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Cambodian cuisine surprised us on our quest to explore the authentic food in the Kingdom of 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.
Cuisine Wat Damnak, in Siem Reap was also the first Cambodian restaurant to be listed in the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
If you are looking for a fine dining restaurant in Siem Reap, here’s our review of what to expect at Cuisine Wat Damnak.
Cuisine Wat Damnak: Fine Dining in Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the destination of choice for many visitors to Cambodia. The biggest draw is Angkor Wat, A UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest religious monument in the world.
In the food scene, Cuisine Wat Damnak is recognized as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. This is a Michelin Guide distinction given to great cuisine that is accessible and a good value for the money.
Cuisine Wat Damnak 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.
Wat Damnak is a Buddhist temple that is worth a detour. Feel free to visit the quiet pagoda and check out the Center of Khmer Studies.
Now, let’s explore the local flavors at Cuisine Wat Damnak.
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: Visiting Angkor Wat is an experience of a lifetime. If your travels take you to Siem Reap, we recommend taking a small group tour for a personalized experience. Spend the day exploring the temples with an English speaking local guide.
The Menu at Siem Reap Restaurant Cuisine Wat Damnak
Cuisine Wat Damnak does not have an a la carte menu where you can choose what you want to eat.
Instead, you’ll be presented with two different tasting menus. Both menus offer at least eight different bites of traditional Cambodian flavors.
These two tasting menus change every season. Cuisine Wat Damnak’s ingredients are all locally sourced, and the dishes are presented in creative ways.
Cuisine Wat Damnak Price
At the time of writing, the tasting menu is priced at $45, and the vegetarian tasting menu is priced at $38 per person.
Cuisine Wat Damnak Reservation
Advanced bookings are highly recommended, Book at least two weeks in advance or more, depending on the season. Keep in mind that bookings open 90 days in advance.
If you are unable to book ahead, you may have a chance by walking in later at night. Try going after 8:00 pm during the weekdays.
Address: Wat Damnak, Market Street, Siem Reap.
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Closed Monday
Reservation: Make a reservation via email at: [email protected]
Getting There: The best way to get there is to take the local transportation, a tuk-tuk. From downtown Siem Reap, the ride should cost no more than $2 to $4.
RELATED: Top 7 Cooking Classes in Siem Reap To Master Khmer Cuisine
Cuisine Wat Damnak Review: Our Experience
Eating at Cuisine Wat Damnak was a highlight of our culinary explorations in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The opportunity to try a wide variety of Cambodian local ingredients executed in a modern way is an experience worth making time for.
If you are curious about eating at this celebrated Siem Reap restaurant, here’s a peek into what you can expect.
Restaurant And Dress Code
The dining room of Cuisine Wat Damnak is cozy and dimly lit. Dark wood furniture makes for an intimate environment with tasteful modern Cambodian decor.
The dress code is smart casual and appropriate for a restaurant of this caliber.
Don’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, ginger-infused brandy, Tamarind infused vodka 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 other regional Southeast Asian beers.
The wine list has a nice international selection from France, Italy, Australia, South Africa and more.
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 that are prevalent in Cambodian cuisine.
On the menu that evening were locally sourced meat and seafood dishes. Following are highlights of what you can expect at Cuisine Wat Damnak.
RELATED: Fascinating Cambodian Cuisine: 12 Unique Dishes to Feast On
Locally Sourced Cambodian Seafood
In Cambodia, fish and seafood are the most popular source of protein. On our tasting menu
seafood and fish dishes were found throughout.
We savored specialties like Mekong langoustine, Tonle Sap fish, and Chhlang fish, all coming from nearby freshwater lakes and rivers.
Without any reservation, the Mekong langoustine was our favorite. The fresh seafood, sweet Siem Reap sausages, and crispy green papaya pickles were a phenomenal explosion of flavors.
Cooked to perfection, this Cambodian culinary masterpiece was divine.
Another delectable fish dish we savored was Tonle Sap fish curry with rice paddy herbs. It was our first time eating rice paddy herbs, and we loved the lemon and citrusy flavors it added to the fish.
The combination of flavors was interesting, and the textures were unusual. Delicious yet subtle, this was an enjoyable sensorial experience.
On the whole, all the fish and seafood dishes were quite tasty. The combinations are unusual, and the flavors are quite distinctive.
Locally Sourced Cambodian Meats
While fish is much more common than meat in Khmer cuisine, Cuisine Wat Damnak does include meat on the tasting menu.
A blend of traditional and contemporary techniques is clearly evident in the meat-based dishes.
Our favorite appetizer put a creative twist on kuy teav, the most popular Cambodian breakfast dish.
A puffed version of the dish was served with braised beef soaked in Angkor stout beer, the most resulting in an amazing dish, tender and full of flavor.
One delicious and unusual meat dish we savored was braised pork with caramelized palm sugar and bamboo shoots.
Rather than the sweet taste one would expect from sugar, palm sugar gives smokey flavors that enhanced the dish.
The bamboo shoots were quite tasty, and they are commonly found in Khmer cuisine. They are high in protein and are said to improve blood circulation.
A scrambled duck egg in “‘pong tia kone style” was a creative interpretation of a popular Khmer food.
It is typically a boiled egg containing a duck embryo, and the version at Cuisine Wat Damnak was well executed.
French Style Cambodian Desserts
Chef Joannès Rivière’s French background was most prominent in the desserts on the tasting menu.
We tried two different delectable desserts. One was a fantastic traditional crème brulée made with local sticky rice, a staple in Southeast Asia.
While the other was a luscious chocolate grenache dessert shaped to resemble a snail.
It may have been a nod to a popular Phnom Penh freshwater snail snack or the famous French chocolates “Escargot de Lanvin.”
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: Make your culinary travels worry-free! With the right travel insurance, you’ll enjoy a delicious experience. From medical emergencies, flight cancelations, car rental protection, or tour cancelations, a good travel insurance has got you covered. Check out our travel insurance review for food lovers to get started.
Cuisine Wat Damnak: Is It Worth It For a Fine Dining Restaurant in Siem Reap?
Diving into the rich history of Cambodian food with Chef Joannès Rivière provides a richer understanding of the country’s simple and yet complex cuisine.
The tasting menus cover a range of traditional Cambodian flavors, from vegetarian options to local fish and meats dishes.
Cuisine Wat Damnak offers a unique experience while delivering authentic Cambodian flavors with creative French culinary techniques.
We loved the laid-back atmosphere, creative menu, and opportunity to deepen our knowledge of the local flavors in Cambodia.
We also later had the opportunity to interview Chef Rivière and learn more about his background and Cambodian food. This level of accessibility is also something we appreciated.
The food at Cuisine Wat Damnak is excellent, and it is deserving of its ranking as one of the best restaurants in Asia.
About Chef Joannes Riviere
Curious about the background of French chef Joannès Rivière, we asked what attracted him to Cambodia.
His father and his brother lived in Cambodia in the early 1970s, and as he told us, “he grew up hearing about Cambodia.”
The conversations, he told us “we about the people, culture and the war, and those topics fascinated him growing up.”
He later found a volunteer opportunity and jumped at the opportunity to move to Cambodia.
When it comes to Cambodian food, what he finds most fascinating is “its complexity within its simplicity.”
The country is still “very rural”, he elaborated, with access to amazing local vegetables, herbs, fruits, fish and seafood.”
Even though the cuisine is very rustic, it’s the complexity of ingredients and combinations that’s fascinating.
One of the best compliments he received from a local Cambodian dinner guest was the food at Cusine Wat Damnak “tastes like Cambodian food but does not look like.”
This describes his modern and creative twist on traditional Cambodian cuisine.
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: Chef Joannès Rivière is also the author of Cambodian Cooking, a book of authentic Cambodian recipes. Try some of the easy-to-follow Cambodian recipes at home.
Cuisine Wat Damnak in Phnom Penh
Cuisine Wat Damnak Phnom Penh opened in 2021 during the pandemic. Due to border closures, travel to Siem Reap, a tourist destination ceased.
Seeking a local clientele, Cuisine Wat Damnak opened a Phnom Penh location. The philosophy is still the same, which is based on using local Cambodian ingredients prepared in creative ways.
RELATED: Cooking Class in Phnom Penh: Top 3 for Authentic Khmer Cuisine
Cuisine Wat Damnak Phnom Penh Menu and Price
Cuisine Wat Damnak Phnom Penh is open for lunch with an a la carte menu.
You’ll find specialties like fish from the Tonle Sap Lake, langoustine from the Mekong River, vegetarian dishes, and desserts.
The prices are reasonable and range from $5 to $14 per dish.
Two tasting menus are available for dinner. These menus change seasonally, and there is one priced at $45, and a plant-based tasting menu at $38.
Just like the Siem Reap Cambodia location, Cuisine Wat Damnak Phnom Penh is often full.
Be sure to book a table in advance.
Address: 29 Samdech Mongkol Iem St. (228), Phnom Penh
Hours: Open Mon-Sat, 11:30 am – 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Have you heard of Cuisine Wat Damnak in Cambodia before? Is it a restaurant experience you would like to have? Please let us know in the comments below.
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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!!