Fish Amok at a Khmer Kitchen Restaurant, Pub Street Area
Fish amok — a cloud-light steamed fish mousse laced with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and coconut cream, served in a banana-leaf cup — is Cambodia's most celebrated dish, and Siem Reap's cluster of Khmer Kitchen-style restaurants around Pub Street and the Old Market (Phsar Chas) is the most accessible place to eat it done properly. Order it alongside lok lak (wok-tossed beef with a lime-peppe
What Makes Khmer Cuisine Distinct
Khmer cooking sits between Thai and Vietnamese in the Southeast Asian flavour spectrum — less fiery than Thai, more herb-forward than Vietnamese — relying on a paste called kroeung, built from lemongrass, turmeric, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, as the aromatic backbone of most dishes.
Fish amok is the dish that best showcases this subtlety: the mousse is steamed until just set, silky and barely firm, with coconut cream softening the herbal punch into something almost custard-like — a texture and flavour combination that surprises most first-time visitors.
Lok lak, the other Siem Reap staple worth ordering, pairs wok-tossed cubes of beef or chicken with a sharp lime-and-black-pepper sauce and a fried egg on rice — simple, satisfying and deeply Khmer in spirit.
Where to Eat Near the Old Market
The Old Market neighbourhood (Phsar Chas), located between Pub Street and the Siem Reap River, is the most convenient dining hub, with Khmer Kitchen Restaurant and nearby spots like Amok Restaurant offering reliable, well-priced versions of the classics in open-fronted dining rooms that spill onto the street.
Pub Street itself has recently undergone infrastructure upgrades and remains the social spine of tourist Siem Reap — lively from late afternoon, with happy-hour beers from USD 0.75 and cocktails from USD 2, making it an easy place to extend dinner into an evening.
For a deeper culinary experience, several operators run morning cooking classes that begin with a guided tour of Phsar Leu Thom Thmey market before returning to a kitchen to make fish amok and chicken soup with a local family — one of the most memorable half-days you can spend in Siem Reap.
Practical Tips for Eating Well
Arrive for dinner between 6 PM and 7:30 PM to beat the post-temple rush; most kitchens in the Old Market area stay open until 10 PM or later, and the street ambiance is at its most electric after dark when the market stalls light up.
Always check that fish amok is steamed, not fried — some tourist-facing kitchens take shortcuts with a stir-fried version that loses the dish's defining silky texture entirely.
The Old Market's inner food court serves the same dishes at even lower prices, surrounded by locals rather than tourists — a great option for lunch after a morning at the temples.
Fish Amok at a Khmer Kitchen Restaurant, Pub Street Area on video
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