It’s been a very big day of eating for me here in Yangon, errr, Phnom Penh.
I started by rectifying my mistake of last night, when I ate a dosa at the wrong place. I went to Taste Budz for the proper dosa on the cheap eats guide. They state:
Good dosas are not hard to find among Phnom Penh’s Indian restaurants, but Taste Budz just barely ekes out top prize over its competitors. Why? Mostly for consistency – that perfect crispness on the outside of the pancake – and because it isn’t as greasy as many other dosas. And then there are the phenomenal mint, coconut and tomato chutneys on the side, with the latter so spicy it’ll wipe out your taste buds for a few days. The classic dosa is just $2, making for a cheap breakfast or lunch.
I have to say that the plain dosa was pretty good, as were the sides. I did not care for the coconut chutney, but the mint was decent, and the tomato pretty good, although certainly not “so spicy” by any means. I can’t compare it straight up to last night’s accidental dosa at dosa corner, as I had the masala dosa there, but I think the sides at Dosa corner slightly beat out Taste Budz.
A little later for a proper lunch I had the green curry at Yosaya Thai. The Post states:
Hands down the best Thai restaurant in Phnom Penh, every dish Post Weekend has tried at Yosaya is bursting with spice. Among many competitors for standout dish, the green curry is in a league of its own. Served with either pork or chicken, it comes with Thai eggplant – which is admittedly a little strange – green beans, red chilli, bay leaves, Thai basil and a healthy amount of cardamom and other spices, giving it a herbal and effervescent flavour. English has recently appeared on the menu, but for the most part ordering is a bit of a guessing game.
I have to say, that although I only had the green curry, I have to agree that it was very good. This is a small spot that was packed for lunch, and I will absolutely be back to try more on the menu. I was actually half way through the curry (which I ate up every last bit) when I realized I forgotten a photo, but here's what the place looked like:
For a quick and light “dessert” on the way back to the office I swung by Edimane for the salmon sashimi, which the Post states:
Four slices of decent salmon for $3 is hard to beat in the raw fish department. Don’t expect your mind to be blown, but Edamame has a whole host of reasonably priced, reasonably tasty Japanese food items to choose from. The $3.25 plate of chicken teriyaki on a bed of potato salad, combined with rice and miso soup for an extra $1.50, is especially good bang for your buck. Riffing on the model of a Japanese after-work drinks and food locale – or izakaya – this place is also perfect for working stiffs getting out of the office late.
The salmon was good, tender, didn’t blow my mind, but very decent for the $3 I spent on it. Like the Post stated, if you’re nearby it would be worth popping in for an after work bite.
After being completely stuffed all afternoon, and a double espresso and then a negroni at Sundown Social Club to settle the stomach, it was time to hit up some of the spots around TTP. We first went for the squid with Kampot pepper at one of the spots in the actual Russian market. We wandered around the Western side, but those stalls mostly had Vietnamese style food or short fried noodles, and then I asked someone where the squid was and he directed me to the southern side. There were two ‘restaurant’s, and the one on the right (eastern side) was completely packed, so that’s where we headed. We ordered two plates of the Kampot squid (they even had a menu in English, by the way, and we got the number 3 on the menu), and two cold cans of Anchor. The Post says:
This roadside dining spot running along the edge of Russian Market – where in the day customers shopping inside park their motorbikes – is a hive of activity any night of the week, with seafood grilled up on barbecues right next to you. A flavoursome plate of squid with sweet sauce, Kampot pepper, vegetables and a plate of rice costs just $3.
It was very flavorful, albeit sitting there was extremely hot. They didn’t offer us rice, which is fine, but did add some additional dipping sauces.
Next was one of my most dreaded items on the list, the oysters at Nesak. Reading the Post’s description makes them look ideal:
A plate of 10 oysters enjoyed in a cosy, plant-filled restaurant while jazz music floats out from behind the bar feels like an indulgence. But at Russian Market’s Nesat, which opened in May this year and has quickly built up a loyal clientele, it will only set you back $3. Served with salad, crispy fried onion and sweet chilli sauce, customers can pick between ice-cold or barbecued oysters. The seafood is transported from Kep daily and tastes certifiably fresh. Dishes such as the creamy spaghetti pastis with your choice of seafood will also get you back change on a $5 bill.
However, I know how the oysters are sold in Kampot / anywhere on the coast. They shuck them on the coast, put them in plastic bags, and ship them to PP (that's why I normally only eat at places with the actually fresh Vietnamese oysters). I even sent a FB to the restaurant in the morning, and asked if they opened them in the restaurant or bought them that way, and they replied: “The oysters come already open from Steng Hav. Is there anything you concern? We can garrentee the oysters are all natural”. This did not rest easy with me, but they are on the list so we had to eat them. To be safe we ordered them grilled, and 20 of them were actually only $5.50. Much to my shock they were pretty good, with a very tasty sauce. They seemed fresh enough, although one or two were pretty creamy. However, the restaurant as a whole was very cool, reminding us of a small Japanese place. The customers seemed heavily French, so the other food must be good.
Ready to call it a night, we settled on one last spot, the yahorn at Tbal Khmer, which the Post states:
Besides the papaya Salad with chicken wings ($3.5), Tbal Khmer is famous for its yahorn, a soup packed with garlic, galangal root and chili and served with a concoction of vegetables and meat, including seafood, beef and pork. The $1.75 set of the tom yum-like hot pot is enough for one person, but if with several we recommend the bigger $4 set.
I tried to order two single orders, but the waitress (in perfect English responding to my less than perfect Khmer) insisted we get one large order. We figured what the hell for $4 (although when the bill came it was $7.50!). The flavors were very good, and hot pot is always a little fun. Even at the inflated price of $7.50, this would make an excellent full dinner on its own for two people.
Ok, back to bed in Yangon, let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Edit: I forgot to update the score card on our contest. The American, previously in the lead, slipped down to be tied for second with yours truly, at 9 places a piece. The Brit has taken over the leader board with a total of 11 (The Brit and I hit up all of the spots together today, while the American will be on his own to tackle the Russian Market area).