. Come find The Lost Room and ring for directions. Open from 5pm Monday to Saturday. Kitchen closes at 10pm. Closed Sundays. Lunch by appointment only. The Village Restaurant, Bar & Live Music 1 Street 360. Tel: 012810731 Stylish purpose built music venue serving a sumptuous array of international dishes. Superb stage and acoustics plays host to a variety of international and local bands. Open from 9am - midnight Closed Sundays
Italian
Aria D’Italia 41EO Street 310. Tel: 012 840 705 Cute little Italian pizzeria tucked away between Street 57 and Street 63. Well-priced lunch set menu and homemade ravioli. Home delivery available. Open 10.30am-2pm, 5.30pm-10pm. Bistro Romano NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Best known for its sumptuous Sunday Prosecco Brunch, this stylised Italian restaurant in the NagaWorld complex specialises in Italian cuisine. Open daily 11am - 11pm. Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 Indulge in home made antipasti, fresh prepared pasta and risotto as well as oven-baked, crispy pizzas and pair it all with the finest selection of Italian wines, every Saturday night 6pm - 10pm. Do Forni Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 Sophisticated Italian diner set in the grounds of the Sofitel hotel, dishes up much more than your basic pizza and pasta. Excellent range of wines, dimmed lighting and plush surroundings make this an excellent romantic meal for two option. Open daily 6.30pm - 10pm. Dolce Italia da Giorgio 96 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 562 892 Authentic neapolitan pizzeria ristorante. Pizza prepared in traditional wood-fired oven. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. Open from 11:30am - 2pm and from 6pm - 10pm, closed on Sunday.
Pasta & Vino 45 Street 288. Tel: 086 314 400 Cosy Italian spaghetteria that specialises in well-priced authentic Italian pasta and wines in a smokeless air-con environment. Open daily 12pm - 2pm, 6pm 10pm. Pop Café da Giorgio 371 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 562 892 Sophisticated, small Italian restaurant located next to the FCC that serves light, contemporary Italian cuisine including fresh pasta and pizzas. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. Open daily 11.30am 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm. Terrazza 1c Street 282. Tel: 023 214 660 www.terrazza.asia Experience Italy in Phnom Penh. Fine Italinan restaurant and Deli shop. Open daily 12pm-10pm, Deli shop: 9am-9pm
Japanese & Korean
Fusion Sushi Cnr. Streets 47 & 84 Tel: 023 986 114 Located inside Cara Hotel this beautifully decorated restaurant dishes up excellent Japanese and Korean food. Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 ext.: 6612 A taste of Japan in a Zen atmosphere with tatami rooms and sushi bar. Open daily, 11.30am 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Kan Ji Japanese Restaurant 128f Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 016 318 383 / 016 312 828. Kan Ji is three floors of Japanese culinary delight in a bright and modern setting. Open for lunch and dinner, it features a stylish mix of ancient and modern creative cuisine. Open daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm.
Genova Italian Restaurant 19Eo Street 154. Tel: 012 390 039 This small restaurant has the feel of an Italian trattoria with food just like mamma made. The spaghetti al pesto Genovese is its signature dish. Good range of meat and fish dishes as well as some Khmer dishes. Open daily 10am - midnight.
Le Seoul 62 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 012 971 516 Popular up-market South Korean restaurant specialising in BBQ, each table is equipped with its own charcoal burner, with all beef imported from the U.S. Open daily, 11am - 2.30pm, 5pm 10pm.
La Volpaia 20–22 Street 13. Tel: 023 992 739 Part of a global pizzeria chain that includes Florence, Tokyo, Seoul and Phnom Penh, the cuisine is excellent with pizza and pasta cooked fresh in front of your eyes. Limoncallo 81E0 Sisowath Quay Tel: 081 800 210/ 081 800 240 Authentic Italian cuisine with pasta, risotto and pizzas prepared in the traditional way and baked in a blazing wood-fired oven. Open daily 11:30am- 2:30pm, 6pm10:30pm
Ninja Dining & Bar 14B Street 278. Tel: 088 861 623 Traditional Japanese cuisine including sushi, ramen, BentoBox. Japanese chefs prepare authentic dishes amid a great atmosphere. Open daily 11:30am-2:00pm, 5pm12am.
Luna d’Autumno 6C Street 29. Tel: 023 220 895 Beautiful courtyard or stylish interior aircon restaurant, whichever you choose, Luna has more classical pizzas, both red and white, to choose from than most restaurants. Also serves excellent pasta and other up-market Italian food. Good wine cellar on view in the restaurant. Open 11am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 10.30pm.
Origami 88 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 012 968 095 Up-market, contemporary Japanese restaurant with a spacious air-con area downstairs and four private rooms upstairs. Specialises in sushi and tempura, and has Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo beers. Open daily 11.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 9.30pm. Rahu 159 Sisowath Quay. Tel 023 215 179 Stunning, upscale atmosphere with a mix of modern Chinese décor, high ceilings, muted colors and rich woods. Japanese food takes the main stage but there is also Khmer and Western fusion cooking. A good place to go late night for sushi or a bowl of congee. Open daily 5pm-2am.
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imbibe
Asian Noir Darren Gall There is no law that states you must drink a certain wine with a certain dish or that wine consumption has to be accompanied by food at all. There are also no laws stating that you have to drink a certain wine style at a particular time of day. Thank goodness we live in uncertain times, as experimentation, inspiration and hedonistic impulses bring me some of my greatest dining and drinking pleasure. I am prone to preferring certain wine styles in the unique, dark, wet, heat of the Cambodian night. Nothing quite says Phnom Penh like being perched on a plastic stool, teetering between pavement and shop front, bathed in dim, flickering fluorescent light. A small fan, bouncing on its stand, goes like the clappers in a pitiful attempt to beat off the climate. A cleaved chunk of greasy pork bobs up and down in a warm sea of noodles, spices, herbs and don’t ask what. Your shirt is pasted to your back and the beads of salty liquid dripping from your chin quickly become a condiment for the soup. If that whole scene doesn’t scream Alsace Pinot Gris at you then, quite
frankly, I just don’t know what does. With its rolling hills and valleys dotted with quaint villages, pristine rivers and crisp mountain air, Alsace produces aromatic wines with flowery bouquets and crisp, clean flavours. If this seems an unlikely place to produce a wine to match the Chinese food on Monivong Boulevard at 2am (yes, you will have to bring your own) then you have yet to discover the joyous underbelly of a region that is waiting to be revealed in a bottle of Pinot Gris. Alsace has a mixed history and culture of French, German and Holy Roman Empire. It produces superb wines that are beguiling in their aromatic freshness and have an elegant finesse. Alsace Pinot Gris can range from off-dry to dry and beneath its purity and overt charm is a trail of complexity leading to nuances of spice, exotic fruits, minerality and citrus. There is enough acidity to deal with fatty foods and enough fruit and sweetness to cope with spices and heat. There is an allusive, seductive quality to the wines that suggests more than it demands, like a gentle whisper in the night.
Darren Gall has spent a quarter of a century involved in virtually every aspect of the wine industry and the passionate pursuit of the next great bottle continues. He currently resides in Cambodia developing the wine market with Celliers d’Asie. gall.darren@ yahoo.com
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Udon Café Green Bowl 29B Street 288. Tel: 086 426 530 Freshly made Sanuki-style udon noodles offer a real taste of Japan. Noodles and accompanying soups and sauces from are prepared from scratch using traditional methods and fresh ingredients. Open from 11am-2.30pm and 5.30pm-9pm. Closed every 2nd Wednesday.
Mexican & Tex-Mex
Alley Cat Café Off Street 19 (side street behind Royal Art School) Tel: 012 306 845 Small, friendly patio café serving good Mexican food and claiming to have the biggest burgers in town. Hard to find, Alley Cat is tucked down an alley at the back of the National Museum, the first on the right if you are coming from Street 178. California II 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 American-style bar with some of the best Mexican food in town, the excellent pool table and great tunes make this a good place to while away a few hours on the riverfront. Open 24/7 with good rooms upstairs. Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 222 502 A mainstay of the riverside scene, this is a popular meeting place for local expats with a large selection of Mexican beers and tequilas, and sinfully good margaritas. Serves good Mexican fare, and features photographs that capture the changing face of Cambodia. Kitchen open 3pm - 10:30pm. Closed Saturdays. Casa Lika 16 Street 136. Tel. 012 429 542 American-run family restaurant serving up good Mexican fare in an authentic setting with rustic brick walls and colourful Mexican artwork, great music and even better tacos make this a good place to share some Coronas with friends. Open 10am - midnight, closed on Mondays. Freebird 69 Street 240. Tel: 023 224 712 Aircon American bar with neon lighting, a variety of memorabilia, comfortable seats and rock music. International menu with good lunch offers, an excellent range of bottled sauces, excellent International, Mexican food and burgers. Be prepared for some good solid R&R. Open 7am - midnight. La Citá 13 Street 282. Tel: 092 388 123 Riverside, between St 108 & 110. Tel: 092 626 123 www.lacita.ox2net.com Get ready to change your tune about what you think Mexican food is! Just one taste of our hand-rolled burritos, tacos and quesadillas will tell you how much effort we put into our mouthwatering products. Open daily, 9am-10pm. Taqueria Corona 14E Street 51 (btwn Sihanouk Blvd and Street 242) Tel: 089 281 626 / 012 629 986 Enjoy our mexican specialties, barbacoa, cochinita pebil, texas chile, carnitas, pollo and carne asoda in our festive dining room. Open daily from11.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Sunday evenings only).
Vegetarian
Fresh Salad Bar 37E0 Street 310 Tel: 081 555 559 / 016 977 790 The first salad bar in Phnom Penh which provides healthy organic salad and other foods to help you maintain you healthy lifestyle. We serve salad coffee and bakery goods. Free Wifi. Free delivery, call Jung on 081 555 559. Open daily, 8am - 10pm. K’NYAY (see restaurants Cambodian) The Vegetarian 158 Street 19 Tel: 077 900 210 / 012 905 766 With a lush garden space in the heart of Phnom Penh, The Treez provides a relaxing dining experience. Whether it be amok, curry or tom yam, The Treez, creates vegetarian versions of popular Cambodian, Indian and Thai dishes. Open 10:30am - 8:30pm, closed Sundays. Vego’s 3E0 Street 51 & 21b Street 294 Tel: 012 984 596 Salad bar with an emphasis on greens and a menu of healthy western items. Also offering bagels, salads and wraps with a wide array of super fresh toppings. Choose from ready-made or d.i.y. options. Also on offer are a vegetarian soup of the day as well as fresh-squeezed juices, yogurt and granola.
Cafés
Art Café 37 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 834 517 Elegant bistro in the style of a European coffee house is now transposed to the Meta House with regular classical music performances. Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay and at Monument Books on Norodom Blvd Tel: 023 998 153 Siem Reap’s favourite café also offers multiple locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours in air-conditioned comfort. Open daily from 6am - 11pm. Botanic Cafe-Art gallery 126 Street 19. Tel: 077589458 botaniccafe@yahoo.com, www.botanica-gallerycafe.com Cafe and food inside over 80 year old building, with garden is display art works, pot plants and premium souvenirs. First floor exhibition and event space is for promote local artists. We have special lunch and dinner set for your special times. Open daily 8am – 9pm. Brown Coffee & Bakery 17 Street 214. Tel: 023 217 262 Stylish, locally owned café with bakery on the premises serves a variety of coffees and pastries, with the green tea latte a house speciality. Open 7.30am - 8pm. Café El Mundo 219 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 520 775 Affordable and stylish riverside café and restaurant with adjacent apartments for short-term hire. Seating available on the mezzanine lounge, ground-floor restaurant and on the streetside terrace. Open 6.30am - 10.30pm.
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Café Namu 28b Cnr Streets 30 & 57, Tel: 023 220 074 Breakfast, brunch and lunch venue. Serving pizza, cakes, cookies, desserts, teas, coffees and fresh juices. Café Yejj 170 Street 450, Tel: 012 543 360 / 092 600 750 Quiet, cosy café serving bistro-style western cuisine, with extensive range of coffees, pasta dishes, pannini and wraps and fabulous cheesecake making this an ideal spot to escape the bustle of the nearby Russian Market. Open every day from 7am - 9pm. Chill Ice Cream & Coffee Lounge 219d Sisowath Quay. Tel: 092 547 534 Pretty, casual lounge on the riverside offering coffee, sandwiches, cocktails, and some of the best homemade ice cream in town, as well as inventive ice cream cocktails. Open 11am - midnight. Coffee Room 385 Street 215. Tel: 098 518 888 The first coffee house in Phnom Penh to have an electronic menu, at the Coffee Room you simply tap in your order and wait for your order to arrive. Serves coffees, juices. Pastries and breakfast. Open daily from 7.30am - 6pm.
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Cross Town Café 193 Street 29. Tel: 017665204 Japanese-owned restaurant with welcoming wooden interior. which spreads from floor to bar. A recently opened venue serving traditional Japanese cuisine with an added twist, the restaurant aims to add new dishes to its menu every week. Open daily from 11am - 10pm. Daughters of Cambodia 65E0 Street 178. Tel: 077 657 678 www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches, a few main courses, home baked goods, desserts, coffee and some original smoothies. The cafe is a place for vocational training, where trainees will train and then have the opportunity to graduate into working in top end restaurants and hotels. Value for money. Free Wifi. There’s also a shop selling clothing, accessories and jewellery made on site. Or relax in the spa which offers head, shoulder, face and foot treatments. The Deli 13 Street 178. Tel: 012 851 234 Chic delicatessen, bakery and small restaurant serving excellent bread and pastries, with take-away menu. Open from 7am to 9pm (closed Sundays).
Gloria Jean’s Corner of Street 51 & Street 310, Tel : 092 404 365 Sisowath Quay along Phnom Penh Port, Tel: 092 555 973 Canadia Tower Monivong Blvd., Tel: 092 555 937 Popular cafe serving hot and cold drinks and snacks. Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 (see restaurants, international) Kiriya Café No.174, St.51 Cnr St.370 Tel: 016 363 730. This Japanese café chain offers good locally sourced coffee, delicious desserts and a relaxing atmosphere. Open daily 6am - 2am. Morning Café 32C Street 592. Tel: 023 982 109 Cosy air-conditioned coffee house with relaxed atmosphere, located in Toul Kork district serves Khmer, Thai and European cuisine. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to 9pm. Renature Aquarium café 35AE Street 288 near corner Street 83 Tel: 088 333 5338/017 827 766 Enjoy your coffee surrounded by the gentle glow of beautiful aquaria and relaxing fish. Open from 9am – 10pm.
The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963 / 023 986 964 Stylish café, with a wide range of fresh bread, tempting patisseries and juices, excellent salads and sandwiches. Crowded at lunchtime, but the small, cool courtyard at the back creates a perfect haven from the sun. Has a Chocolate Shop three doors along, and a second outlet in Tuol Kork. Open 7am to 7pm (Mon. to Sat, 7am to 3pm Sun.)
Bars
Aristocrat Cigar Bar NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Club aimed at attracting wealthy expats and Khmers who like a good cigar and glass of wine. Not as stuffy as you might imagine with cigars from $10. Open daily from noon to midnight. AQVARIVM Bar 23 Street 55 Corner Street 254, Tel: 077 536 342 Drop by for Happy Hour drinks and nibbles from 5:00-9:00 PM. Available for special occasion and group discounts. AQVARIVM: Drink like a fish! Backstage 377 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 097 958 7338 Cocktail bar, located near the Royal Palace, is a trendy, intimate yet
dazzling place committed to serving some of the best cocktails in town. Open: Mon-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-3am, closed on Sunday.
two-for-one happy hours (4pm to 8pm). Open 2pm to midnight from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to midnight.
Cadillac Bar and Grill 219 E0 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 011 713 567 Riverfront air-con bar and restaurant. Has good American cuisine as well as ariverfront vantage to watch the world go by.
Equinox 3A Street 278, Tel: 012 586 139 / 092 791 958 (see Restaurants, International)
California II 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 222 502 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Chow 277 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 Contemporary and sophisticated riverfront restaurant that serves Southeast Asian cuisine, a wide range of cocktails, juices and Illy coffee. The rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to have a drink during its half-price 4pm to 8pm happy hour. Open daily from 7am to 11pm. Do It All Pub & Bistro 61 Street 174. Tel: 023 220 904 Dishes out African, Asian and Western cuisine, with hip hop and reggae played into the early hours of the morning. Open daily 9am to 4am. Elephant Bar Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 Flamboyant carpet, comfortable wicker chairs and hotel pianist provide a sense of a time gone by, you can imagine Jackie Kennedy drinking here. Its many signature cocktails, including the femme fatale make this a popular place with expats especially during the
FCC 363 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 724 014 (see Restaurants, International) Freebird 69 Street 240. Tel: 023 224 712 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Howie’s Bar 32 Street 51 Air-conditioned and open until very very late, this is the Heart’s unofficial chill-out bar although the sound system could give its neighbour a run for its money. Tends to be a popular late night hang-out, especially around the ‘mini’ pool table. Open 7pm to 6am. K West 1 Street 154 (Cnr. Sisowath Quay), Tel: 023 214 747 (see Restaurants, French) Le Bar Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 A modern colonial style lobby bar with a fine selection of comfort food, tapas, champagnes, wines, premium spirits and large selection of coffees and teas. Le Moon Cnr of Sisowath Quay and Street 154 Tel: 023 214 747 Rooftop terrace bar at Amanjaya Hotel has arguably the view of the river of any of the city’s rooftop bars. Full bar and small food menu, while the service is slow enough to afford you sufficient time to soak up the view.
Liquid 3B Street 278. Tel: 023 720 157 Welcoming open air bar on golden street run by the same owner as Flavours. Has one of the best pool tables in town with happy hour from 5pm to 8pm. Lobby Lounge 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd (InterContinental Hotel) Tel: 023 424 888 An elegant lounge situated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel. Reasonable prices and excellent service. Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd, opposite Phnom Penh Centre Tel: 012 607 465 / 067 867 305 www.meta-house.com Multi-media arts centre established by German film-maker Nico Mesterham has a very cool bar. Open from 2pm till midnight. Closed Mondays. Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 (see Restaurants International) One More Pub 16E Street 294. Tel: 017 327 378 English-style bar with comfortable wooden bar stools. No hip hop or techno, only great classic 60s & 70s music. Has terracotta-tiled terrace and 3 guest rooms upstairs. Open from 5pm to late, happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, closed Sundays. Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net Irish sports bar on riverside with big screen live sports, serves home cooked western and Asian favourites alongside a fully stocked
bar including Guinness and a fine selection Irish whiskeys with daily happy hour from 4pm to 8pm. Often has live music events and a weekly pub quiz. Open 7.30am to late. Rising Sun 20 Street 178. Tel: 012 970 718 English-style pub with reliable breakfast, meat pies and hamburgers. Has a regular following around the bar at night especially on Fridays. Great posters of British films and TV classics adorn the walls. Ideal for that touch of nostalgia and good fish and chips – though not wrapped in a newspaper. Open daily from 7am till late. Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148, Tel: 012 277 882 / 023 213 898 (see Restaurants International) Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 , www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Countless pool tables and a large balcony to look out over the street. Guaranteed to be lively – a place where anything can happen, especially if you get a bit too close to the local clientele. Serves good Mexican food, and has frequent live music. Open 4pm to 2am, take away 5pm til late. The Bungalows Mekong River. Tel: 077 555 447 Stylish simplicity located within a quick cruise from Sisowath Quay port. The floating bar serves basic drinks and nibbles. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 8pm, available for private events if booked at least two days in advance.
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recipe
Rambutan Resort Grilled Ta-moong Chicken INGREDIENTS
350g chicken breast 6 pcs of Ta-moong leaf 11/2 lemons (for juice) 100g bok choy 250g peeled potato 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar 3 tsp olive oil Flour Bread crumbs 1 egg Cooking oil for deep frying
STEP ONE Boil the potato then mash it. Make a croquette by rolling it through the mixture of flour and egg, and finally through the bread crumbs. Marinate the chicken breast (cleaned, boned and skinned) with three sliced Ta-moong leaves, a little bit of lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss them together then grill the chicken in a pan. Keep the same pan and fry the bok choy until it is a little bit soft, and sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. STEP TWO Make the sauce. Chop the other three Ta-moong leaves, squeeze the rest of the lemon juice over them, add salt, pepper, sugar, olive oil and then mix together. It should have a sweet and sour taste to go with the soft grilled chicken. STEP THREE Heat the oil to deep-fry the croquettes and prepare some paper to drain off the oil from it. Place the bok choy on one side of the serving plate, the croquette next to it and pour the sauce on the dish. Place the grilled chicken on the other side of the plate and douse with a little more sauce. Add a slice of lemon on a toothpick as a garnish and enjoy! Rambutan Resort — a cool city oasis, hotel, restaurant, pool and bar. 29 Street 71, BKK1, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 993 400, rambutanresort.com, facebook.com/rambutanresort. Recipes provided by members of:
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The Chinese House 128 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 356 399 Decadent cocktail bar set in beautiful old Chinese house. Has art exhibitions, film nights and parties down stairs and opulence upstairs. Open from 6pm until late, closed on Tuesdays. The Tap Room Kingdom Breweries 1748 National Road 5. Tel: 023 430 180 www.kingdombreweries.com Sate of the art European brewery specialising in premium pilsner. Tours of the facility are organised on a regular basis, culminating in frothy cold ones at the brewery’s bar overlooking the Tonle Sap. Zeppelin Bar 109C Street 51. Tel: 012 881 181 Over 1,000 vinyl albums played by stone-faced DJ owner in small bar next to the infamous Walkabout. Remarkably good food considering the setting, especially late at night. Try the dumplings. Open daily 5pm - 4am.
Wine Bars
Bouchon Wine Bar 3-4 Street 246. Tel: 077 881 103 Sophisticated wine bar with a very French ambience and a wide range of French wines and bar food. Often has music as well as a mellow jazz sound track. Open noon until midnight. Elyxir 3 Street 466 (near Thai Embassy) Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each dish was dreamed up to marry perfectly with the wines on our menu. Elyxir boasts a swimming pool, champagne bar and private rooms. All our wines are available at our Wine Shop. Open 10am until late, closed Mondays. Open Wine 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 233 527 Large wine shop and deli with wellpriced wines from around the world. Has outside dining area. Open daily 7am - 11pm. ZINO 12 Street 294. Tel: 023 998 519 Zino wine bar and restaurant provides a comprehensive wine list and cocktail menu and a regularly changing Mediterranean menu while providing its customers with a friendly and very atmosphere. Zino is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays.
Gay
Blue Chilli 36 Street 178. Tel: 012 566 353 www.bluechillibar.com This welcoming bar run by Thai national Oak is currently the number one gay bar in town. Chic décor makes this one of the coolest bars in town, even if you’re straight. The drag shows on Friday and Saturday are an additional draw. Open 5pm until late. K2 25k Street 268. Tel: 093 665 225 www.fb.com/K2Bar.PhnomPenh Classy addition to the Phnom Penh scene and it’s first straight-friendly, chill-out bar. Contemporary design and LGBTIQ artwork. Secluded space, attracting a socially conscious, Khmer crowd who mix easily with expats/visitors. Open 6pm until late.
The Rainbow Bar 73 Street 172. Tel: 097 741 4187 Intimate bar designed to get to know people better has a range of welldesigned cocktails to make the night go with a swing.
Nightclubs
Bouchon Wine Bar. (see Wine Bars) Occasional performances by jazz bands. Darlin Darlin NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Top-end nightclub with live music popular among the high-flyers of the city. Semiprivate booths in a chic environment make for an unrivalled experience. Open daily from 7pm until late. Equinox (see Restaurants – Intrenational) Has regular live music from expat and cal bands at weekends and swing dancing on Thursdays. Heart of Darkness 38 Street 51. Tel: 023 222 415 The most famous of the city’s nightspots with a good-sized dance floor make this the in-place in town. Has well priced spirits and mixers and is totally packed out on Friday and Saturday nights. Open 8:30pm to 4am. Mao’s Cnr Street 106 & Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 992 726 Chairman Mao has been reconstructed into one of Phnom Penh’s liveliest nightspots with djs and occasional live bands. Open 5pm - 2am. Memphis 3 Street 118. Tel: 012 871 263 Only permanent rock venue in town with a house band that plays covers from 10pm til 1:30am, later at weekends. Also has open mike sessions on Mondays. Open from 8pm til late, closed Sundays. 2-for-1 cocktails everday from 8pm until 10pm. Nova 19 St 214. Tel: 097 716 5000 Trendy night club with VIP section and dress code (no flup flops, tank tops or shorts!). Open 9pm-4am. Paddy Rice (see Bars) Often has live music events. Pontoon Street 172. Now no longer the Penh’s floating hotspot, Pontoon still manages to pack in the punters, especially when international DJs are in town. Riverhouse Lounge 6 Street 110. Tel: 023 212 302 The alternative dance venue for both expats and young Khmers with a self-contained air-con dance room and great balcony to chill out. MonWed, Fri is hip hop, Thu is Ladies night, Sat is house and Sun is dance remix. Open daily 4pm - 2am. Saint Tropez 31 Street 174 Tel: 077 212 100 / 097 9000 401 Upscale club, complete with fake beach, deck bar, that suggests the French Riviera. Open daily 6pm - 2pm. Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Has regular live gigs at weekends involving local and expat bands with an emphasis on heavy rock.
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Listings
culture Cinemas
The Flicks 39B Street 95. Tel: 078 809 429, theflicks-cambodia.com Local expat oriented movie houses with revolving schedule of international and art house films, screened in comfy air con movie rooms. Also offers potential for movie parties, with option to hire the movie room for a private session (max 30 people). Minimum two screenings per day. Check the website for the weekly schedule. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day. The Cineplex 5th Floor Sorya Shopping Centre, Tel: 017 666 210 www.thecineplexs.com International-standard three-screen cineplex featuring the latest Digital 3D technology and the most recent Hollywood and international releases, located in the heart of downtown with ample parking, shopping and eating options. Open 9am - 10:30pm. Le Cinema French Institute, 218 Street 184 Tel: 023 213 124. 100-seat cinema shows International art house and mainstream movies with occasional films in English. Children’s cinema on Saturday mornings at 10am. Cinema on Saturday mornings at 10am. Legend Cinema 3rd Floor City Mall, Monireth Blvd. Tel: 088 954 9857 www.legend-cinemas.com International quality cinema showing Hollywood releases in air-conditioned environment including 3D. Screenings:10am - 9pm, box office: 10am - 9pm. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd., (opp. Phnom Penh centre). Tel: 012 607 465 Movie shorts and documentaries from Cambodia and the rest of Asia. Movies normally start at 7pm, closed Mondays.
Galleries
Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre 64 Street 200. Tel: 023 992 174 Preserving much of Cambodia’s audiovisual material, has regular exhibitions. Open 8am-6pm Mon - Fri, 2pm-6pm Sat. Dori Thy Gallery 12R Street 256. Tel: 012 661 552 Features the black and white photographs of German photographer, Doris Boettcher. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm. FCC Phnom Penh (see Restaurants, International) Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has a permanent, rotating exhibition devoted to photography. French Institute 218 Street 184. Tel: 023 213 124 Formerly the Alliance Française, the French Culture Centre (CCF) offers cultural activities including exhibitions, festivals, and film screenings to promote French and Khmer culture. Onsite shop Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.
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Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net A must see. Since 1995 this art gallery has been dedicated to showing and selling the work of Stef, a local iconic artist with a very personal and positive insight in everyday life in Cambodia. Open daily 8am - 10pm Java Café & Gallery (see Restaurants, International) Contemporary art gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian and international artists. Has second gallery on the ground floor. Website has details about Cambodia’s contemporary art scene. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 607 465 Multimedia arts centre on three floors has regular exhibitions, interviews with filmmakers and short films, contains the Art Café. Open Tues – Sun, 2pm - 10pm. Reyum Institute of Arts & Culture 47 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 149 Gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian artists. Part of an NGO established to preserve traditional and contemporary Cambodian arts. Sa Sa Bassac 18 Sothearos Boulevard, Upstairs. An expansion of the Sa Sa Art Gallery and a merger with Bassac Art Projects, Sa Sa Bassac is an artist-run gallery for contemporary art. Includes a library, reading and workshop room, and a 60-metre gallery space. Ongoing visual literacy programmes.
Performing Arts
Amrita Performing Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 424 www.amritaperformingarts.org Performance art company that puts on contemporary & classical music and theatre. Apsara Arts Association 71 Street 598. Tel: 011 550 302 Organisation that promotes Cambodian arts & culture. Open from 7.30am - 10.30am Cambodian Living Arts 407 Street 246 Art organisation devoted to the revival of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on occasional performances. Chaktomuk Conference Hall Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 725 119 Designed by master Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann, this under-utilised building is worth a visit. Open 7am - 11.30am and 2pm - 5pm (Mon. to Fri.). Chenla Theatre Cnr. Mao Tse Tung & Monireth Blvds. Tel: 023 883 050 www.culturalcenter-cambodia.com One of the capital’s major theatres, it has regular performances of theatre, dance and music. Epic Arts 1DE0 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 998 474 www.epicarts.org.uk Organisation that uses art to empower people with disabilities. Sovanna Phum Khmer Art Association 166 Street 99 corner of 484 Tel: 023 987 564 Theatre with performances of shadow puppetry, classical and masked dances every Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm.
Listings
leisure & wellness Amusement
Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 012 231 755 A peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding, 15 minutes away from the city. Open from 6.30am until late. Parkway Square 113 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. Ten-pin bowling alley and dodgem track. Phnom Penh Water Park 50 Street 110, Tel: 023 881 008 Traditional mix of slides and wave pools is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao, 44 kilometres out of the capital along Highway 2. Cambodia’s top wildlife centre. All animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open daily 8am - 4pm.
Boat Cruises
The Butterfly Cambodia Tel: 012 602 955 thebutterflycambodia@gmail.com Cambodian river adventures, sunset cruises, birthdays and events to floating villages, Silk Island. Plan your trip, per hour, half-day and fullday rates available.
Classes
Cambodian Cooking Class Frizz Restaurant, 67 Street 240 Tel: 012 524 801 First and only Khmer cooking school for travellers & expats in Phnom Penh, includes transport to the market and a colourful 16-page recipe booklet. Open 10am - 10pm. Capoeira Home of English, Building D 10B Street 57, Tel: 012 960 076 Capoeira lessons are held every Tuesday & Thursday 6.30-8pm. All levels catered for. Classes are free of charge. For more information visit Facebook page “Capoeira Kampuchea”. Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh 10 Street 183 (entrance on Street 406) www.centralschoolofballet.com Cambodia’s first purpose-built ballet school offering classical ballet training for children in the afternoons, contemporary dance, ballet and dance conditioning for adults in the evenings. Spacious dance studio equipped with large, custom-made mirrors, barres and a professional, sprung dance floor. Dance World Cambodia At Hotel Cambodiana. 313 Sisowath quay. Dance studio entrance at Physique Club Gym. Tel: 012634008 danceworldcambodia@yahoo.com.au www.danceworldcambo.wordpress.com RAD ballet, neo classical, modern
dance, jazz, tap dance, hip hop and k pop, breakdance, raqs sharqi bellydance, classical pilates. Classes for kids aged 2.5 and up. classes for adults, beginner and intermediate. performance and choreogrpahy group for advanced/ professional level adults. Equestrian Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 015 231 755 / 012 704 759 With 31 ponies and horses, an international sized arena and spacious stables, the only horseriding centre in Phnom Penh Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 5.30pm. Global Art 1 Street 181 & Street 475 (nr Chinese Embassy) Tel: 023 222 084/ 087 222 084 World renowned art and creativity program for young children. Franchisee of Global Art Group. Available in 17 countries with more than 400 centres worldwide. Music Arts School 9A Street 370. Tel: 023 997 290 www.music-arts-school.org New NGO school providing music training for Cambodians and expats - of all ages and levels - at affordable tuition fees. Learn guitar, piano, violin, vocals, and tradtional Khmer instruments. Also has a scholarship fund to provide music education to the less fortunate. NataRaj Yoga Studio 52 Street 302. Tel: 012 250 817/ 090 311 341. www.yogacambodia.com Wide variety of daily drop-in yoga classes in many styles, in a peaceful studio setting. Your yoga class contributes to our NGO yoga programs for local kids. Stretch your body while feeling great about reaching out to Cambodian youth. Check website for schedule and prices. Photography Tours 126 Street 136. Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Weekend photography tuition and guided tours to Kampong Chnang and Udong, covering technical and creative considerations in the context of travel photography. Scuba Nation PADI 5* IDC Diving Centre 18 Sothearos Blvd (near FCC) Tel: 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Learn to scuba dive in Phnom Penh. The academic and pool part of the course can be done in Phnom Penh and you finish with 2 days in Sihanoukville on the boat. We conduct refreshers, try dives and kids’ pool parties as well as the full range of courses. Open 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm.
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sos Quit the Habit Dr Claire Uebbing There is enough propaganda out there for people to know that smoking is bad for their health, but why are there still so many smokers? For most, it is because of the addictive properties of nicotine. Secondly, a lot of people develop habits around smoking — like after eating, while having a drink at a bar, during a break at work — to let off steam. Just like nicotine, this habit can be a powerful one to break. If it weren’t for the smoke, cigarettes would be relatively harmless. Nicotine does cause blood vessel constriction and reduce appetite, and has the unique property of being both a stimulant and a relaxant depending on the dose, but these effects last for one to two hours. It is hard to overdose, but leaves you craving more quickly. Cigarette smoke is, however, a major carcinogen. Tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are toxic and about 70 can cause cancer. The longer you smoke, the more damage is done and at some point, tobacco smoke will cause irreversible lung damage (emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer). The sooner you can quit smoking the better. If you can quit, you can look forward to more money in your pocket, a longer life and, for women, a lower risk of infertility and low birth-weight babies. To quit, you need to be ready. If you are not committed to the change it will be very difficult, so before quitting you need to know why you do it. A lot of people use smoking as a crutch
to help them relax or deal with stressful situations. Others use it as a way to finish a meal, pass the time or socialise. Find an alternative to this activity, such as exercise, meditation or prayer, listening to music, writing a journal, or socialising more actively through dancing, karaoke, playing games, bowling, golfing, etc. Next, set a date to stop and let your friends and family know your intention. Many smokers have friends who smoke, and you will do yourself no favours if you have to say no to 10 friendly cigarette offers on your first day of quitting. You can quit gradually, by reducing the number of cigarettes each day, or you can quit all at once. There are a number of aids, including nicotine replacement patches and gum, as well as tablets like Champix or Zyban, that work on your brain to decrease cravings, making it easier to quit. Electronic cigarettes are also widely available. Most contain nicotine replacement and heated water vapor as “the smoke”. There is not enough data yet to determine how safe these are since low levels of carcinogens have been detected in the vapor, but clearly they are significantly less harmful than cigarettes. When you are ready to quit, it is a good idea to visit the doctor for advice, to work out a strategy for quitting and to get a prescription for patches or medicine if you need them. Quitting smoking is a difficult thing to do, but it is probably the surest way to guarantee you a healthier life. So take the first step!
Dr Claire Uebbing is a doctor at International SOS clinic in Phnom Penh. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@ internationalsos.com.
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Simphony Music School No. 243, Street 51 Tel: 023 727 345 / 097 888 8787 www.simphony.com.kh Simphony Music School is the first official music school in Cambodia recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Royal government of Cambodia. The faculty is composed by experienced and qualified music teachers from overseas, speaking fluent English, Chinese, and French. Our curriculum is based on USA curriculum following Orff and Kodály music teaching methods. The Tennis Club CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla. Tel: 017 847 802 The two courts are equipped with specially adapted flooring unique in Cambodia, and with quality lightning allowing play past sunset. Skilled English and Cambodian speaking teachers available for private or group lessons. Open daily. Yoga for life 126 Street 19. Tel: 077589458 Learn to release stress and tension, find peace and live a healthy life with yoga classes taught by yoga and massage virtuoso, Azmi Samdjaga from Singapore. Classes every Wednesday from 7:30pm witht more classes starting late June 2012. Healthy food and Wifi are also available. Yoga Phnom Penh 172z2 Norodom Blvd. (alley nest to Sushi Bean) www.yogaphnompenh.com 012 739 419 / 012 739 284 Daily drop-in yoga asana classes for everybodys body. Classes include Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow and core power yoga. Join our great teachers to improve your flexibility, strength, balance, posture and reduce stress. Also offering private 1-2-1 or small group classes ,regular workshops and retreats.
Chemists
U-Care Pharmacy 26-28 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 023 222 499 14 Sihanouk Bvd. Tel: 023 224 099 High quality western-style chemist and pharmacy that sells the full range of beauty products, including international brands.
Counselling Services
Alcoholics Anonymous 11 Street 420. Tel: 012 813 731 www.aacambodia.org Meets on Friday, Wednesday & Sunday. Indigo Psychological Services 28 Street 460. Tel: 023 222 614, indigocambodia@gmail.com Professional counselling services in English, French or Khmer for adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families. Assessment and intervention services for children and adolescents with learning and developmental difficulties.
Narcotics Anonymous 11 Street 420. Tel: 012 813 731 NA meets on Monday, Thursday at 8pm and Saturday at 7pm.
Dental
European Dental Clinic 160A, Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 363 www.europeandentalclinic-asia.com Total dental care, Implant, Orthodontist Treatment by expat dentists. Open Mon Fri 8am-12pm, 2pm-7pm. Sat, 8am-1pm International Dental Clinic Phnom Penh: 193 Street 208. Tel 023 212 909 Siem Reap: 545 National Road N6, Banteay Chas, Stor Kram. Tel: 063 767 618 www.imiclinic.com IMI Dental Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry Centre has been successfully creating beautiful smiles in Phnom Penh and throughout Cambodia. Open Mon– Sat, 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-12pm. MALIS dental clinic 445 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 012 513 222 / 023 964 142 info@malis-dental.com Facebook: “MALIS Dental Clinic” A Japanese dentist provides professional and high-quality service. Shigeta Dental Clinic 25 Street 294 cnr Street21 Tel: 023 223 225 / 010705083 Email: info@shigetadental.com Faebook: shigetadentalclinic High-end Japanese Dental Clinic that caters your dental needs. Open from Monday to Sunday, 8am - 8pm.
Gyms
The InterContinental Fitness Center 3/F Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 5000 A sophisticated retreat from the crowds, The InterContinental Fitness Center is the place to attain peak performance and wellbeing. Pump up with a full body workout on state-of-the-art equipment, benefit from the experience and guidance of qualified trainers, and relax all year round in the open-air swimming pool. Fitness Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla. Tel: 015 704 759 Achieve individual targets whether sports specific or to tone, lose weight, build strength or improve cardiovascular fitness for a healthier and fitter lifestyle. Open daily 6.30am until late. Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Le Royal Hotel. Tel: 023 981 888 Modern gym and pool in Phnom Penh’s most elegant hotel. Use of gym, pool, sauna and Jacuzzi is available to nonguests. Open 6am - 10pm. Physique Club Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 810 432 Reasonable selection of equipment in the gym and a pool overlooking the river. Open 6am - 10pm.
The Gym at The Place 90 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 999 699 Modern establishment featuring a fully equipped gym and weekly classes in dance, yoga and aerobics. Open 6am - 10pm , Mon – Fri, 8am 10pm Sat/Sun
Hairdressers
De Gran 19 Street 352. Tel: 023 999 707 Classy yet affordable Japanese-run hair salon in beautiful premises with excellent service. Open 10am – 8pm, closed Tues The Dollhouse 46AE0 Street 322 Tel: 010 329 999 / 016 620 907 www.dollhousecambodia.com Salon offers cutting, colouring and various treatments, including the Brazilian Keratin Treatment with Collagen to replenish the condition of your hair. Western hairdresser with international experience. Open Tues – Sat 9am- 7pm, Sun 11am-7pm, closed Monday. The French Element Himawari Hotel Unit D, 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 283 332 www.thefrenchelement.com Over-looking the Tonle Sap, wonderful spot to relax and pamper yourself. Offering all hair services such as highlights, colour, cut, Brazilian Keratin Treatment and more. International hairdresser. Open 10am 8pm, closed Sun. Tokyo Barbershop 22A St 278. Tel: 012 590 655 / 087 667 778 tokyo_barbershop@yahoo.com Man centric barbershop conveniently located behind Lucky supermarket. Provides hair-cuts, shampoos, colours, manicures, pedicures, facial massage, oil body massages, back waxing. Open daily 8am - 7:00pm.
Medical
American Medical Centre Ground Floor Cambodiana Hotel 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 991 863 Led by American surgeon, team of international and Khmer doctors provide general practice services to clients. Can arrange emergency evacuation. 24/7 service. International Chiropractic Clinic, 67 Bis Street 240, (100m from Monivong Blvd) Tel: 023 223 101 www.cambodiachiropractic.com First and only Chiropractic clinic licensed in Cambodia. Our chiropractors are US trained and we provide modern Chiropractic care, physiotherapy and custom made medical grade orthotics. Common conditions treated include neck and back pain, sports injuries, knee pain. Open Mon - Fri 8.30am-6pm , Sat 8.30am-1pm. International SOS Medical Clinic 161 Street 51. Tel: 023 216 911 Global provider of medical assistance and international healthcare. Expat and Khmer doctors offer general practice, specialist and emergency medical services. Appointments 8am - 5:30pm Mon – Fri, 8am - 12pm, Sat. Open 24/7 for emergencies. Physiotherapy Phnom Penh 45C Street 456. Tel: 023 99 63 44 General physiotherapy practice specialising in manual therapy, sports injuries and acupuncture Royal Rattanak Hospital 11 Street 592, Toul Kork Tel. 023 991 000 www.royalrattanakhospital.com A Thai owned and run private hospital with extensive services that strives to provide high standard and quality medical care by professional care team.
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Optics
Grand Optics 11 Norodom Bvd / 337 Monivong Blvd / 150 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 213 585 Modern opticians with the latest equipment including free computerised eye test. Makes prescription glasses and lenses.
Pools
Asia Club 456 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 721 766 Beautiful swimming pool at rear of Man Han Lou Restaurant. Members get a discount at both restaurant and Master Kang Health Care Centre.
Spas
Amara Spa Cnr Sisowath Quay & St.110 Tel: 023 998 730 www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Day spa providing a wide selection of facials, body massages and treatments, arranged in a four-storey modern facility at riverfront. Open 11am-11pm. Aziadee Spa 16 a/b Street 282. Tel: 023 996 921 aziadee1@yahoo.fr French-run spa offering a good choice of treatments, a range of massages, scrubs, facials, floral baths, manicures, pedicures and waxing in relaxing and tranquil surroundings. Open 9am-9pm. Bi Nail Salon 213a E0 Stret 310 Tel: 023 6324 524 / 097 798 1122 Bi NAiL is a full service nail salon, for both women and men. Our Japanesetrained nail artists have years of
experience. We provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Full Set Care (Manicure and Pedicure) More than 250 Nail Lacquers and More than 350 Nail Design Simples. Acrylic and Gel Nail (Gel Colors) are available. Open daily 8am – 7pm. Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 Health spa at back and upstairs in this beautiful French colonial building. Open 9am - 9pm, closed Monday. Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 226 199 www.bodia-spa.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and mani-pedies, alongdside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music. Open daily 9am – 9pm. Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Two qualified dermatologists, this professional skin clinic offers a range of beauty treatments using American Derma-Rx products, minor dermatologic surgery, antioxidant boosters, chemical peeling, and lipolysis. Open 9am - 9pm. Derma-MK Skin Center 183 Street 63. Tel: 023 452 5626
TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC Dr.Scott BSc.MBChB. DRCOG.DipVen. (U.K.) -20 years of medical experience in Cambodia
Tel: 012 898981 No.88 St.108 Phnom Penh www.travellersmedicalclinic.com
Aircon Restaurant Art Exhibitions Dance Theatre German Classes Film School Musical Events Fixed +855 (0)23 224 140 Mobile +855 (0)10 312 333 Homepage: www.meta-house.com Email: mesterharm@gmx.net 82 asialife Cambodia
Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema
Focused on Dermalogica products, this care facility offers facial treatments, including anti-aging and brightening, as well as body treatments such as body scrubs and massage. Dermal Spa 4C Street 57 Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Spa offering beauty salon, foot massage and body massage servies, specializes in Dermalogica skin and beauty products. Open daily 9am – 9pm. EL Skin and Wellness Centre 115E0 Street 101. Tel: 012 681 948 Using Dermalogica, L’Oréal, Jane Iredale and OPI products for a variety of face and body treatments, spa provides a professional, relaxed ambience for customers to sample products before purchase. Open 9am - 7pm. LA ROSE Spa 164b Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Professional, experienced, qualified therapists offer a tailor-made range of remedial, relaxation and nutritional advice. High-end natural products and a wide range of homeopathic remedies, creams, flower essences and signature organic massage oils. Master Kang Health Care Centre 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 765 Health centre next to Man Han Lou Restaurant offers foot massage in public or private rooms, with both Chinese and oil massage. A grand piano is played in the evenings. Open 10am - 12pm. Passion Spa & Salon 29 Street 302 Tel: 081 998 227 / 089 998 227 Dedicated to helping you celebrate a happier, healthier lifestyle. Your Day in a healthy, beautiful way. Open daily 9am – 10pm. Raffles Amrita Spa Tel: 023 981 888 Raffles Amrita Spa offers relaxation and rejuvenation through a wide selection of services and facilities including treatment rooms, outdoor lap and fun pool, Jacuzzi, fitness centre, sauna and steam room. Open daily 6am - 10pm. The Spa at NagaWorld Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 This luxurious spa promises to bring the ancient Cambodian spa therapy to the world, and claims to be the only all-suite unisex spa in Cambodia. Therapy rooms with sauna, steam and flower bath are inviting, and the spa uses Tomichik flowers as part of its treatment. Open 10am-3am. So SPA with L’Occitane Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel: 063 964 600 Offers rejuvenating world traditions combined with French cosmetology in the privacy of an intimate setting. Treatments are provided with international and local high-end products. Open daily: 10am – 10pm Villa Spa 456 Monivong Blvd., (cnr. Street 466) Tel: 023 721 765 /
012 357 561 www.asiagarden.com.kh Aromatherapy massage in private boutique VIP rooms (villa and bungalow style) from professional Chinese and Khmer therapists from Master Kang; women customers only.
Sports General
Ball Hockey Played every Thursday night at City Villa, corner of Streets 360 and 71 at 7pm. To play, contact Mike: michaelwarford@ispp.edu.kh Beeline Arena Sangkat Chroychangva, Phnom Penh Tel: 067 716 565 www.banzaicambodia.com Located on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, facing the city of Phnom Penh, the Beeline Arena is the first multi-purpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standard, including Multi-surface state of the art FIFA regulation pitch, 2,000 person capacity, VIP lounge and restaurant. Rental for futsal, basketball, volleyball, events and more. Open daily 8am until late. Cambodian Federation of Rugby cambodianfederationofrugby.com Proper 15-a-side rugby league with four senior teams as well as kid’s touch and women’s rugby teams. Contact Larry: khmer_rugby@yahoo. co.uk for more details. Cambodia Golf & Country Club Route 4, Kompong Speur Tel: 023 363 666 International standard, 18-hole golf course. Open 6am until dark. Football: The Bayon Wanderers www.bayonwanderers.com Mixed Khmer and western team. Training at the City Villa court on Wednesday and Friday, 8pm to 10pm, Old Stadium on Tuesday from 4.30 pm. Contact Billy Barnaart on 012 803 040 (available from 11am to 10pm). Sunday play at 2pm. Grand Phnom Penh Golf Street 598, Phum Khmuonh, Sk: Khmuonh, Kh: Sen Sok, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 997 889, Email: info@grandphnompenh.com Luxury living redefined. Phnom Penh’s finest urban township. Hash House Harriers 8, Street 360 (cnr. Street 71) Meets at the railway station every Sunday at 2:15pm. An ideal way to see the countryside walking or running. Tel: 012 832 509. Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel:063 964 600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf.com International standard 18-hole, 72-par golf. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant. Phnom Penh Ultimate Frisbee A fast paced fun game that is open to everyone, regardless of skill set or gender, Phnom Penh Ultimate has weekly games at ISPP and Northbridge. Contact CraigDGerard@gmail.com for details on times and locations. Touch Rugby Mixed touch rugby is played most Saturday afternoons at 3-5pm at ISPP. Contact pptouchrugby@gmail.com.
Listings
family Cafés & Restaurants
Café Fresco II Cnr. Streets 51 & 306 Tel: 023 224 891 Let your children play with puzzles and Lego on beanbags, watch films like the Lion King looked after by a trained staff as you enjoy your cappuccino. Open daily 6am - 9pm. Java Café 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 Kid’s menu includes chicken nuggets and pizza bagels. Colouring pages and crayons to keep the kids amused. Highchair is available on request and babychanging facilities are in the toilet. Open daily 7am - 10pm Le Jardin 16 Street 360 Tel: 011 723 399 This garden retreat has a great kids’ area with playhouse and sandbox, specialises in birthday parties, with cake, decorations, toys and drawing materials provided for children of all ages. Open Tue – Sun, 8am - 8pm.
Entertainment
Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 012 231 755 Sports centre and a peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding in an amazing landscape 15 minutes away from the city. Dedicated to leisure, rest and entertainment, CCC is suitable for children. Open daily 6.30am until late. Dragon Water Park Diamond Island (Koh Pich) Tel: 023 45 54 023 / 023 224 776 Clean-Safe-Exciting! Wonderful Water World, the biggest amusement land, fit for all ages. Have fun with Crystal Blue Clear Water, immense pools, giant slides up to 15m high & water toys. Open daily 10:30am until late. Monkey Business Paragon Department Store, Second Floor. Tel: 023 319 319 Kids can rejoice now that this indoor children’s play centre offers clean, safe facilities. Available for private parties. Open daily 9am - 8pm. Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao Cambodia’s best wildlife centre. All the animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open 8am - 4pm.
International Schools
Eton House International School 16 Mao Tse Tung Blvd Tel: 023 22 8818 www.ehis.co Eton House is committed to the pursuit of excellence in education. Eton House is represented in 10 countries with over 56 pre-schools and schools around the world. In our early years program we offer a playbased, ‘Inquire, Think, Learn” pedagogy. This programme has been inspired by the I.B program and the Reggio Emilia schools of Northern Italy. Ages: 18months - 6years. Full and Half Day Programs Footprints School 220 Street 430, Tumnub Teuk, Tel: 077 222084 www.footprintsschool.edu.kh Established in 2007 Footprints School offers nursery (age 2) through grade 6 and has 4 campuses. The curriculum is designed for the dynamic needs and interests of our students and the staff are hired for their experience and love for children. Giving Tree International Elementary School of Phnom Penh 40 Street 334. Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Established to provide an exceptional, affordable, and unique learning environment, based on small class sizes and a international curriculum incorporating compassion, communication, conservation, contemplation, creativity, conscience and global citizenship. iCAN British International School 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 222 416 www.ican.edu.kh iCAN offers affordable, high quality education, using the IPC, IMYC and English National curriculum. Learners are encouraged to be thoughtful, creative, think critically, collaborate and achieve their best. iCAN is the learning environment of choice for parents who value the development of their children emotionally and socially, as well as academically. International School of Phnom Penh 146 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 213 103 www.ispp.edu.kh Founded in 1989, this non-profit, nonsectarian international school currently has over 600 students from Pre-K to Grade 12. The largest international school with over 70 professional teachers, and a fully-authorized IB programme. Lycée Français René Descartes Street 96. Tel: 023 722 044 French school offering primary and secondary level education, extra-curricula activities include basketball, football, rugby.
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Northbridge International School 1km off National Road 4 on the way to the airport. Tel: 023 886 000 www.nisc.edu.kh Founded in 1997, NISC is a fullyauthorized IB World School with a growing enrollment of 500 students age 3 to Grade 12. Spectacular purpose built campus unlike any in Cambodia. Zaman International School 2843 Street 3. Tel: 023 214 040 www.zamanisc.org International school that teaches a full curriculum to children from four to 18. Facilities include basketball and volleyball courts, a football field and a science lab.
Pre-Schools
Canadian International School of Phnom Penh Bassac Garden, Norodom Boulevard Tel: 023 727 788 / 077 503 778 www.cisp.edu.kh Offers a Canadian curriculum in English, certified through the Canadian province of New Brunswick. DK Schoolhouse No. 7 St. 466 078 777 466 / 095 777 466 www.dkschoolhouse.com DK Schoolhouse is an early learning preschool/kindergarten for children aged 2-6. Established by long time residents of the Kingdom, DK Schoolhouse aims to minimize the gap between quality and cost in education while providing a safe and stimulating learning environment. Our staff are native English speaking, qualified early childhood educators. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00pm Sat 9:0011:00am (by appointment only). Gecko & Garden Pre-school 3 Street 21. Tel: 092 575 431 www.geckogarden-preschool.org This is a not-for-profit pre-school, established over ten years ago, which emphasises learning through creative play in a supportive environment forchildren aged 18 months to 5 years. Open daily 7:30am - 12pm. An after school program offering a range of fun activities is available 2:30pm - 5pm daily. The Giving Tree Nursery and Preschool House #17, Street 71, Bkk
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Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Preschool committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment that supports and extends the child’s overall development. With an international, experienced team of teachers the school offers a play-based programme that is fun and motivating. Sambo’s Tots www.sambostots.com Playhouse and playschool provides fun edutainment experience for babies and toddlers from 3 months to 5 years where imagination comes to life. Tchou Tchou 13 Street 21 Tel: 023 362 899, www.tchou-tchou.com Kindergarten and pre-school for 18 months to 5-year-olds, open from 7.30am to 12pm (Mon to Fri). French is the main language, although English and Khmer is also practised.
Shops
Monument Toys 111 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 217 617 To the rear of Monument Books is a well-stocked toy section. It features an excellent range of well-known board games and toys including Barbie dolls, Transformers, Magic 8 balls and more. It has to be the best place in the city for brand name toys and games. Open daily 7.30am - 8pm. Shade 7 Outdoor Living Co Ltd Showroon; Borey Chamkarmon Tel: 077 962 467 david@shade7.com www.shade7.com www.springfreetrampoline.com Supplier of Shade7 premium aluminium umbrellas and exclusive distributor of original Springfree range. World class products now available in Cambodia! Stock in country for immediate supply. Toys & Me 159A Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 212 081 / 016 808 676 www.toysnme.net Established in 2007, Toys & Me is a leading toys shop in Cambodia. A onestop shop you can trust when it comes to educational needs for your children. Willi Shop 769 Monivong Blvd Tel: 023 211 652 All products are imported from France, including bébé brand baby products, the range includes prams, baby care, cots and toys. Open 8am - 8pm.
kids corner
New Arrivals Gemma Mullen As if being pregnant weren’t daunting enough for first-time mothers, fast forward nine months and things can get even scarier once the little one has arrived. Now that they’re here, what’s right and what’s wrong? There are so many questions to worry about, so here is some key information and tips to help put new mamas and papas at ease.
the ages of six and 12 months. There is no definitive treatment for cradle cap but you could try rubbing olive oil onto the scalp, leaving it for 15 minutes to help loosen the flakes and then using a baby-soft brush to gently brush out the flakes. Always wash baby’s scalp afterwards with a mild baby shampoo as olive oil can clog up pores.
Spotty skin Many new parents become concerned about small spots that appear on their newborn bubba. The spots are usually small and white and appear on a baby’s face. They are called milia and usually appear within the first few weeks of birth. Don’t worry, milia spots are harmless, cause no discomfort to baby and clear up on their own by around six weeks.
Bathing Many parents assume it is good to be bathing their newborn every day, but the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends bathing babies just two or three times a week for the first year, as frequent baths can dry out a baby’s skin. It seems obvious, but you should also stick to using mild products specifically designed for use with babies.
Changing eye colour African and Asian babies who are born with brown eyes will usually have a stable eye colour. Caucasian babies that are born with grey or dark blue eyes will often see their eyes change to green, hazel or brown. This is completely normal, and these changes will normally have taken place by the time the baby is nine months old. Cradle cap Your baby is suffering from cradle cap if he has a dry, flaky scalp, which is sometimes yellowish and crusty. Cradle cap is harmless, it doesn’t usually bother the baby and it normally clears up between
Colic Colic is one of infancy’s most dreaded conditions. Luckily, it is a short-term problem and usually targets a baby during their first month. This can be a tiring and difficult time for everyone, as babies with colic tend to cry inconsolably for up to three hours. Some telltale signs of colic are an enlarged tummy, passing wind while crying, and a baby pulling their legs up or extending them. It is possible to soothe colic — baby massage and anti-colic teats are good starting points — but there are no single treatments. I’m afraid that, this time, you just have to rough it out.
Gemma Mullen has been working in child care for more than 10 years. She holds an NNEB diploma in nursery nursing and is currently a creative writing teacher at Zaman International School in Phnom Penh.
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services
money matters Student Days Paul Dodd If you are off to university for the first time, congratulations! These will probably be some of the best years of your life. However, please spend a bit of time thinking about your finances. Here are ten tips that can help: 1. Check out available grants and loans Make sure you research all available grants and loans. As well as governmentbacked student loan schemes, universities may offer bursaries and scholarships for students who meet certain requirements. When taking out loans, check you understand the terms, especially with regard to interest rates and repayment. 2. Learn to budget A survey carried out in 2012 revealed that one in six UK students spent their student loan within the first month at university. Learning to budget is a skill that you need to acquire. There are a lot of online resources available to help you set out fixed monthly costs such as rent, food, bills and travel. Work out how much you have leftover for non-essentials. 3. Prioritise expenditure Those non-essentials (that includes going out) need to play second fiddle to unavoidable living costs. Books should take precedence over beauty treatments and rent over rounds of drinks for your friends. 4. Research bank accounts While banks may try to lure you with tempting offers of cash payments and free gifts, it is more financially savvy to compare different banks in terms of charges, overdraft facilities and so on. By choosing wisely you could save far more than the value of a bank’s original offer.
5. Insurance Student bedrooms can be littered with laptops, smartphones and other shiny gadgets. You need to make sure that you have sufficient cover for them in case of theft. Compare the cost of taking out a policy in your own name, compared to being covered by a parent’s home insurance policy. 6. Say no to credit cards Credit cards are the fastest way to reach the top of the debt mountain. The interest rates are astronomical and you will be paying many times the cost of that new dress or meal out by piling up expenses on a card. My advice is to remove the temptation and don’t get one. 7. Take cash on a night out Taking a set amount of cash to spend on a night out means that you will be forced to stay within the budget that you set for the evening, even after a few drinks. 8. Use public transport A car can be a huge expense that you can probably do without. Walking or using public transport, if available near your university, is the way to go, unless you really can’t avoid it. 9. Learn to cook A diet of takeaways is bad for your health and your budget. It is a lot cheaper to cook for yourself at home. Learn a few inexpensive, nutritious and easy-toprepare meals. 10. Seek help if you’re struggling Most universities offer help and advice services to students who are struggling. If you feel out of depth financially, don’t bury your head in the sand but seek these services out before it is too late.
Paul Dodd is an area manager at Infinity Financial Solutions. This company provides impartial, tailor-made, personal financial advice to clients in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Should you wish to contact Paul, please send an email to info@ infinitysolutions.com or visit infinitysolutions.com. 86 asialife Cambodia
Listings
business & services Architecture, Interior Design & Construction
Beyond Interiors 14e Street 306 Tel: 023 987 840 / 012 930 332 ww.beyondinteriors.biz Managed by Australian designer Bronwyn Blue, this interior design showroom can provide the ultimate design solution to your interior dilemma. All products from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia have been treated to withstand any climate. Open 9am - 7pm Bill Grant Landscape Design Tel: 012 932 225 / 012 738 134 The city’s most talented landscape designer. Green Goal Ltd 10 Street 296. Tel: 023 223 861 Consultancy offers sustainable and creative architectural and construction services to clients taking into account environmental considerations. Hemisphere Design & Interiors Tel: 012 602 955 william@norbert-munns.com Western managed renovation company specialising in swimming pools and Jacuzzi construction in fibreglass and concrete. I Ching Decor 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 873 / 012 558 000 / 092 660 746, Boutique interior design shop offering advice on architectural work and interior design, as well as providing custommade furniture, home accessories, kitchenware, lighting and bedroom suites. Open 9am - 6pm, closed Sun. The Room Design Studio 9AB Street 288. Tel: 023 992 620 Interior design and architectural company that has 12 years’ experience of designing flats, villas, offices, shops, homes and offices in Asia.
Bikes & Mechanics
Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136. Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment. Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting. The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place. Also provides dirt bike tours. Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills. Motto is “We don’t know all, we find out all, then we fix.”
Business Groups
Australian Business Association of Cambodia (ABAC) 20 Street 114 (cnr. Street 67) For information, contact Derek Mayes. Tel:012 385 157 abacambodia@gmail.com British Business Association of Cambodia (BBAC) 35 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 803 891 Contact enquiries@bbacambodia.com Chambre de Commerce FrancoCambodgienne Office 2nd floor, 33 Street 178 Tel: 023 221 453. www.ccfcambodge.org Canadian Cooperation Office Cambodia Commissioner Service 50 Street 334. Tel: 023 215 496 www.cco-cambodia.org Malaysian Business Council of Cambodia Unit G21, Ground Floor, Parkway Square 113, Mao Tse Tung Blvd. mbcc.secretariat@gmail.com
Car Rental
ACC Car Rental Services 43 Street 160z Toul Kork Tel. 012 456 003 / 015 456 003. Professional, prompt and organised rental service that provides vehicles for rent with or without a driver. ACC also rents a range of buses that seat from 12 to 45 people. All vehicles can be delivered to your door. Asia Vehicle Rental 27 Street 134. Tel: 078 666 557 www.avrcambodia.com With the motto “leave your driving to us”, the rental service offers sedans, pick-ups, SUVs and minibuses in 2WD or 4WD for self-drive or with driver. Insurance offered. Larryta Trading & Travel Co. Ltd. 9 Street 310. Tel: 023 994 748 www.larrytacarrental.com.kh Vehicle rental for all types of cars, vans and mini-buses with flexible go-anywhere packages to all areas of Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month. Royal Limousine Services Attwood Business Center, Russian Confederation Blvd. Tel : 023 218 808 www.royallimousine.com.kh Fleet of late model Mercedes that provides transport for hotels, embassies and luxury tour operators as well as foreign delegates.
Commercial Banks
Acleda Bank 61 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 998 777 www.acledabank.com.kh Specialises in micro, small and medium loans to people throughout the country. ANZ Royal Bank Main Branch, 20 Street 114 www.anzroyal.com Cambodia’s major commercial bank has brought international standards of banking to Cambodia, with a large number of ATM machines around Phnom Penh. Can arrange money transfers. CIMB Bank PLC 20AB Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 988 388 www.cimbbank.com.kh Full range of commercial and consumer banking products and services for both Cambodian and foreign businesses and individuals. The first Japanese bank in Cambodia. Maruhan Japan Bank 83 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 010 First Japanese bank in Phnom Penh.
Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136, Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.
Tel: 023 211 700 / 010 624 001 www.ocean-tech.biz Technology company that offers GPS navigation systems, an online map directory and vehicle tracking system.
Internet Provider
Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.
EMAXX 99 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 818 EMAXX offers fast internet access via WiMAX, Optical Fiber and Satellite.
The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place. Also provides dirt bike tours.
AG Cambodia Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sovanna Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 360 333. nfo@agcambodia.com Professional insurance agent offering health, home, car, factory, employee and hotel insurance packages.
Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills.
IT & Software
Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112. Tel 098 518 888 Company that provides software solutions and systems, point of sales systems for bars and restaurants, website designing and telecoms consulting. Has showroom at 385 Street 215. Netpro Cambodia 11 Street 422. Tel: 023 215 141 www.netpro-cambodia.com, IT supports company that delivers high quality and reliable services to home and small to medium size organisations in Cambodia. Ocean Technology T-20 St Topaz, Sovanna Shopping Centre
services
Bikes & Mechanics
Insurance
Infinity Insurance 126 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 888 Prfessional insurance company offers motor, property, home, marine cargo, personal accident, healthcare, construction and engineering insurance. Group policies can be customized.
Legal
BNG Legal 64 Street 111. www.bnglegal.com Tel: 023 212 671 / 023 212 740 BNG Legal is a leading Cambodian law firm providing comprehensive legal services to foreign and local clients. We differentiate ourselves by coupling a deep understanding of the local business environment with international professionalism and integrity. DFDL Legal and Tax Advisors 33 Street 294. Tel: 023 210 400 www.dfdlmekong.com Law firm providing international standard legal and tax solutions with local and cross-border experience with offices in neighbouring countries.
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services
Gordon and Associates Asia (Cambodia) 21 Street 214. Tel: 023 218 257 US lawyer works with local Cambodian lawyers to provide international quality advice. Specialises in foreign investment, joint ventures and advising entrepreneurs with an in depth knowledge of the telecoms, agriculture, banking and hospitality sectors. Sciaroni & Associates 24 Street 462. Tel: 023 210 225 Law firm with a good reputation. Just the ticket if you get into a spot of bother.
Media & Design
Anon Creative Energy Tel: 089 812 123 anoncambodia@gmail.com Internationally trained advertising talent at your service. Strong, strategic ideas. Available for freelance art and copy writing projects. Asia Media Lab Tel: 012 818 917. www.asiamedialab.com Full service video production company specialises in the creation of dynamic visual content to help bring NGO stories to life for fundraising and advocacy.
Miscellaneous
Sunbird Angkor Co. Ltd. 78 Monireth Blvd. Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdangkor@yahoo.co.kr Worldwide Hotel Reservation, Car Rental Service, Worldwide Medical Service, Convention, Marketing. Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Sunbird Global Co., Ltd. 78 St. Monireth Blvd. Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdglobal@yahoo.co.kr Insurance Service, Air Cargo, Worldwide Express, Trading. Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm
Post Office
Main Post Office Cnr. Streets 102 & 13 The place to go if you want to send something overseas or get a PO Box. Open 6.30am -9pm.
Photography
AsiaMotion Tel: 092 806 117. www.asiamotion.net Photographic agency established in November 2008 as a cooperation between local and international photographers. Nathan Horton Photography Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Full service professional photographer. Hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and location work. Call for Travel Photography workshops and tours.
Printing
Sok Heng Printing House 1297B Street Luo 5, Stoeung Mean Chey Tel: 011 939 255 / 012 939 255 Modern print house providing a full range of printing services. Graphic design available.
Real Estate and Property Services
240Condo 50B Street 240. Tel: 012 271 636 www.240phnompenh.com 240 is the home of 42 luxury serviced apartments set in the most stylish area of the city with spectacular river and city views. The condominium was designed by leading international architects gfab and represents the most contemporary luxury apartment development currently available in Cambodia.
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CB Richard Ellis (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. 9th Floor, Hyundai Phnom Penh Tower 445 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 964 099 www.cbre.com.kh The world’s largest commercial real estate services company offering premier quality real estate, valutions, consultancy, investment and property services. Property Care Services (PCS) 2A Road 7. Tel: 017 555 203 Solution for property support services, including waste management, security, pest control and cleaning. Only company to clean high-rise windows with abseilers.
Relocation, Shipping
Crown 115-116 Street 335. Tel: 023 881 004 www.crownrelo.com Global transportation and relocation company with over 150 offices in 50 countries, specialising in expat support and household shipment. Open 8:30am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 12pm, Sat. Home Connect Cambodia 86 Street 160. Tel: 023 88 56 85 www.homeconnect.asia Home search company, dedicated to making the home search process easy and specializing in finding rental homes for the expatriate community. Best of all for our clients, our services are FREE.
Taxi Services
Choice Taxi Tel: 023 888 023 / 090 882 882 Metered taxi service with rates from US$1 for first 2km. Giant Ibis Transport Phnom Penh Phnom Penh: 3 Street 106, next to Night Market. Tel: 023 999 333 www.giantibis.com Siem Reap: 64 Street Sivatha, Mondol 1, Svay Dankum. Travel in “Affordable Luxury” to Siem Reap and other destinations in brand new 2012 buses with comforablt reclining seats, spacious leg room, A/C, Wi-fi, complementary snacks and pick-up service. Global Meter Taxi Tel: 011 311 888 092 889 962 016 680 118 Modern metered taxi fleet with rates from less than US$1 for first two km.
Telecoms
Ezecom 7D Russian Blvd. Tel: 023 888 181 www.ezecom.com.kh Internet service provider that promises boundless internet packages suited to everyone’s needs. Good packages for those looking for unlimited downloads. Mobitel 33 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 801 801 Largest ISP in the country. Major mobile phone company which issues the 012 SIM card. Smart Mobile 464A Preah Monivong Blvd. Tel: 010 201 000 www.smart.com.kh facebook.com/SmartMobileKH One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service providers in the country. Issues the 010, 069, 070, 086, 093 and 098 prefixes.
Listings
shopping Art
Hanuman Fine Arts 13B Street 334, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 211 916 tradition@hanumanfinearts.com High quality, beautiful antiques and objets d’art from all over the Kingdom. Furniture, ornaments, silverware, jewellery and more are well displayed in a treasure trove of a store. Very helpful and friendly staff. Open 8am - 5pm. Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay (nr. FCC) Tel : 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net Established in 1995 this art gallery is dedicated to Stef, a local icon artist with a very personal and positive insight into everyday life in Cambodia. Open 8am - 10pm
Beauty Products
Angkor Soap 16C Street 374 Tel: 023 223 720 / 015 935 789. www.angkorsoaps.com Specialising in handmade soaps and natural spa products. Open daily 8am - 5pm Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh spa. phnompenh@raffles.com Distinctive collection of Raffles Amrita spa private label and international spa products are available for purchase. Open 6am - 10pm.
Books & CDS
Carnets d’Asie French Cultural Centre 218 Street 184. Tel: 012 799 959 French-language bookshop has sections on Cambodia and Asia as well as general fiction, with a good range of French magazines and newspapers. Open 8am - 8pm
D’s Books 79 Street 240 & 12E Street 178 Tel: 012 726 355 www.facebook.com/ ds.books.shops New and used bookshops with over 20,000 original books and some copies, with a great range of best sellers. Coffee, smoothies and more available all day at Street 240. Open 9am to 9pm.
handmade pieces produced at Artisans Angkor’s workshops in Siem Reap province: silk scarves, clothing and accessories, home furnishings, lacquer paintings and tableware, stone and wooden sculptures, silver-plated ornaments and silk paintings. Special commissions and custom orders welcome.
Le Phnom Shop Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh, Small shop offering books and souvenirs including recipes from the hotel’s pastry chef. Open 7am - 9pm.
Artwood 6B Street 302. Tel: 016 934 999 www.artwood.asia Drop in to our showroom to experience modern wooden furniture designed and manufactured in Cambodia. Offers free consultations for both commercial and residential custom-made needs.
A.N.D. 52c Street 240. Tel: 017 854 726 artisandesigners@gmail.com The designers at A.N.D. work with many local artisans, giving a fashion twist to traditional skills: look for generously-sized ikat wraps in pure cotton, innovative up-cycled bags, and covetable jewellery combining hand-carved hardwoods with silver and vintage porcelain.
DeCosy 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 219 276 Stocking charming knick-knacks and furniture,is the place to find the things to make your house a home. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.
Bambou Indochine 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720, Facebook: bambouindochine High-quality T-shirts, Polo shirts and comfortable clothes in original designs. A full-range of sizes for men, women and children. Open daily 8am -10pm.
NatureWild 10Eo Street 420 Tel: 023 727 407 www.naturewildcambodia.com A sustainable lifestyle store featuring community products made from natural and wild materials from the forests of Cambodia, ideal for gifts.
Beautiful Shoes 138 Street 143. Tel: 012 848 438 Family-run business measures your feet and designs the shoe exactly as you wish. The shop also caters for men. Open from 7am to 6.30pm.
Monument Books 111 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 217 617 Extensive range of new Englishlanguage books in town including recent releases and sections on Asia, Cambodia, travel, cuisine, design and management. Good children’s section as well as a wide choice of magazines and newspapers. Open 7am - 8.30pm.
Crafts & Furniture
Art des Lignes 42B Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 012 211 520 www.artdeslignes.com This new interior design showroom provides branded products of highquality like luxury leather sofas and LED lighting, as well as furniture and metal artworks in contemporary style. Upstairs, the architecture and interior design office can offer complete solutions for projects, with a resolutely modern spirit and French Touch. Open 8:30am - 7:00pm .closed Sun. Artisans Angkor 12AEo Street 13 (in front of Post Office) Open daily from 9am to 6pm Tel: 023 992 409 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique with a wide range of traditional and contemporary
Pavillon d’Asie 24, 26 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 012 497 217 Antique lovers dream, a large array of well-restored furniture and decorative objects. Wooden cabinets jostle for space with Buddha statues and old wooden boxes. Upstairs are pieces from the French colonial era. Open 10am - 7pm, closed Sun.
Fashion
Ambre 37 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 935 The high-end fashion designs created by Cambodian designer Romyda
Keth are popular all over the world, this beautiful colonial building makes the perfect setting for the city’s most glamorous design shop. Also has men’s fashion. Open 10am - 6pm, closed Sun.
Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 A beautiful colonial building houses this exquisite shop with funky patterned cushions, quilts and an excellent clothing line. The health spa at the back of the shop also sells Spana beauty products. Open from 9am to 9pm (closed Mondays). Color Vintage 168 Street 13 Color Vintage is Phnom Penh’s premiere shop for refined vintage styles for men and women. We source authentic articles from around the world and offer free alterations for a perfect fit! Buy, sell or exchange.
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Couleurs D’Asie 33 Street 240 Tel: 023 221 075/ 099 499 478 www.couleursdasie.net info@couleursdasie.net Established in Cambodia for more than 15 years, Couleurs d´Asie has developed a full range of textile products for home decoration, clothing and fashion accessories. Jewellery, essential oils, soaps and more are on offer. A custom service for existing products is also available. Dara Shoes 10 Street 166, near corner Street 107. Tel: 012 855 173 / 097 8097 143 Good quality shoes, boots, bags, belts and leather products made to order since 1993. Jasmine Boutique 73 Street 240. Tel: 023 223 103 www.jasmineboutique.net Established in 2001 by Kellianne Karatau and Cassandra McMillan, this boutique creates its own collection of designs twice a year using hand-woven Cambodian silk. Open 8am - 6pm. Khmer Attitude Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 Fashion boutique that offers the finest Khmer silk clothing for men, women and children, including designs by Romyda Keth, and exclusive jewellery that complement the limited edition outfits. La Clef de Sol A design boutique offering home decor, women’s fashion, kids clothes, bags, accessories and continually updated design surprises. Next to K’nyay restaurant, in the alley across the park from java cafe. Open 10am - 7pm, closed Sun. Lim Keo 9 Street 222. Tel: 012 941 643 Pret a porter by Lim Keo, son of Sylvain Lim, the master of Cambodian fashion. Lost‘N’ Found Vintage Store 321 Street 63 cnr Street 322 Tel: 023 640 5047 Vibrant vintage shop offering a selection of interesting, handpicked second-hand dresses, handbags, belt, purses and other accessories. Men’s clothing available too. The collection is constantly changing and the attractive prices already make it popular amongst expats.
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Luna Boutique 8E1Street 278. Tel: 023 220 176 www.lunaboutiquephnompenh.com Original and stylish fashion designs for men and women, from work suits to evening dresses. The tailor-made creations, designed by modern Cambodian stylist Mengchou Kit, are fit for any occasion. Luna Boutique is located in the heart of Phnom Penh, in front of Anise Hotel, while its sister shop - Luna Shoes - is just next door and hosts a large selection of shoes, bags, and women’s accessories to complement your style. Open daily 8am - 9pm. Promesses and Kaprices 20 Street 282. Tel: 023 993 527 Lingerie shop stocked with exclusive French and Thai undergarments. Chic, new prêt-à-porter shop Kaprices is located upstairs. Open 9am - 7pm. SALT 2 Street 294. Tel: 012 815 066 SentosaSilk’s younger sibling has just opened in the comfortable surroundings of BKK1. Its stylish wooden interior complements the products sold, ranging from bags and shoes, clothes and dresses to accessories. Open daily 9am - 7pm SentosaSilk Uniform 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 012 962 911/ 023 222 974 sentosa@online.com.kh Well known for its professional management ability, SentosaSilk gives clients efficient and reliable service through quality systems and procedures that consistently enhance product quality and reliability. Sobbhana Boutique 23-24 Street 144/49 Tel: 023 219 455/ 023 219 452 www.sobbhana.org, A not for profit organisation founded by Princess Norodom Marie, offering a range of colourful, handwoven silk products. Profits fund training, medical care and education of weavers. Smateria 8Eo Street 5. Tel: 023 211 701 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old fruit juice cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.
Subtyl 43 Street 240. Tel 023 992 710 www.subtyl.com Up-market boutique selling Cambodian handmade women’s clothes, scarves, shoes, bags and other accessories in contemporary and interesting designs, the Subtyl collection combines class with colour. ChilliKids children’s clothing is also stocked at the shop. Open 9am - 7pm.
Food & Wine
AusKhmer – The Pantry Shop 125 Street 105 Tel: 023 993 859 /023 214 478 This small deli features a variety of well priced wines, Australian beers, and French delicacies, cheeses, antipasti, and cold cuts. Open 10am - 8pm. Camory – Premium Cookie Boutique 167 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 937 Makes cookies using produce from the provinces such as cashews from Kampong Cham and Mondulkiri honey. A portion of the profits fund education for a local orphanage. Open 9am - 8.30pm. Celliers d’Asie 62B & 98 Street 432. Tel: 023 986 350 Wine supplier with the largest quantity of retail stock in town, has been providing wine to most of the top hotels and restaurants for over ten years. Open 8am -12pm, 2pm - 6pm, closed Sun. Comme a la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 Decidedly sophisticated French restaurant has a small delicatessen and bakery at the back of the restaurant ideal for that morning baguette or croissant with your coffee. Open from 6am - 10.30pm. Dan Meats 51A Street 214. Tel: 012 906 072 Phnom Penh’s man of meat, Lanzi, supplies his strictly non-vegetarian products to many restaurants around town. Open7:30 - 6:30, closed Sun. Kurata Pepper Cnr. Streets 63 & 322. Tel: 023 726 480 Selling organic Koh Kong pepper and associated products, Kurata is one of the more unusual shops in town. Open daily 8am - 7pm.
Open Wine 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 223 527 Aircon wine shop and tasting gallery sells wines, severac, calvados and meat. Open 7pm - 11pm. Red Apron 15-17 Eo Street 240 Tel: 023 990 951 Home of wine enthusiasts in Phnom Penh is both a wine boutique and tasting gallery. With around 300 wines, the boutique has more range than the supermarkets. Open 9am - 9pm. Supercheap Cambodia 87 Street 360. Tel: 023 631 3668 336A Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 977 779 www.supercheap.com.kh Budget shop claims to offer the biggest variety of wines and spirits in Cambodia as well as the cheapest prices. Open 8am - 10pm. The Deli
13 Street 178 Tel: 012 851 234 Café and bakery with take away breads, sandwiches and pastries. Now has a second outlet on Street 51. Open 6.30am - 6.30pm, delivery service (within 30 minutes) 7am-11pm.
Silks & Accessories
Friends ‘n’ Stuff 215 Street 13 Tel: 012 955 722 Colourful shop with unique products designed by Mith Samlahn/Friends students and parents of former street kids. Range includes cclothes, necklaces, purses and second hand goods. Has a nail bar run by students from the beauty class. Open 11am - 9pm. Mekong Quilts 49 Street 240 Tel: 023 219 607 www.mekong-quilts.org Outlet for NGO Mekong Plus, stocks a large range of hand-crafted bed covers, home accessories, gifts and decorations. Benefits Mekong Plus, which promotes health initiatives in Svay Rieng Province. Open 9am - 7pm. Sentosa Silk 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 023 222 974 www.sentosasilk.com Using a colourful range of Asian silks, Sentosa creates men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and soft furnishings. Sentosa employs disadvantaged people. Open daily 8am - 7pm.
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asialife Cambodia 93
.2
09
Kimchi Collective @ Emergency Room
Sunday Funday Brunch @ NagaWorld
Amrita Performing Arts 10 Year Anniversary @ Java
Photography by Amanda Saxton, Charles Fox, Nick Sells @ KPR & Anthony Gabelics
94 asialife Cambodia
ABAC Penfolds Wine Tasting @ Intercontinental Hotel
‘Queen for a Night’ Opening @ McDermott Gallery Siem Reap
asialife Cambodia 95
soundfix album review
by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen
Arctic Monkeys Yoko Ono Plastic Ono AM Band
Rapsody
King Krule
She Got Game
6 Feet Beneath the Moon
It’s 2013 and it’s still a big deal when a female rapper breaks out. Gender equality is not the hip-hop scene’s forte. Aside from the heyday of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Missy Elliott in the 1990s, there’s been a dearth of women emcees making waves in the mainstream. So, even though we should be judging Rapsody only by her flow, it’s hard not to have respect for the fact that she doesn’t have a Y chromosome. Recalling LL Cool J and her self-professed inspiration Lauryn Hill, the North Carolinian’s approach taps into the chilled vibe of golden age hip-hop rather than the in-your-face party jams of her contemporaries Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks. She’s relaxed, which means songs can sometimes feel monotonous, but Rapsody’s mix-tape shows she isn’t out to force her way to approbation. That’s refreshing, no matter what gender she is.
Warning, spoiler alert ahead. For those of you who don’t already know King Krule, listen to one of his songs right now. Here’s what you’ll be hearing: generally minimal accompaniment and a dry baritone that’s being heralded as that of a British Tom Waits. Not quite what you’d expect from a skinny, redheaded 19-year-old kid. Sounding beyond his years is an understatement for Archy Marshall, the boy behind the big voice. But surprises aside, Marshall delivers weighty music on his first album as King Krule, having previously performed as Zoo Kid since 2010. There are hints of jazz and folk in the melodies, and sometimes his love for rap reveals itself, such as on the rhythmic ‘Neptune Estate’. It’s not always easy to tell what Marshall’s saying with that growling vocal style, but it comes off both confessional and compelling.
Take Me to the Land of Hell Scrolling through my iTunes, I revisited the music I was listening to ten years ago — The Libertines, The Strokes, Razorlight, The White Stripes. I realised how much I missed the spirit of post-punk revival indie rock. So I breathed a sigh of relief when the new Arctic Monkeys album came along. Not only does the genre persevere but I can still relate to it. The Yorkshire foursome’s fifth record is their best in recent years, demonstrating a level of musical maturity without losing the youthful insolence that propelled their 2006 debut. Alex Turner’s Sheffield-accented vocals uphold the group’s trademark sound, capturing a mix of wistfulness, self-doubt and charisma. There are a lot of question marks in their song titles, which is fitting given what Arctic Monkeys seem to be asking. Are we still relevant? Is there space for rock and roll romantics in this crazy modern world? My answer is yes.
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John Lennon once called her “the world’s most famous unknown artist.” Everyone knows Yoko Ono from her marriage to the Beatles musician, but how many people are familiar with her work? Now 80 years old, Ono continues to create art — audio, visual and performance-based — as she has for six decades. Take Me to the Land of Hell is her latest album, proving that Ono and her band are as mad-cap as ever. The music is a rollercoaster of kookiness and caprice; sometimes it sounds a bit scary, but you might also find it kinda fun. On this record, Ono leads you by the hand through chaotic opener ‘Moonbeams’ — try it once, you might not want to again — onwards to ‘Bad Dancer’ — a catchy collaboration with Beastie Boys’ Mike D and Ad-Rock — and stopping by playful piano-led ditty ‘Leaving Tim’. A typical octogenarian Ono is not, but then again being atypical is what she’s always strived for.
topten
endorsed
Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1. Best Song Ever 2. We Can’t Stop 3. Everything Has Changed 4. Applause 5. Roar 6. Right Now 7. Counting Stars 8. Made In The U.S.A. 9. What About Love 10. Crazy Kids
One Direction Miley Cyrus Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran Lady Gaga Katy Perry Rihanna One Republic Demi Lovato Austin Mahone Ke$ha
UK Top Ten 1. Roar Katy Perry 2. Counting Stars One Republic 3. Burn Ellie Goulding 4. Wake Me Up Avicii 5. Hold On, We’re Going Home Drake 6. Sonnentanz Klangkarussell 7. Summertime Sadness Lana Del Rey 8. We Can’t stop Miley Cyrus 9. Same Love Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 10. Applause Lady Gaga
US Top Ten 1. Roar Katy Perry 2. Blurred Lines Robin Thicke 3. Royals Lourde 4. Holy Grail Jay Z 5. Wake Me Up Avicii 6. Summertime Sadness Lana Del Rey 7. Applause Lady Gaga 8. Hold On, We’re Going Home Drake 9. Safe And Sound Capital Cities 10. Berzerk Eminem
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Michael Tatarski Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is most famous for the iconic television sitcom Seinfeld, but he is also a well-known car collector. Seinfeld owns a wide variety of rare and classic cars, and in 2012 he decided to put some of them into use in an internet series called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Seinfeld’s comedy is dry and observational, so it should come as no surprise that the title for this show is so straightforward. The premise is equally simple: Seinfeld goes for a drive in one of his cars, such as a Porsche 356 or a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, picks up a friend from the entertainment industry, and they go get coffee at a local diner or restaurant, usually in southern California but with several stops in New York as well. The first season consists of ten episodes, most of which are around 15 minutes long and feature a who’s who of comedy: Larry David, Ricky Gervais, Brian Regan and Alec Baldwin, to name a few. The conversations cover numerous topics, from the thoughtful to the irreverent and ridiculous. Seinfeld usually lets his guest take centre stage, and it is entertaining to see these hugely wealthy and famous
people sitting in a greasy spoon talking about traffic, just like the rest of us. The unscripted nature of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is what really makes the show so addictive. In the first season finale Seinfeld meets up with Michael Richards, who played Kramer in Seinfeld. As they drive along, Richards asks Seinfeld to turn down a street, since he claims former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard lives there and they should pay him a visit. They stop at a house and knock on the door, only to be told that actor Jay Mohr is actually the person who lives there, much to their amusement. Then they simply carry on to the diner, while Richards explains what was going through his head during his infamous racial tirade at a comedy club in 2006. Season two of the series premiered in June and features stars such as Sarah Silverman, David Letterman and Chris Rock. The show has taken off and was even nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Seinfeld has said that, moving forward, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee will run in two sixepisode seasons every year. See what the buzz is all about at comedians incarsgettingcoffee.com.
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bookshelf The Lowland Jhumpa Lahiri Knopf
Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest is a tale of two brothers. Whereas older brother Subhash leaves Calcutta to study science in America, Udayan remains and becomes a passionate advocate for change in Indian politics. The context is the 1960s, and Udayan becomes swept up by the Naxalite movement against the country’s growing inequality. When Udayan is killed in political violence, Subhash tries to do the right thing by marrying his brother’s pregnant wife. Like her novel The Namesake, Lahiri composes a poignant, intricate story that explores eternal themes of family, responsibility and love.
Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Incident, and the Illusion of Safety Eric Schlosser Penguin Press After highlighting the dangers of the food industry in Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser turns his gaze on another threat to our wellbeing — nuclear weapons. And in a way, it’s fitting. Like fast food, nuclear weapons are something that we know are potentially very bad, but we might not understand exactly how at risk we are. With his fastidious approach to research, Schlosser reveals several instances in which nuclear bombs have nearly been detonated by accident. The sense of urgency surrounding “nukes” has faded since the Cold War but Schlosser sees this calm as all the more worrying.
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Bleeding Edge Thomas Pynchon Penguin Press Now 76 years old, Thomas Pynchon proves that his writing talent endures. Forty years since publishing his tour de force, Gravity’s Rainbow, the reclusive novelist releases his eighth work of fiction. Set in New York City in 2001, Bleeding Edge follows Maxine Tarnow, a fraud investigation agency owner who’s not afraid to use unorthodox methods. A job sends her down into a rabbit hole of mysterious events, as the tragedy of September 11 looms on the horizon. Like any Pynchon novel, cultural references come a-plenty and a postmodernist style will keep readers on their toes.
MaddAddam Margaret Atwood Nan A. Talese/Doubleday Often seen as fodder for high school geeks and conspiracy theorists, science fiction is a genre relegated to the side aisles. But the possibilities of sci-fi for social critique should not be underestimated. With MaddAddam, Margaret Atwood concludes her post-apocalyptic, dystopian trilogy, which began with 2003’s Oryx and Crake. Set in a disquieting but not-quite-so-distant future, the story takes place after a synthetic disease has destroyed humanity and a new species of designer beings struggle to understand their origins. The Canadian author proves her storytelling abilities yet again in this intriguing tale of caution.
boxoffice
Escape Plan
Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers
Machete Kills
Runner, Runner
Fans of action film greats Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger can rejoice. Escape Plan brings the two stars together for a prison break thriller. Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a structural engineer who can break out of any jail. When Ray is wrongly convicted of a crime, he finds himself imprisoned in a more-than-maximum security complex that he designed himself. Can he do the impossible and escape? Together with his cellmate Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger), Ray aims to go out fighting.
Revenge of the Leftovers follows up on the 2009 film adaptation of classic childhood book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and is delivered in the same whimsical 3D animated format. When inventor Flint Lockwood’s machine begins creating fearsome food monsters, he returns to Swallow Falls with a determined team of friends and one pet monkey. With food-animal hybrids like mosquitoasts, shrimpanzees and tacodile supremes ravaging the land, Flint and company must find a way to shut down the machine and put things back in order.
Don’t mess with Machete. That’s the core message of the latest film from writerdirector Robert Rodriguez, the same man who brought us Sin City, Spy Kids and the original 2010 Machete film. The sequel, Machete Kills, features the title character, played by Danny Trejo, on a mission to save Washington DC from a dangerous missile. Pitted against billionaire terrorist Luther Voz (Mel Gibson), Machete demonstrates how his killing machine ways are unstoppable. Look out for an acting cameo by Lady Gaga.
Richie (Justin Timberlake) is a Princeton student struggling to afford his tuition. Hoping to win enough to pay off his school fees, he bets all he has on an online poker game. It turns out the game is rigged, and Richie loses his whole stake. Determined to fight back, he goes to a remote island to confront the site’s owner, gambling tycoon Ivan (Ben Affleck). Richie becomes drawn into Ivan’s illegal doings, until he’s kidnapped by the FBI and forced to choose sides.
Coming Soon October Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex, Sorya See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule. Runner, Runner Oct. 3 Prisoners Oct. 3 Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers Oct. 10 Machete Kills Oct. 10 Escape Plan Oct. 24
Legend Cinema See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule. Runner Runner Oct. 3 Wrath of Vajra (Chinese) Oct. 3 Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers Oct. 10 RUN (Khmer) Oct. 23 3.50 (Khmer) Oct. 31
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pub quiz
spotted
Spooky!
Games
1. Michael Myers is a fictional character from which series of films? 2. Who flew the Spirit of St Louis from New York to Paris? 3. What term is given to someone who writes books, articles, stories, reports or other texts that are officially credited to another person? 4. Who had a world-wide hit with the song ‘Zombie’ in 1994? 5. Which Chilean author wrote The House of Spirits?
21. What was the job of Mellors in Lady Chatterley’s Lover? 22. Which TV series is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos? 23. How many pawns are on the board at the start of a chess game? 24. The terms blitz, scrunge, squop, squidger and boondock are all used in what game? 25. “The game’s afoot” is a line for which Shakespearean king?
6. Hornbills are found in Africa and Asia. Which large billed birds are found in the Americas? 7. Where is St Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world? 8. Which Southern French resort holds an annual film festival? 9. In Star Trek, on which planet did Mr Spock grow up? 10. Which Italian region is home to Chianti wine?
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Fun 16. What does a funambulist do? 17. Which American duo began performing under the name Tom and Jerry in 1957? 18. What term is given to a cable railway on a steep slope? 19. Which nocturnal green creature came alive in Raymond Briggs’ 1977 graphic novel? 20. Which 1994 romantic comedy was the highest-grossing British film in cinema history at the time?
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1. Halloween 2. Charles Lindbergh 3. Ghost-writer 4. The Cranberries 5. Isabelle Allende 6. Toucans 7. Vatican City 8. Cannes 9. Vulcan 10. Tuscany 11. Eric Cantona 12. Cantons 13. Pretty Vacant 14. Lycanthrope 15. Cantonese 16. Walks Tightropes 17. Simon and Garfunkel 18. Funicular 19. Fungus the Bogeyman 20. Four Weddings and a Funeral 21. Gamekeeper 22. Game of Thrones 23. Sixteen 24. Tiddlywinks 25. Henry V 26. Sting 27. Megan Fox 28. Natalie Portman 29. Mick Jagger 30. Vladimir Putin
11. Who, in 1995, said: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea”? 12. England has counties, Germany has Länder, what does Switzerland have? 13. Which punk single begins: “There’s no point in asking, you’ll get no reply”? 14. Which alternative word for werewolf comes from Greek words meaning wolf man? 15. Which Chinese dialect comes from the Chinese province of Guangdong?
pub quiz answers
Can