Siem Reap

As a former downtown resident and lover of the multitude of Thai and Cambodian options there, I was slightly concerned when moving to the west end that I would no longer have a go-to place when I was looking for something other than a pizza or burger. This week, I discovered that not only is there an option - there happens to be a darn good one... which will be really nice for my tastebuds, but perhaps not as good for my wallet!

While I couldn't find a website for Siem Reap online, I was able to find a number of websites with reviews of the restaurant that is owned and operated by a local family.  None of the reviews were surprising based on our experience - people have been happy with their visits - when dining in or taking out - and look forward to opportunities to return.  Siem Reap is named after a city in Cambodia, and, not surprisingly, the restaurant is decorated in warm tones of red with dark accents and beautiful pieces of art showing off its heritage. There is nothing fancy about the space... It is not a very large restaurant - and a small section of the space is occupied by a dish and take-out counter with a cash register... but the size of the restaurant does not take away from its ability to produce good product - it just means that you may need to be patient if you arrive to find a full house.  And my opinion on that?  If you do see a crowd, it is well worth the wait for a spot - or, just order and take your food home.  It's all fresh and delicious.  If you do luck out and get a table, then I'm sure you'll do as we did and stay comfortably for a while (if you need a topic that will make you laugh as boisterously as we did, then check out the movie "Pitch Perfect".  Seriously.)

This week, we were joined again by Tonia's mom, Shirley, as well as by our friend Jon (who, with quick wit and a ton of personality was definitely a nice addition to our outing).  While the restaurant was quite busy upon arrival, we were able to find a table for six at the back of the restaurant. In no time at all, we were greeted by a very friendly and courteous young waitress and presented with menus and drink options.  The restaurant is not licensed, so we were limited to pop and/or water for the evening, but that certainly wasn't the end of the world.  The menu is well priced, easy to read and has a nice variety without being too much to choose from - simpler items for those less adventurous, and more flavourful or spicy items, too. Something I quite enjoyed - the option of fresh salad rolls with pork instead of shrimp.  I think that I have yet to see this anywhere else in the city, and while I certainly love spring rolls, it was a nice change.


And with that, I might as well get to our orders!  Siem Reap is another restaurant where ordering is probably most easily done using numbers, but I will include the names for you as well.  Most dishes are served with your choice of rice or rice noodles.


Carrie: Of course, I ordered the salad rolls with pork to start, and #3 - Tomato Pineapple Beef: tender slices of beef, fresh tomato, pineapple and onion sautéed in a roasted garlic and oyster sauce.  


Tonia - spring rolls to start, and #19 - Yellow Curry Delight: tender pieces of chicken, carrots, green beans and onions simmered in a rich yellow curry and coconut sauce.

Shirley - spring rolls to start (oh man, do we love our spring rolls and appetizers!!), and #16 - broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers and onions stir fried together with rice noodles in an oyster sauce. This dish is served with chicken or beef, Shirley chose beef.

Jon - #6 - Golden Chicken: chicken, bell peppers, and green beans simmered in a hot and sour spice with peanuts and lemon grass.


Todd - vegetarian spring rolls to start, and #7 - Cambodian Curry: sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans and tender pieces of chicken breast simmered in a rich and creamy Cambodian spice and coconut milk.

Samer - shrimp salad rolls to start, and #17 - Chicken and Vegetables: tender pieces of chicken, fresh bell peppers, onions and cashews stir fried in an oyster sauce.

Despite our picky nature when it comes to spring rolls, most of us were pretty happy - although Todd mentioned that the vegetarian rolls were a little bland.  The nicest thing about them was perhaps that it was obvious that they weren't mass produced and frozen before being cooked and served to us. The salad rolls were fresh and tasty - both Samer and I were impressed, and again - I really enjoyed having this as an option for a change.  If you haven't ever had a salad roll before, you should - they are a nice, light option.  Filled with cucumber, carrots, noodles and either pork or shrimp, salad rolls are wrapped in rice paper and are served cold.  Delicious, and they kind of make you feel better about having an appetizer since it isn't deep fried.  You'll probably notice that each main course item says something about the meat being "tender"... and this certainly isn't a lie.  On top of that, the plates were colourful and flavourful. I'm not sure there is a whole lot more to ask for. 

So... our FORK RATINGS? Here's the run-down:

Carrie: 5 forks!  No surprise... salad rolls were de-lish, and my main dish had flavourful beef and sauce.  The pineapple was nice and sweet, adding extra flavour; and the onions neutralized the sweetness and pulled it all together. Yum.

Tonia: 4 forks.  Tonia specifically mentioned being happy because she felt satisfied after the spring rolls... and this wasn't the case at our last Cambodian/Thai stop.  While Tonia's main dish was VERY flavourful, the disappointment came with the amount of ingredients in the sauce - there were only 4 small pieces of chicken and the plate didn't seem very full outside of the rice.

Shirley: 4 forks.  A woman of few words, Shirley stated that her meal was "very tasty". Well said, Shirley.

Jon: 3.5 forks. While collecting ratings from my friends, Jon was perhaps the least verbose I have ever known him to be. (Good timing, Jon!).  His comments?  "It was good. Nothing more to say.  It was good."

Todd: 4 forks. While the rolls were "lacklustre", Todd really enjoyed the sweet and spicy flavouring, and he stated that he felt very healthy eating it.  He was also very happy with the portion size of the meal.

Samer: 4 forks. Samer mentioned that the sauce on the meat was a little too sweet for his liking, but that the meal overall was very good.  Also, the salad rolls with shrimp were "amazing".

Overall rating: 4 forks!

Long story short, whether you live in the west end or not, (maybe you are out at the mall or running some errands?), Siem Reap is definitely worth a stop.  I can only imagine that the restaurant is typically very busy with people dining in and taking food out as it was during our visit... and I hope that as long as I remain a resident of the west end, Siem Reap remains as well.

For our next stop, we are breaking our "no chains" rule and heading out to The Keg!  Jon tried very hard to get us to choose the $5 lunch option at Leonard Hall at Queen's University... but sadly, we all work for a living (including Jon!).  Maybe some other time, Jon... in the mean time, we will continue with our night time tradition with a slight change to the norm.  C'mon... don't be too hard on us - if you've ever been to The Keg, you know it is well worth it.  

Before signing off, I'd like to mention Movember... A number of my friends (thankfully, all male), have been taking part in this very notable cause, and Jon was kind enough to let me take a picture of his nothing-short-of-phenomenal 'stache.  While Jon doesn't have a website, a lot of men do - and if you are willing and able, please take the time to donate.  If you are looking for a place to direct your cash, my good friend, Grant, grows his sub-nasal hair-do in honour of his late father, who I hear was a pretty cool guy.  Click here to support Grant and the fundraising effort:

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/84747

Nice one, Jon.  Nice one.