Vancouver 2015 Wedding - Phnom Penh

When I first arrived in Vancouver, on the night of our first meal, we had all been craving this meal. During that night I was introduced to the wonder that was Phnom Penh. Billed as the best Vietnamese and Cambodian restaurant in Vancouver, my dining companions incessantly spoke of their signature dishes. I was wary initially as oftentimes the hype and excitement overcomes the eventuality of the thing being hyped. However I was reassured and continuously reminded of just how amazing this restaurant was. Well it was settled, we were going to Phnom Penh for lunch.

Phnom Penh is located in Vancouver Chinatown. There is an interesting dichotomy here with the local Chinese residents contrasting a large homeless population. It was odd to see expensive traditional Chinese herbal stores situated next to a shelter and it reminded me of the luxuries afforded to me and that not everyone has the capabilities to splurge on a nice meal with friends at a restaurant.

Phnom Penh is the classic Asian hole in a wall diner. A cacophony of noise welcomes you as you enter the brightly lit, sparsely decorated restaurant. The owners are not shy to showcase the number of awards and distinctions handed out to their restaurant, as evidenced by the sea of accolades on the lobby wall. We put our name down and patiently waited the 15 minutes or so it took for our table.

One of their signature dishes is the Marinated Thit Bo (Butter Beef). A Vietnamese version of Beef Carpaccio, Phenom Penh takes thinly sliced beef and pairs it with a spicy soy and cilantro dressing. Boy was this wonderful. The beef was very fresh and was a basis for the umami-ness of the sauce. The contrast of the crisp cilantro does wonders to the fattiness of the beef and saltiness of the sauce.
 

Their other signature dish is the Canh Ga Lan Bot (Deep-fried Chicken Wings). These wings were excellent! Perfectly deep fried golden brown they are complimented by crispy garlic bits and dipped in a lemon-lime sauce. The addition of the garlic makes this both unique and incredibly tasty. I have to commend them on achieving a balance of nice crispiness of the skin with juicy tender meat.

We were recommended this Banh Beo (Vietnamese Steamed Rice Paste) by one of our dining companions. Steamed rice cake is topped with crispy fried shallots and dried shrimp and paired with marinated rice noodles. This was a fun dish. The chewy rice cakes were a good vessel to hold the shallots and dried shrimp. The overall dish was a touch on the bland side which was a disappointing contrast to the sharp and strong flavours in the previous two dishes.
 

As it was a, somewhat, cold day in Vancouver we ordered a Canh Chua Tom (Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns). The basis of a good soup is the broth and Phnom Penh nails it here! The soup had a good basis of sweet, salty and sour and was an excellent base for the shrimp and bean sprouts. Overall the soup had a delicate but deep flavour and every ingredient worked well to harmonize the taste buds. Needless to say, this dish went quickly!

To finish off we ordered a Spicy Gold Fish (Whole Pomfret). As one of our diners is a avid fish lover, their needs were nicely acquiesced by this dish. A whole pomfret was nicely deep fried and served with a spicy fish sauce dip. The fish itself was simply average and did not hit the high notes of the other dishes here. The spicy sauce on the side did add some taste, but I could not help but be underwhelmed by the presentation, size of fish and overall lack of complex flavour.

Overall Phnom Penh was excellent. I understand why it was the bearer of so many awards, and while I have not explored enough of the Vietnamese cuisine in Vancouver, I can wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant as a great basis to start with. Their signature dishes were truly wonderful and should be the starter of any meal here.