Modern dining with a nod to the past
FOR diners looking for an energy-boosting meal and who don’t mind sweating in the tropical climate, the recently opened Khmer Beef Soup restaurant offers a variety of beef and fresh vegetables served hotpot-style along the banks of the Tonle Sap River.
Located near the Ferris wheel on the east side of the river across Chroy Changvar Bridge, the semi-open-air restaurant is surrounded by trees, green grass and a spacious parking lot.
With thatched roofs ofs and walls cov covered by khun mear ar leaves – a wild plant which is believed ieved to be found only in Kulen Mountain ountain in Siem Reap – the Khmer Beef Soup restaurant offers a relaxing xing atmosphere with countryside-inspired nspired architecture and a large open-air en-air terrace.
Lounging on comfortable omfortable bright orange seats, diners rs can enjoy what many Cambodians s consider to be an energy-boosting g meal.
Rest assured, safeguarding eguarding against the pandemic is a priority at the restaurant. Staff members mbers wear masks and the healthy air flow helps mitigate the chance hance of spreading the virus. s.
The eatery’s flagship gship dish is the Khmer beef soup itself, with the bitter gourd soup up a popular choice ce as well. Both are e served in a clay pot hotpot-style.
With help from two business partners, the restaurant was opened by 36-year-old chef Hun Ratha, who brought his s signature taste and d style from his two successful essful restaurants of the same name in n Siem Reap. Diners have revelled in n the unique taste.
“In Siem Reap, I first started my business as a street et vendor. Many people supported me and it was going so well. Now w it’s grown into a big restaurant just like this.
“The concept imitates everything in Siem Reap. ap. I move back and forth monthly y but my partners will always be here taking full responsibility to maintain the restaurant’s taste and hygiene practices,” Ratha says.
Being the oldest child in his family, Ratha learned how to cook by whipping up meals for his younger siblings while his parents were busy selling goods at the market. As he grew older, he took a job as a kitchen hand to gain some practical cooking knowledge. “At first I had no desire in cooking. But as the hotel businesses grew, I took it as an opportunity to work as a kitchen hand. That was the only way I could benefit since I received little education,” he says. As he rose in the ranks from kitchen hand to chef, he gained invaluable experience, allowing him to build the entire menu for his restaurants from scratch.
“I used to be a chef a and worked closely with Chinese chefs. I learned from them and started to make my own st yle,” Ratha Rat says.
The beef soup is t the he cle clear-cut customer favourite and is s ser ved with cow bone to give it extra ext flavour. It may look like traditiona traditio l Khmer beef soup, but t he chef-t chef-turned restaurateur has creatively added secret ingredients to make it unique.
He experimented with th the recipe until he believed he had the perfect rich taste to suit customers’ palates. pal
The bitter gourd soup s taste might be a litt le too bitter for some, but for fo foodies who won’t let bitterne bitterness obstruct them from tasting unfamiliar food, they might find th they enjoy it. It pairs well wit h t he Bronze Bro feat herback, a t y pe of freshwa freshwater fish.
One of Ratha’s culina culinary tricks is to remove MSG from hi his dishes, a move that won praise fro from some of his local customers.
The beef soup and the bitter b gourd soup cost $12.50 each. They Th include a pot of soup, fresh meat, veggies and more and can feed up to four fo people.
For side dishes, moan bok Siem Reap – Siem Reap-style Reap-sty ground chicken with ants ($4) – and American Steak served on a hot stone ($16) are also treasured by many diners.
Moan bok Siem Reap traces its origins to Angkor, where it was served as a typical household dish.
The ground chicken is roasted with ants, mashed together with Khmer fermented fish and eaten with banana flowers. The unique taste has been described as sour, salty and spicy.
American steak on the hot stone is a foreign-inspired dish which can also be found in some local upscale restaurants. Ratha made it affordable so those who usually don’t opt for pricey meals can give it a try. The meat is imported from the US while the vegetables are locally sourced.
Ratha says it makes him happy to see fa milies and friends sitting at his restaurant, socia lising and eating toget her.
“When I was young, my parents often took me to eat hot pot. Years went by and to this day, people still enjoy it.
“That is also one of the reasons I was excited to open this restaurant. It feels like I’m bringing back those memories and creating memories for customers who love to bring their parents or children out to eat,” he says.
Those who visit the restaurant can expect an unspoiled view of the Tonle Sap on a spacious lot which always guarantees a parking spot.
Ratha says if there was one thing he could change about the restaurant, he would like to incorporate technolog y to streamline t he serv ice and make it even better.
“I am thinking of using iPads for orders. But I’m still studying it because I don’t k now if it will help my staf f work faster. Moreover, they need to be trained, so I will tr y to improve it litt le by litt le.
“Lastly, I just want to show my gratitude to all the customers that have been supporting me all along from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. We will continue to maintain our taste and hygiene practices and if there is something we can improve, we will,” he says.
Khmer Beef Soup restaurant is on t he east side of t he Tonle Sap. After crossing Chroy Chang var Bridge, turn lef t at the big roundabout and then turn lef t again at t he first roundabout. The restaurant is open from 4pm to 11pm and can be reached at 016 664 288.