Food in Cambodia

Last night, we experienced the range of food experiences in Cambodia.  We started at the top of the Phnom Phen Tower, a gleaming skyscraper near the city center.  We took the elevator up, walked another flight of stairs, and then went outside to walk another flight of stairs up to the roof.  We sat on a sophisticated rooftop deck at a sky top  lounge, with 360 degree views of the city.  While we were there, the sun was setting.  The view and the experience was world class, and we were surrounded by wealthy foreigners and local elites.  

After our amazing rooftop experience, we walked through the night market and tried some of the local street food.  We tried lychees, snake fruit, mangosteen, and fresh pressed pomelo juice.  Then we moved on to the insects:  small crickets, large crickets stir fried with hot peppers, bamboo worms, big black water beetles, and ants.  (And we had a few students who tried every single thing!).  We tried pork crackles and small crispy pieces of fried pork back, then moved on to street barbecued ribs (which were amazing!!).  

Finally, we ended up in a little traditional Khmer restaurant, which served us the local beer, and lots of local dishes to sample.  I'm not sure whether the fried squid, the crispy batter-coated whole frogs, or the stir fry beef with large red ants was the standout, but it was all interesting.  There was a live band playing cover songs, and we sang along and clapped, and the cute band boys--who sported Justin Beiber hair and thoroughly western clothes--clearly loved every minute.  It was a really great time and a very delicious evening.