Delicious food
Posted on 04 / 20 / 2013Fantastic food, we've been twice and loved the food both times.
Pros: Food, Service
Vegan-friendly, Cambodian, Khmer, Beer/Wine
Reviews
First Review by tumbleweedy
A nice evening meal
Posted on 02 / 06 / 2013Visited July 2012. Pleasant little place with friendly staff. We ordered from their specials menu as we were on a budget and enjoyed the food and drink, would go here again if we return.
It feels quite pricey considering where you are, but it does feel like a little gourmet restaurant which is nice if you're backpacking Asia getting used to hawkers!
Pros: Lovely staff, good ambience
So delicious
Posted on 01 / 28 / 2013Had dinner at Chamkar last night, and it was amazing. We tried the 'wedding day dip', and the 'rediscovering tofu' and also a veggie curry that I can't remember the name of but it was the last one of the dish and had cherry tomatoes in it. The menu is mostly based around khmer food, and just about everything is vegan. Everything was absolutely delicious and thoughtfully put together! Don't miss the tofu - best dish i've had since arriving in Cambodia by far!
Pros: Amazing and interesting food, friendly staff, nice atmosphereCons: a little on the expensive side -worth it
delicious Khmer cuisine
Posted on 11 / 17 / 2012Chamkar is located on a lovely pedestrian alley in the Old Market. The decor is nice, clean and simple. English is spoken as well as on the menu. It's almost entirely vegan except for a couple of items. All the food was delicious, fresh and very flavorful. We were so pleased the first night that we came back the second night.
Over the course of the two nights, we ordered the wedding day dip, Cambodian mango salad, monsoon salad, pumpkin curry, green curry, rediscovering tofu (stuffed and deep fried), mad eggplant lover, and banana and tapioca dessert with coconut milk. To drink, we got mango juice, tamarind juice, iced coffee and beer. Everything was excellent, especially the dip, tofu and eggplant. Also, the curries were served with brown rice instead of white rice which was greatly appreciated by us.
If you are ever in Siem Reap, you must go here. I love having vegan versions of traditional local dishes.
Pros: delicious and fresh, vegan Khmer, EnglishJewel of Siem Reap
Posted on 09 / 14 / 2012Where to begin. French owner, Cambodian staff, with acceptable service (for the first time while here). Best place in Cambodia. Wedding dip, 'tofu revisited', some dish that starts with an 's' and is a Cham specialty were all great items. Restaurant setting is very nice. Beautiful single table on balcony on romantic street (Pub Alley).
Pros: great location, some dishes are exceptionalCons: A/C doesn't work, very hot in restaurant
Simple restaurant, Great food
Posted on 05 / 19 / 2012Easy to find, small & simple restaurant. May dine on the 1st floor if privacy required. Budget travelers may go for the-US$4.00-daily special. Very healthy dishes as most includes local herbs & medicinal leaves. Try their spring roll, come with an awesome peanut sauce!
Pros: Location, Price, Staff
Not To Be Missed in Siem Reap
Posted on 03 / 13 / 2012I had never heard of this place until I was walking by one evening checking out the dozens of menus along this lane. So glad I chose to eat here. Was probably the best meal I had in Cambodia. Had the stuffed tofu and it was absolutely devine. Cannot recommend it enough. Wish I had more time in Siem Reap just to try everything on the menu because it all sounds amazing; an impressive blend of traditional Khmer and modern cuisine. Service is impeccable. Prices reasonable. This area is busy and noisy but my guess is if you're hanging out in Siem Reap you can probably handle that.
Pros: mouth-watering menu, great serviceReal Khmer Food in Vegetarian Form!
Posted on 03 / 05 / 2012This is a great place to eat traditional Khmer/Cambodian food but without the meat or fish sauce. They have a really good amok--it tastes like there's pumpkin and/or yam inside the leaf. Prices are high for Cambodian stands (around $10 for an appetizer, main course and drink) but worth it. Note that it's actually on Pub Street Alley--keep your eyes open as it's easy to walk past (I did that twice before I finally found it!) as there are a lot of restaurants close together along the walkway.
Pros: good food, Khmer vegetarian, nice ambianceCons: a bit expensive for Cambodia, can be a bit hard to find
Good fly-by
Posted on 02 / 09 / 2012We ate here a number of times during our stay in Seam Reap.
The food was very nice and the prices were average for the area. The staff were OK in that they didn't really smile much, but delivered the food as part of their job. They are located on a bit of a tourist rat run, so it's hardly surprising really.
There are not really enough seats to go around. We were asked to come back in 45 mins once and was pleased that they held us to it. Lots of people don't get a seat when they first want it, and instead have to wait. But once inside, the ambiance is nice if you can ignore the multitude of passing tourists.
We ate a main for around 12,000Riel (US$3/4). There was a number of vegan option to pick from and we soon learned that the best value for money was the daily special, which also happened to be the largest portion too. Bargain!
This is the only veggie restaurant around in the very centre, but I would advise looking further afield.
Cons: pretty noisy on the street
Truly Special
Posted on 12 / 13 / 2011This is a lovely little gourmet restaurant without pretense. It's located in the passage or alley as most like to call it surrounded by lots of other restaurants. In the evenings a lot of folks walking by are great entertainment. There is also an upstairs dining area if you want a quieter space. We ate here several times and never tired of it. Cambodian food is not as rich as Thai can be, simple but interesting and flavorful, we were especially fond of the pumpkin dishes.
Veg haven
Posted on 12 / 05 / 2011Excellent restaurant that offers a vegetarian or vegan taste of Cambodia cuisine.
Street runs parallel (closer to the river) to Pub St. Worth seeking out.
Yum!
Posted on 11 / 20 / 2011Delicious food that lived up to the other rave reviews! We ate outside (street-level) - loved the vibe, and really appreciated the cold towels (it was hot!).
Amazing place.
Posted on 08 / 01 / 2011I went here in Feb 2011. It was by far the best meal I had in Asia, and possibly my life. I had the wedding day dip (mushroooms) and the tofu stuffed with pumpkin. I did not eat all the dip and was able to take my leftovers to spread on bread the next day for my bus ride.
I wish I was there longer so could have gone back for another meal. Please go, You will not regret it.
Pros: Best food ever!Cons: Nothing
Amazing Flavors, Good Portions for the price.
Posted on 02 / 12 / 2011Of all the Vegan-friendly Khmer Cuisine I tried in Cambodia, this was one of the few memorable. Starting with the impossible to overlook appetizers, the creativity of the overall menu grabbed our attention and left us with a bit of option paralysis. Both the presentation and portions of each item was noteworthy as well. 4 guests, veg and non-veg, were all blown away by everything, especially the mushrooms and Amok dishes.
Pros: Variety, Atmosphere, Location
Chamkar is exquisite!
Posted on 01 / 29 / 2011How often does a meal at a new restaurant fill your head with thoughts of moving to a new country just to eat there more often? For me, Chamkar was that good. They have managed to strike a winning formula with creative gourmet renditions of traditional Khmer (Cambodian) cuisine. It seems that most of the menu is vegan as-is, and one item with cheese had a note advising vegans that they can order it without the cheese. Chamkar uses no egg or MSG.
Especially recommended:
- Truly Rooty: Tasty cassava fritters with scrumptious dipping sauce.
- Biting Amok: Savory veggie goodness wrapped in amok leaves (a national dish) in a coconut milk curry sauce. Unique and delicious.
- Wedding day dip: A delectable mushroom-coconut sauce served with baguette for dipping.
On both of our visits, we had warm, good service that made the experience doubly sweet. At peak times it can slow down a bit, but you can walk back to the kitchen if you need attention.
Enjoy!
Pros: Creative and delicious Cambodian cuisine, Mostly vegan, Delightful servers
very nice
Posted on 01 / 22 / 2011may they have changed there waitress or we had more luck than other ones :-)
The service was fast and friendly, we had the small desk on the balcony (first floor) very nice view over the bar street.
I had a salad and the Amok with rice (typical Cambodian food), I don't remember what my wife had, but it was also very good.
I recommend this restaurant with 100% satisfaction
Good to see it is still going!
Posted on 01 / 15 / 2011This is a long overdue review, so I have to apologise. Nov 2009(!) but it remains as one of our happier finds in SE Asia from our Honeymoon. The staff were all very friendly, it is very centrally located and above all the food was excellent and served in huge portions. The wait is to be expected at busy times but you may wish to try the cookery lessons (assuming that they are still running them) and this may give you some appreciation of how they prepare such lovely dishes.
Pros: Excellent food, Friendly staff
Very Delicious Amok
Posted on 01 / 11 / 2011This restaurant is a gem on the Pub Street. I had spring rolls, fresh mango juice and Amok. I loved the Amok, it was very delicious. The service was brilliant and the potions were huge. As I was on my own, they packed the left over and I gave it to the lady with little baby, who was pleased.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone
Consistenly Delicious
Posted on 09 / 04 / 2010I'm in Siem Reap for a month and I eat here a lot!
Most of the dishes are vegan and all can be made vegan. The staff are really friendly and lovely as well. I took my partner, and my mother and many friends here (none of whom are even veggie) and they said it was some of the best food they'd tried!
I've tried and loved:
- Fresh spring rolls - the absolute best I've had. Not just carrot and lettuce - they have substance and a delicious coconut dipping sauce
- A delicious eggplant coconut dip with baguette and vegetable strips - very filling and yummy.
- Amok curry - really great and well flavoured.
- Green mango salad - great vegan version of a very popular dish - love it. Safe place to have salads which is so refreshing
- Monsoon salad - vermicelli, salad, veggies, coconut/peanut sauce. Amazing.
- Tofu stuffed with pumpkin and spices. I loved it - it's a very unique dish with some strong flavours.
So basically, it's a great place. Reasonably priced cosidering the quality of the food.
Highly recommended - don't miss it!
Updated from previous review on Monday August 16, 2010
Elegant, super fresh vegan food
Posted on 02 / 05 / 2010My friend and I ate here twice while in Siem Reap, and really enjoyed it. The restaurant is tranquil and the food made fresh to order (which means it sometimes takes a little longer to arrive).
Yes, the food is a bit more expensive than normal for Cambodia, but I definitely think it was worth it.
I can't remember the names of the dishes, but I highly recommend a pumpkin curry and the palm sugar/coconut milk dessert. I'm still dreaming about the latter!
Pros: Fresh, ElegantCons: A bit expensive
Khmer food
Posted on 01 / 08 / 2010This place was really good, and it was very nice to be able to eat Khmer food without stressing. It was a bit on the expensive side though. I would have liked to go a few more times but didn't manage the time.
Pros: Safely try out Khmer food, Good atmosphereCons: Pricey
not spectacular
Posted on 01 / 06 / 2010went there for dinner in february 2009. ambience is nice, service was good but food was a bit disappointing. our expectation was not met.
wanted to like it, didn't hate it
Posted on 11 / 05 / 2009I also REALLY wanted to like this place but was underwhelmed again and again. The dishes are titled creatively, but the "Resdiscovering Tofu" one should've been called "Munching on a Fistful of Raw Cardamom." once I picked the mound of them out it was fairly tasty, but not exactly a rediscovery.
the papaya soup was tasty... sort of. the "Truly Rooty" was edible but I just wasn't feeling it. their curries just didn't stand out for me.
there's other items I didn't try and I'm still going to give it one last shot but I'm not too hopeful. could've just been off days...!
Pros: cute, nice location, creativeCons: not fantastic, a bit pricey
A real gem
Posted on 09 / 21 / 2009An elegant little restaurant with delicately flavoured khmer cuisine, the best food we had in Cambodia.
Pros: Innovative local food, Well priced, Central locationCons: next door to a Cambodian BBQ restaurant
fresh food
Posted on 04 / 10 / 2009I was there in February 2009. The clear soup with morning glory is excellent. BBQ dish is recommended.
You have to be patient here, they prepare food individually, dish by dish.
Absolutely delicious food & great service
Posted on 02 / 16 / 2009The food at this resturant was fantastic and it was great to be able to try local dishes with a vege twist. I agree the skewers were a little disappointing but the vege curries and cold rolls were divine. Definitely recommended. The prices are good by western standards but higher than elsewhere in Cambodia (but most things in Siem Reap are a bit pricier). If you're looking to get away from the main tourist road, try and grab the solo table on the upstairs balcony - definitely the premium seat in the house.
Pros: Excellent food, Reasonable pricesCons: Located on a main tourist alley
Disappointing....
Posted on 01 / 27 / 2009We SO wanted to love this place. After reading all the splendid reviews, we were extremely excited for our dinner at Chamkar. Perhaps the staff simply had an off night, but we were exceptionally disappointed and underwhelmed by the food. The dishes were certainly ambitious enough, but none of the three dishes we had was better than average. We started with a coconut-milk and mushroom dip that came with baguette. The flavour was OK, but it was exceptionally heavy and the coconut milk overwhelmed everything. Next came two mains. An eggplant curry style dish was good, if nothing special, but their signature dish, skewers of roasted vegetables, was almost inedible. The flavours were chalky as if the marinade had been poorly made. I should add that our experience here was hardly helped by the fact that our waitress was one of the worst we have ever had. Again, she may have been having an off day, but we arrived and the place was empty, and our waitress (unfortunately) joined us in the dining room and proceeded to mope around, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there through our entire dinner. She was entirely miserable. Again, perhaps she had a personal crisis, but did it need to be on display? It took 45 minutes for the starters to arrive, in an empty restaurant, and the skewers came tepid, at best. This is hardly the worst restaurant we've ever been too, but for the price relative to other Cambodia offerings, and the great reviews, it was a huge disappointment. We ate much better food at the Khmer Kitchen, a non-vegan place that offered a few vegan dishes, just a few doors down. I hope others have better luck than we did at Chamkar.
Cons: sulking waitress, heavy starters
excellent food quality and service
Posted on 12 / 20 / 2008I loved this place so much I dined there three times (each night of my stay). Intimate two-level place with very nice decor & table settings (including fabric napkins/serviettes). The food is simply delicious & portions are more than adequate: for example, mushroom & coconut dip with fresh baguette and raw chili on the side (entree); eggplant green curry with wild rice (main course); fresh watermelon or tamarind (yum), etc, juice (beverage). All for under 12 US dollars. The table service was friendly and prompt; interesting menu design. They had no problem with me being a single diner. Highly recommended. Only annoying thing is that people were smoking at the tables outside so I had to sit indoors, but that seems standard practice in Cambodia!
Spectacular!
Posted on 11 / 30 / 2008This is, without a doubt, the best vegetarian restaurant in Cambodia, and is an absolute must-visit for any veggie passing through Siem Reap.
At around $4-$6 for a main, there are plenty of cheaper options in town, but the food is astounding, and worth every cent. The dishes all appear to be unique creations and, of the six that we tried (three entrees, three mains), all were delicious. In particular, the wedding dip (?) and vegetable skewers are highly recommended.
The only minor disappointment for me was the desserts. We tried two, and both were heavy going and starchy. Though nicely flavoured and beautifully presented, they were much too heavy to follow a meal.
Desserts notwithstanding, Chamkar will be my first port of call as soon as I'm back in town. Can't wait!
Pros: Superb food, Unique dishes, Relaxed ambienceCons: Comparatively pricey, Sickly desserts
Fine Dining Vegetarian in Siem Reap
Posted on 09 / 13 / 2008The gods have obviously taken pity on us and delivered this gem to our back door. Chamkar is run by a French chef (!!!) and his Khmer counterpart, the former of whom is a recent emigre from the French Alps and the later a former employee of the wonderful Meric restaurant at Hotel De La Paix (Siem Reap). The menu and the facility itself are both understated, but the things Chamkar does with local ingredients and traditional flavours will astound you, and place this restaurant well and truly amongst the top three in town (overall, not just vegetarian). Ingredients are organic when possible as are some of the wines. A takeaway service is available for those not enticed by their hotel's menus. Extremely reasonably priced for the standard: a generous three courses with drinks will cost about $US30. We cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. It is a mandatory dining point for all visitors, not just vegetarians, and proves that vegetarian food can be as fine as any other cuisine. 5+ happy cows / 5.
Pros: Fine French-Khmer Dining, Fresh,organic (when possible)ingredient, Incredible value for moneyExcellent
Posted on 08 / 17 / 2008The perfect veggie restaurant. New and exciting dishes (the rice balls for desert are amazing!). Very posh surroundings, food is very well presented and tastes amazing.
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