One of my favorite things about traveling is stumbling into an unassuming little restaurant and having an awesome meal.
Recently, I was in Kingston, Ontario, and I was looking for lunch.
As I drove around town, I noticed a surprisingly large number of Cambodian restaurants. Not sure why this small city of less than 150,000, where the historic limestone buildings look more like Britain than Battambang, would have a sub-specialty in Cambodian cuisine, I decided to check it out.
I ended up at a place called the Royal Angkor Restaurant. Sandwiched between a barber shop and a boarded-up Chinese eatery, it looked far less royal than its name suggests.
But the sign promised “Exotic and Delightful Cambodian Cuisine,” so I was in.
When I asked the waitress for recommendations–for the most popular of their traditional Cambodian dishes–she suggested the “Kako Khmer,” which the menu described as chicken with green papaya, green jack fruit, green chili, eggplant, and long beans–a delightfully exotic-sounding combination.
But then she apologized and said, “Oh, sorry. We don’t have that today.”
“Golden Chicken is very popular,” she tried again. “Also, Samlaw Khmer.”
The spicy, hot, and sour golden chicken, with peanuts and lemongrass, did sound tasty, but I opted for the second alternative– a tamarind-infused mix of chicken, shrimp, bok choy, onions, and tomatoes that turned out to be slightly spicy, slightly sour, and entirely delicious.
What was one of the most surprising meals you’ve stumbled upon while traveling?
Please leave a comment and share the delicious details!
If you go…
The Royal Angkor Restaurant is at 523 Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario, 613/544-9268.
[mrlinky owner=wanderfood postid=19Oct2011 meme=2888]
Photos © Carolyn B. Heller