We built this family run restaurant from the ground up with a conscious for doing greater good in the community and pride for the food and culture. We are just thrilled that we can continue our legacy and share our passion for food with you. Executive Chef/Owner Sam Ung of the Phnom Penh Noodle House
Shortly after I got back from my pilgrimage walk in Spain at the end of July 2012, I decided it was time for me to travel again. So I consulted my list of places I want to travel, and after careful consideration, I chose Cambodia. Land of the Temples of Angkor, including Angkor Wat, one of the world’s largest single religious monuments, and a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians today. Cambodia, land of mostly Buddhism. Cambodia, land of some horrific atrocities.
So the planning began. I researched the places I wanted to visit in Cambodia. Made drafts of an itinerary. Consulted with a travel guide, and finalized the details. Flight reservations made, and I was ready to go. Well, the packing just happened. My trip was to be in January. I leave in a few days.
What I really like to do before I travel to a country is to do more than just research the places I want to visit. I want to learn more about the country in depth, to gain a better understanding of the people, culture, religion, history, even food. I like to do things like read books, watch movies, and even eat their food before I go.
I researched on the internet about any Cambodian restaurants in the Seattle area and found Phnom Penh Noodle House, in the International District. I took a glance at their menu online, but with so many choices that I was unfamiliar with, I decided to wait till I was there to ask for suggestions of the quintessential items I should eat.
The dish pictured above is A-mok Trei, white fish steamed in a red coconut curry, infused with lemon grass over collard greens, served with a side of white rice and lemon-garlic red bell pepper fish sauce. Very tasty. And below is the Mee Katang, chicken sautéed with Chinese broccoli, Shitake mushrooms, and carrots, and sautéed with scrambled eggs. Very tasty, too.
According to Phnom Penh Noodle House, Cambodian food is closely related to the neighboring countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. “Noodles, jasmine rice, curries, salty fish, and soups are staples of the Khmer diet.”
The most poignant part about eating at this restaurant is that the executive chef/owner, Sam Ung, is a survivor of the atrocities of Khmer Rouge genocide against the Cambodian people that took place in the 1970’s. “My wife and I didn’t have more than the clothes on our back, but we were determined. We had a dream, a gift and a talent that we wanted to share. We learned as much English as we could, worked several jobs, and raised our three daughters. After seven years of perseverance, our dream was finally possible. We were given the opportunity to share a piece of our culture, art, and 3 generations worth of recipes. We had saved up enough money to open our little restaurant,” Sam Ung writes. I met one of the three daughters.
Displayed around the restaurant are objects and photographs from Cambodia and the genocide, as well as artwork and paintings by Cambodian artists.
By the way, I have watched the movie, “The Killing Fields,” and read one book so far about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge genocide, “First They Killed My Father, a Daughter of Cambodia Remembers,” by Loung Ung (I don’t believe of any relation to Sam Ung). I have a second book to read on my flight to Cambodia on the same subject, “When Broken Glass Floats, Growing Up under the Khmer Rouge,” by Chanrithy Him. And now I have learned of a third book I want to read, a memoir by Sam Ung (Seng Kok Ung) of Phnom Penh Noodle House, “I Survived the Killing Fields, The True Life Story of a Cambodia Refugee.” These books, as well as my own visit to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek Memorial in Phnom Penh, and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, will be subjects of blogs upon my return from my travels.
For dessert, I ate a delicious warm black sweet rice pudding, topped with cold vanilla ice cream. If you are interested in trying Cambodian food in Seattle, here is the link to Phnom Penh Noodle House.
Sweet Travels!