Restaurant
Cuisine Wat Damnak
Chef Joannes Riviere's dinner-only restaurant in a traditional wooden house, serving regularly changing eight-course tasting menus of seasonal Cambodian produce.
Mahob Khmer Cuisine
A Khmer restaurant in a wooden house and garden, serving traditional Cambodian dishes for lunch and dinner and running cooking classes with its own organic farm.
At a glance
- Type
- Traditional Khmer
- Area
- Slorkram, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- mahobkhmer.com
Good to know
- Garden seating
- Air-conditioned room
- Cooking classes
- Open daily
Why we recommend it
Mahob Khmer Cuisine is a reliable choice for anyone who wants traditional Cambodian food in an attractive setting without going to the expense of a tasting menu. The restaurant is led by Chef Seng Sothea, who comes from Siem Reap. It occupies a wooden house surrounded by a lush garden with a water feature, and there is a choice of indoor and outdoor tables, including an air-conditioned room for the hottest days.
The menu covers the classics of Cambodian cooking. Dishes mentioned by guests on the restaurant's website include fish amok, the steamed curry that is Cambodia's best-known dish, beef lok lak, frog legs, charcoal-grilled aubergine, lemongrass chicken soup and beef with red ants. There is also slow-braised lamb, cooked for 18 hours, and desserts such as pumpkin custard. Fruit smoothies are a good match for the heat, and there are a few vegetarian and dairy-free options.
Mahob suits a wide range of visitors. Families will appreciate the garden and the relaxed atmosphere, couples can make an evening of it, and first-time visitors to Cambodia will find a menu that covers most of the dishes they have heard about. It is also a sensible choice for a group with mixed tastes, as the flavours range from mild to punchy.
The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and for dinner from 5:30pm to 10pm. Booking ahead is wise for dinner in the high season, and the restaurant can be contacted by phone, email, WhatsApp or Telegram. Mahob also runs cooking classes linked to an organic farm three kilometres from the restaurant, where produce is grown without pesticides with support from the organisation Agrisud International, so you can learn to cook some of the dishes you have eaten.
The restaurant is in Traing Village in Slorkram, a short tuk-tuk ride from the town centre. Ask your driver to wait or book a ride back after dinner. If you enjoy the meal, the cooking class is a natural follow-up later in your stay, and the farm visit adds a look at how the vegetables and herbs are grown in the countryside around town.
Mahob Khmer Cuisine FAQs
When is Mahob open?
Seven days a week, for lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner from 5:30pm to 10pm.
What should I order?
Classics such as fish amok, beef lok lak and beef with red ants, as well as the 18-hour braised lamb.
Is there air conditioning?
Yes, one room is air-conditioned, and there are also garden tables.
Are there vegetarian options?
There are a few vegetarian and dairy-free dishes.
Does Mahob offer cooking classes?
Yes, cooking classes are linked to the restaurant's organic farm, three kilometres away.
Do I need to book?
Booking is recommended for dinner, especially in the high season.
Is it suitable for families?
Yes, the garden setting and broad menu suit families.
Where is it?
At #137 Traing Village, Group 3, Slorkram, a short tuk-tuk ride from the centre.