One way to understand the people and a place is through the food.
By exploring the local flavors, one appreciates the destination at a deeper level.
Cambodian cuisine surprised us on our quest for the authentic foods in Cambodia.
In Siem Reap, we were immediately intrigued when we heard about chef Joannès Rivière, of Cuisine Wat Damnak. Using fresh ingredients sourced from all over Siem Reap, he blends authentic Cambodian flavors with creative French culinary techniques.
Our Airbnb host, Dalia, an expat in Siem Reap raved about the restaurant and convinced us to dine there. The issue was that we hadn’t made reservations in advance and it was during the busy Christmas and New Year period.
Fortunately, Dalia was able to creatively get us a reservation. We could not miss the opportunity to experience creative Cambodian cuisine, recently named The Best Restaurant in Cambodia in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Cuisine Wat Damnak – a Hidden Gem in Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the destination of choice for many visitors to Cambodia. Indeed, Siem Reap is the city next to Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest religious monument in the world.
Ta Phrom ,the famous Angkor Wat temple where Tomb Raider was filmed
In the food scene, Cuisine Wat Damnak is the first Cambodian restaurant to land on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant. It is run by executive chef Joannès Rivière and his wife Carole Salmon since April 2011.
The restaurant is housed in a traditional Cambodian wooden house in the Southeast part of town, near Wat Damnak. In Siem Reap, neighborhoods are named after a Wat or temple.
So, the restaurant, Cuisine Wat Damnak is named after the temple in the neighborhood where it is located. Angkor Wat is a Buddhist temple which is worth a detour. Feel free to visit the quiet pagoda and check out the Center of Khmer studies before your dinner.
Cuisine Wat Damnak is in a charming wooden house (photo credit: Cuisine Wat Damnak)
Wat Damnak temple in Siem Reap (photo credit: Jonathan Rotondo -mccord)
Now, let’s explore the local flavors at Cuisine Wat Damnak.
The Menu at Siem Reap Restaurant Cuisine Wat Damnak
The restaurant offers two tasting menus which change every two weeks. Chef Joannès uses locally sourced produce and unique ingredients. He aims to showcase Cambodian products cooked in a creative way.
Once seated in the cosy restaurant, you be given the menu for the week, which is a two page booklet. There are only two options. One five-course menu for $27 USD and one 6-course menu for $31 USD.
The low lighting at Wat Damnak creates an intimate environment While the 5-course menu offers plenty, we couldn’t resist getting the full 6 course-menu at one of the best Asian Restaurants in the world.
How often do you have the chance to taste locally sourced “Mekong langoustine” or “duck egg in pong tia kone style”?
Tasting menu at Cuisine Wat Damnak which changes every two weeksDon’t Pass Up the Local Drinks
The beverage menu at Cuisine Wat Damnak is full of surprises. You will find cocktails made with local spices and ingredients. Sample drinks with unique ingredients like kaffir lime, pomelo and ginger infused brandy, Tamarind infused vodka and more.
If you are a beer love, you will enjoy the refreshing and smooth draft beers by Siem Reap Brewpub. The wine list has a nice international selection from France, Italy, Australia, South Africa and more.
I typically prefer wine with dinner, but was tempted by the “Purple dragon fruit sangria”.
Made with purple dragon fruit, passion fruit and Phnom Kulen Vanilla, this was a delicious “bloody” refreshment.
Claire settled on local craft beer from Siem Reap Brewpub. It was her chance to try a local beer beyond the regional Southeast Asian beers.
Her verdict? “A refreshing and tasty beer. A nice change from some of the regional bland beers”.
Refreshing Sangria with purple dragon fruit
Local Blond Ale from Siem Reap Brewpub
Highlights of Cuisine Wat Damnak Creative Cambodian Cuisine
Chef Rivière personally selects the freshest local and seasonal ingredients for his kitchen. The flavors are authentic including the unique bitter and sour tastes we wrote about in our recent article Cambodian cuisine:12 unique dishes to feast on.
On the menu that evening were locally sourced meat and seafood dishes. Following are highlights on what you can expect at Cuisine Wat Damnak.
Locally Sourced Cambodian Seafood
In Cambodia, fish and seafood are the most popular source of protein. Not surprisingly, seafood and fish dishes are found throughout the menu. From the amuse-bouche (small complimentary appetizer) to the appetizer and main meals. The ingredients like Mekong langoustine, Tonlé Sap fish and Chhlang fish all come from nearby freshwater lakes and rivers.
The amuse-bouche: watermelon salad with dried fish
Appetizer: Lemongrass marinated seafood salad with winged beans, rosella, herbs and peanuts.
Dish: Mekong langoustine pancake, green papaya pickles, Siem Reap sausage and tomalley emulsion
Dish: Tonle Sap cracker fish in a clear curry with water mimosa, pounded Java ferniella and rice paddy herb
Dish: Mushrooms and green jack fruit spicy coconut curry, cchlang fish and holy basilOn the whole, all the fish and seafood dishes were quite tasty. The combinations unusual, and the flavors quite distinctive.
Without any reservation, the Mekong langoustine was our favorite. The fresh seafood, sweet Siem Reap sausages and crispy green papaya pickles was a phenomenal explosion of flavors. Cooked to perfection, this masterpiece was divine.
The rice paddy herbs in the Tonle Sap fish curry gives off lemon and citrusy flavors found in sour Khmer food. The flavors were interesting and the textures unusual. Delicious, yet subtle, this was an enjoyable sensorial experience.
Locally Sourced Cambodian Meats
While fish is much more common than meat in Khmer cuisine, Cuisine Wat Damnak does include meat in both menus. The ingredients and dishes are traditional, and the cooking technique creative.
Appetizer: Angkor stout braised beef salad with puffed kuy teav, fresh, steamed and preserved cabbage
Dish: Scrambled duck egg in ‘pong tia kone style’, stir fried duck confit, lime and laksa leaves
Dish: Star anis and caramelized palm sugar braised pork, fresh bamboo shoots and crispy shank
Dish: Quail leg confit with pan fried filet, turnips, homemade oyster sauce
The blend of traditional and contemporary was clearly evident in all the meat based dishes.
Our favorite appetizer put a creative twist on kuy teav, the most popular Cambodian breakfast dish. In addition, soaking the braised beef in Angkor stout beer, the most popular beer brand resulted in an amazing dish, tender and full of flavor.
The most impressive meat dish was braised pork. One of things that made it so unique was the use of palm sugar, which is used in Cambodian cuisine. We discovered palm sugar while taking a cooking class at La Table Khmère in Phnom Penh.
Rather than the sweet taste one would expect from sugar, palm sugar gives smokey flavors that enhance the dish. The bamboo shoots were quite tasty and they are commonly found in Khmer cuisine. They are high in protein and said to improve blood circulation.
The scrambled duck egg in pong tia kone style is inspired by the embryo egg popular popular in Khmer food, which is a boiled egg containing a duck embryo. The version at Cuisine Wat Damnak, was more palatable.
Overall, the meat based dishes were delicious and covered a range of flavor dimensions.
French Style Cambodian Desserts
In his culinary journey, chef Joannès worked as a pastry chef in the U.S.for two years. This training and background came through in the fabulous desserts.
There were two dessert options on the menu and we tried them both.
Dessert: Cuisine Wat Damnak black sticky rice crème brulée
Dessert: Dark chocolate holy basil light ganache salted caramel sheet and rice praline The French connection was the most prominent in these revisited French desserts. The traditional crème brulée is made with local sticky rice, a staple of Southeast Asian countries.
The ganache was elegantly presented and resembled a snail. Maybe it was a “clin d’oeil” (a nod) to the popular freshwater snail snack sold in the street of Phnom Penh or the famous French chocolate “Escargot de Lanvin”.
The Final Surprising Treat to End the Night
Cuisine Wat Damnak reserved a special surprise for the end of our copious meal. Chef Joannès served us a plate of fresh fruits cut into pieces with a line of chili and kaffir lime infused salt and sugar mix. We had the chance to taste zapote, rose apple and tree cucumber, all indigenous fruits of Southeast Asia.
This was the perfect finish to a scrumptious meal.
A taste of the local Cambodian fruits
In Summary
Eating the local cuisine and traditional dishes on your travels is a way to have a full appreciation of a destination.
In Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak is an experience not to be missed. The opportunity to taste local ingredients and unusual produce sourced from the area will give you a fuller appreciation of Cambodian cuisine.
If this article made you salivate and you want to make Cambodian cuisine at home, search no more!
Chef Joannès Rivière is also the author of Cambodian Cooking, a book of authentic Cambodian recipes to prepare easily at home.
Have you had an amazing fine dining experience with local flavors on your travels? Please share with us where you had it!
Savor The Adventure!
Practical Information
Book at least two weeks in advance or more depending on the season. Keep in mind that bookings open 90 days in advance.
Pro Tip: If you are too late to book ahead, you may have a chance by walking in later at night (around 8pm-ish) during the weekdays.
Address: Wat Damnak, Market Street, Siem Reap. Check here for directions.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm
Reservation: +855 (0)77 347 762 or by email: [email protected]
Getting There: The best way to get there is to take local transportation, a tuk-tuk. From downtown Siem Reap, the ride should cost no more than $2 to $3.
Tuk-tuks in Cambodia are the local means of transportation
Disclosure: please note that some of the links might be affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you in advance for your support!
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Rosemary is the editor-in-chief and strategist at Authentic Food Quest.
Traveling slow since 2015 with her partner, Claire, she has explored the cuisine in 45 countries and more than 240+ culinary cities.
Her writing about local food specialties has been featured in Lonely Planet, Business Insider, Honest Cooking, Food Insider, and Huffington Post.
As a food and travel writer, Rosemary has co-authored three books, including one in collaboration with Costa Brava Tourism.
Rosemary is an avid runner when she’s not eating and exploring new destinations. She has run ten marathons and counting.
Before Authentic Food Quest, Rosemary held senior-level strategy positions in advertising.
Find out more about Authentic Food Quest
Part of the reason why I love Airbnb is that your hosts often times give you great suggestions of what to do in their city! How awesome. My mouth is just watering after reading this. I’ll make sure to book ahead, thanks! Happy travels 🙂
You are so right Carmen, local hosts are a wealth of information! Cuisine Wat Damnak is absolutely worth it, you’ll have a delectable time. Thanks for stopping by.
I wish I had known about this restaurant when I was in Siem Reap. I can’t believe you can get such an amazing 6-course meal for only $31 USD. It looks absolutely delicious.
That’s a bummer that you missed Cuisine Wat Damnak on your travels to Siem Reap. Now, all the more reason to go back 🙂 Cheers.
I am so glad to have discovered your blog the other day. You got me at “explore local flavors.” This post, like all the others, hurts. So many beautiful dishes and I have to wait until I go there to eat them!
That’s wonderful to hear Peter. Glad to have you join us. Yes, exploring the local flavors does make a trip so much more meaningful. The food is worth a trip to Cambodia 🙂 Cheers.
This restaurant sounds like a dream! The desserts are to die for. I feel like visiting Cambodia again just to try this place.
Thanks so much Barb. Agree, Cuisine Wat Damnak is definitively worth traveling back to Cambodia for 🙂 Cheers.
Cuisine Wat Damnak looks like a nice spot for a romantic dinner and $31 for that many courses is a steal! I still haven’t been to Siem Reap and I’m definitely visiting soon. One of those purple dragon fruit sangrias has my name on it!
It’s not often you can eat at one of the top restaurants in Asia for $31. Quite a steal and an incredible experience. Do remember to book in advance and come back and let us know about your experience. Thanks, Christina.
Rosemary, you ladies have done it again. Making me drool and want to go to Cambodia just for the food! Sangria and tamarind vodka, heck yeah! The shrimp with the peanuts looks quite perfect, too.
Thank you so much Melody for the compliments!! Truly appreciate it. The food in Cambodia is not as well known as compared to its neighbors and it needs to get the attention it deserves 🙂 The meals are exquisite and the setting delightful. Worth flying over for 🙂 Cheers!
Everything looks delicious Rosemary. Especially that desert. And hey; what a nice change up from the roasted tarantulas you see at the bus stop when arriving in Siem Reap 😉 Nice to know Cambodia offers fabulous fare. We loved some veggie haunts in the capital.
Ryan
Always wonderful to get your feedback Ryan 🙂 Yes, Cuisine Wat Damnak was a welcome change from all the bugs and worms…and importantly rooted in the Cambodian flavors and ingredients. A real treat, and they do have a vegetarian menu as well 🙂
Loving the food in the photos. The presentation of them makes it even more catching and wanting to try them. Beer looks lovely as well 🙂
Thanks so much Danik, glad you like the food and article. The whole experience was lovely…including the beer 🙂
wow I’ve never had cambodian food before. Or actually I’ve never even seen cambodian food before. It definitely looks like a bit of a gourmet version of local cuisine. and $31 is not bad! well in us standards that’s not bad haha.
You are right Genie, for one of Asia’s best restaurants, the price is not bad at all. Indeed the food adds a creative flair to local Cambodian cuisine. Well worth the experience 🙂
Wow this is a seriously impressive menu! I will check this place out as I am in Siem Reap for Christmas. The sangria with dargonfruit looks delicious. Nice and refreshing on a hot Cambodian day
So glad that you enjoyed reading the article and the menu. It is quite an experience. Keep in mind that with the holiday season gets to be quite busy. Do book in advance. Recommended time is 90 days in advance 🙂 And yes, that sangria with dragonfruit was quite unusual and tasty 🙂 Thanks, Natasha.
Wow!!! this is something i have to bookmark. Amazing list and thank you for sharing…. Watermelon with dried fish. whoa… yummy:)
You are so welcome. If you do make it to Cambodia, remember to book in advance to experience the creative flair to Cambodian cuisine. Thanks for stopping by.
That sounds like such an interesting experience? Does the chef have a vegetarian or non-shellfish option?
Actually, the chef is very accommodating and can modify the menu based on dietary requirements. The only catch is that you have to book in advance and confirm any menu changes. The chef cooks with local and fresh ingredients so making your needs known in advance is really helpful. Glad you enjoyed the article. Cheers.
Your post is inviting me to visit Cambodia soon. Such a wonderful historical place, the degustacion is certainly a bonus of the trip
Cambodia is a beautiful country that is rich in history. If you’ve never been, it is worth including on your list of countries to visit. Indeed an experience at Cuisine Wat Damnak is a delicious way to round out that experience. Thanks for stopping by.
You are making my mouth water just reading this and looking at those pictures. I loved cambodia but always opted for street food as I was on my 6 month trip when I visited so a bit low on budget. Maybe it’s time to go back and spend some more of my money. Funny I just posted in my photo of the week feature yesterday on my blog about going back to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat at sunrise so here’s another reason to tempt me back. Thanks for sharing
There does seem to be some alignment. I sense a trip back to Cambodia for you 🙂 We also wrote about the street food dishes in Cambodia, but here we had to put a spotlight on this unique creative Cambodian cuisine. Thanks Becky and hope you make it back to Cambodia soon.
Wish I had this guide when I was in Cambodia — I was lost when it came to food!
Lucy x
Ah bummer… to hear that Lucy. Navigating the food scene in Cambodia is not easy! If you plan on going back again, definitively take the guide or share with others who are going. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow looks like you had an amazing meal! Good tip that reservations are required, I will for sure be checking it out when I make it to Cambodia!
When are you going to Cambodia? Don’t forget to check out all the Cambodian food specialties we discovered on the website. For reservations, book as early in advance as you can. Best would be 90-days in advance!! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
I didn’t hear about this place while we were there! Sticky rice creme brulee sounds ridiculously amazing.
The restaurant is a hidden gem and well worth the experience. The food was exceptional and indeed the stick rice creme brulee was a personal favorite. Thanks for stopping by.
No wonder so many people visit Angkor Wat, it looks amazing! That purple dragon fruit sangria sounds absolutely divine! Hopefully one day I can make a trip to Cambodia! =)
The purple dragon fruit sangria was quite unbelievable. The blend of flavors was so unique, which is typical in Cambodian cuisine. Hope you get a chance to visit the beautiful country soon.
Omg this is amazing. Great food can be so difficult to find while traveling in a foreign language country. Thanks so much, I definitely following this website now.
That’s wonderful to hear Renee. Welcome and we look forward to having you subscribe to our community.
At authentic food quest, we aim to make it easier for travelers to find the local specialties on their travels. Feel free to reach out with any questions 🙂 Cheers.
Soooo I’m DROOLING. The food sounds amazing — and the local drinks too! Such great pics 🙂
Thanks so much for your feedback. So glad you enjoyed the article and the food. A truly exceptional experience.
Wow yum!! I’ve never had Cambodian food before, but that looked so delicious. If I ever travel there I’ll have to stop by 🙂
Glad you found the article informative and inspiring enough to make you want to try Cambodian cuisine. While it is not as popular as other Southeast Asian dishes, it does have it’s own unique and tasty flavors. A must!!