Indochine Kitchen + Bar (Fraser St): Beef Luc Lac

Indochine Kitchen + Bar recently opened up a new location on Fraser St. in South Vancouver. For those of you who haven’t tried their original location on Broadway and Ontario St, Indochine is a modern take on the food that made Phnom Penh famous. Instead of the tired decor and the family atmosphere that you’d see at Phnom Penh, however, Indochine has a sleek and stylized decor that seems to target a younger crowd.

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Indochine Kitchen + Bar: Phnom Penh Alternative

Don’t get me wrong… I love the food at Phnom Penh (that famous Vietnamese/Cambodian restaurant located in Chinatown). But it’s always so busy there that it can take a long time to get a table if you don’t show up early.

Phnom Penh – New Year’s Eve Brunch

What better way to close out the year than enjoy a meal at Phnom Penh?

Gold Train II Express at Market Crossing

Until recently, the dining options around Market Crossing were seriously lacking in the Asian-cuisine department (aside from Genji Japanese Restaurant).  That is until Gold Train II Express moved in next to the tanning salon.

Phnom Penh – Oyster Pancake and Chicken Wings on Everyone’s Birthday

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, people celebrate Yan Yat… “Everyone’s Birthday”.  I suppose in certain cultures, the individual’s birthday was not as important as the New Year’s date so they conventionally added one year to their age on this date.

Angkor Restaurant – The Other Cambodian Restaurant in Vancouver

Everyone in Vancouver knows the famous Cambodian restaurant in Vancouver (hint: Phnom Penh).  Angkor, located in a tiny non-descript strip mall on Victoria and 33rd, isn’t really a fair comparison.  

Phnom Penh – All the Best Stuff

We had tried to visit Phnom Penh back in March but found out that they were closed for renovations.  Usually, “closed for renos” is Chinese restaurant code word for a pest problem so I was surprised that the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority’s food inspection website said that they were pest free when they inspected the place in the middle of March.

Phnom Penh – Dinner Party

The other day, we and some friends decided to have a dinner party at Phnom Penh.  Did you know you can reserve large tables in advance?  It’s a good idea since it always seems busy at this little Chinatown holdout.  While we were dining, we noticed a table next to us that was obviously reserved.  Some Chinese family boldly walked in past the crowds of patiently waiting guests, sat down, and were quickly shoo’d away by the staff when they found out the table didn’t belong to them.

Phnom Penh

We don’t make it down to Chinatown very much anymore and it’s probably been a few years since we’ve been to Phnom Penh.  It’s a little sad to see so many of the old shops and restaurants closed down in Chinatown now but I guess that’s partly to do with so many Chinese moving out of the area and the shops in Chinatown failing to adapt to the changing demographics.