Restaurants such as Sugar Palm and Chanrey Tree serve up refined renditions of home-style Cambodian food, while Cuisine Wat Damnak, recently voted Best Restaurant in Cambodia among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, is renowned for its creative contemporary Cambodian cuisine. Markets, roadside stalls, mobile carts, and roaming vendors offer tasty street-food treats such as soups, barbecue skewered meats, noodle dishes, and pork and rice, while countless international restaurants serve up everything from authentic Korean and Indian to Italian and French cuisines.

Cuisine Wat Damnak’s head chef Johannes Rivieres has made it his mission to ensure visitors to Siem Reap sample the divine dining on offer. Describing the menu as “ Cambodian food with a French sensitivity”, the menu combines Rivieres’ deep knowledge of Khmer cuisine with seasonal produce to create non-traditional Cambodian dishes. Often incorporating edible flowers and local fruits, the restaurant offers two set degustation menus that change fortnightly.

French chef Joannès Rivière’s Cuisine Wat Damnak has led the local movement of modern Cambodian cuisine since opening in 2011. As the first Cambodian titleholder on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, his dishes marry French techniques with traditional Khmer cuisine. Housed in a traditional wooden house, the restaurant’s two seasonal tasting menus (one plant-based) feature regional Cambodian flavors sourced mostly from local farms and purveyors.

In the heart of Siem Reap’s Wat Damnak village is an unlikely sight: a French chef, completely fluent in Khmer, drawing out authentic Cambodian flavours from seasonal local produce in a traditional Cambodian wooden house.

At Cuisine Wat Damnak – one of Cambodia’s most renowned restaurants, previously appearing on the list of Asia’s 50 Best restaurants – chef Joannès Rivière combines locally sourced ingredients and traditional Khmer recipes with contemporary French techniques to deliver fortnightly rotating set tasting menus that are unlike anything else you’re likely to eat in Siem Reap. The setting in a traditional wooden house is charming and romantic, the food and service are both exceptional and, for a fine-dining experience like this (albeit with a relaxed, down-to-earth and friendly atmosphere, where the focus is undoubtedly on quality food rather than pomp), Cuisine Wat Damnak represents exceptional value. Tuesday to Saturday, 6.30-9.30pm; between Psar Dey Hoy market and Angkor High School, Wat Damnak Village; 077 347 762; www.cuisinewatdamnak.com

Like Embassy restaurant, above, Cuisine Wat Damnak offers a tasting menu only, which changes every two weeks, so while this Mekong langoustine in rice paddy crab curry may be one of Siem Reap’s must-try dishes as far as we’re concerned, you’re not always going to find it on the menu and that’s partly because the ingredients are seasonal. The dish is based on a very traditional rice paddy crab brain soup, which you find in the countryside and is typically eaten during the monsoon season when the lush rice fields are rich with crabs, fish and frogs, not only rice. As you’d expect from a casual fine-diner that landed on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2015 (at #50) and 2016 (at #44) when it became Cambodia’s Best Restaurant and the first to land on the prestigious list, this is a very refined rendition of that dish.

This is the best restaurant in Siem Reap, and it’s set in a traditional Cambodian wooden house with air-conditioned comfort downstairs amidst local artworks, fans upstairs and a tropical garden. The enticing menu changes weekly with ingredients sourced from nearby farms or foraged from the wild then transformed into sophisticated, yet authentic, Cambodian flavours influenced by the culinary technique of long-time resident and co-owner/chef Joannès Rivière. Choose from a five-course ($US27) and six-course ($US31) menu, and an interesting, well-priced wine list.

But because Chef Rat is Cambodian, he can take more risks with local cuisine than Rivière, who is French, might feel at liberty to. Where Cuisine Wat Damnak firmly sticks to local ingredients and flavors, Jomno Street Food fuses elements of European cuisine with Cambodian, no doubt drawing on Rat’s experience at Por Cuisine, which bills itself as an “East and West Restaurant.” For example, the grilled river prawn and ambarella salad with num banh chok noodles and coconut is delicious, all the more so for the unexpected addition of crispy chunks of bacon.

For an extra special evening out, head over to the acclaimed Cuisine Wat Damnak by French chef Joannes Riviere. A champion of Cambodian ingredients and flavors, Joannes arrived in the kingdom almost 20 years ago as a volunteer teacher at the Sala Bai Hotel School, where he taught culinary arts then later penned the cookbook Cambodian Cooking. He mentored and inspired a number of young Khmer chefs, both as a teacher at Sala Bai and as a chef at the Bensley-designed Hotel de la Paix, now the Park Hyatt Siem Reap.

Combining Cambodian flavours and indigenous ingredients with French techniques and artistry is the concept behind Cuisine Wat Damnak. The traditional wooden house setting allows customers to choose from three dining spaces – the relaxed tropical garden, modern air-conditioned dining room on the ground floor, or breezy, fan cooled upstairs in keeping with the house’s rustic charm. The tasting menu changes every two weeks, reflecting the availability and variety of seasonal produce, fresh and locally sourced.

Located in a charming traditional wooden house in Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak - top restaurant in Siem Reap holds a special place as the first Cambodian restaurant on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. Led by the talented French chef Joannès Rivière, who fell in love with Cambodian flavors 15 years ago and now speaks fluent Khmer, the restaurant offers two delightful tasting menus. Chef Joannès Rivière melds local Cambodian traditions with French techniques, crafting dishes like the sour pork sausage salad.

When he launched Cuisine Wat Damnak in 2011 with his wife Carole Salmon, Riviere was the only foreign chef in town using local ingredients like frogs, young green jackfruit, wild mango kernels and prahok (salted fermented fish boiled to make stock) to prepare dishes with authentic flavours, undiluted for foreign palates. A fair number of his customers are locals because, says Riviere, “My food is really Cambodian. I simply take local dishes apart and put them back together.

When French chef Joannès Rivière opened Cuisine Wat Damnak in 2011, he was one of the first to use local ingredients and French culinary techniques to prepare Cambodian meals for tourists. In less than five years, the restaurant made the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, where it was named the best restaurant in Cambodia. The tasting menus change every two weeks, showcasing what’s fresh, in season, and available from nearby farms and foragers.

Our guide told us all sorts of cool information about Cambodian culture while answering any questions or concerns we had during our journey up through Angkor Wat--all while stopping whenever something caught his eye so he could show it off too! At one point on our walk back down, he even brought out some local sweets for everyone to sample because "food is life" as they say here in Cambodia!" It's been such an amazing experience overall

Siem Reap is home, and after more than five years of living here, our adopted hometown is as exciting as it was on the day that we arrived. The temples and surrounding jungle never fail to amaze us with their beauty and vastness whilst chefs like those mentioned above ensure that we are never short of delectable plant based food. Let’s hope you add Siem Reap to your list and pay us a visit when travel is once again possible!

This section highlights establishments like 'Cuisine Wat Damnak' and 'The Hive Siem Reap', known for their fusion cuisine and exquisite dessert offerings. The article explores the culinary creativity on display, from traditional Khmer dishes with a modern twist to international cuisine prepared with local ingredients. It also features the skilled bartenders and chefs who are behind these gourmet experiences.

Cuisine Wat Damnak can be considered one of the most creative and well presented Khmer inspired dining in Siem Reap. Ranked amongst the top 50 restaurants in Asia, French chef Joannès Rivière, combines his culinary expertise with Khmer cooking techniques and ingredients to showcase the most interesting dishes!. You would need to book in advance if you wish to get a seat at this highly popular restaurant!

Cuisine Wat Damnak is the only restaurant in Cambodia to have appeared on the prestigious Asia’s Top 50 Restaurants list. The open-air seating at this pleasant house on Siem Reap’s outskirts is sometimes booked up months ahead. It’s generally considered the leading showcase of what Cambodian cuisine may once have been and could rise to become again – given the proper attention to flavor and detail.

Named one of Asia’s best restaurants, Cuisine Wat Damnak should be on your list of must-try restaurants in Siem Reap. Chef Joannès Rivière and his team serve elevated Cambodian dishes using Cambodian flavors and French culinary techniques. Reservations can be hard to make since this restaurant is very famous in Siem Reap and they only open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.

Cuisine Wat Damnak combines authentic Cambodian flavors and French culinary technique. Location: Street 7 Makara, Between Psa Dey Hoy market and Angkor High School, Wat Damnak village, Siem Reap.Opening Hours: Friday-Saturday 06:30 PM – 09:00 PM (last order). Cuisine Wat Damnak is the first Cambodian restaurant to be featured in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016.

Cuisine Wat Damnak is one you will want to book in advance as it has quickly gained a reputation as one of Cambodia’s best restaurants. The accolades just keep coming for this contemporary restaurant, with Chef Joannes Riviere serving Cambodian food with a touch of French flair. The degustation menu changes weekly with a focus on seasonal fruits, vegetables and fish.

If you’re looking for something a little more upmarket, then pay a visit to Cuisine Wat Damnak (Wat Damnak Market Street, www.cuisinewatdamnak.com), which made it onto the Asia’s 50 Best list last year (just – it was number 50). They serve two seasonal set menus (for 24 and 28USD) of dishes with a focus on local ingredients, such as Cambodian wild cinnamon churros.

Cuisine Wat Damnak is an award-winning restaurant by French chef Joannes Riviere. This is also one of the few places to eat in Siem Reap that serves Khmer dishes based on the quality criteria of French food. Housed in a traditional Cambodian wooden house in the heart of Siem Reap‘s Wat Damak village, Cuisine Wat Damak offers three distinct dining experiences.

Cuisine Wat Damnak has received the award of being one of Asia’s Top 50 restaurants in 2016/2017 and Cambodia’s best restaurant and we lucked out and got a reservation to eat there when we visited Siem Reap. The menu changes weekly between two tasting menus where we each sampled Cambodian ingredients prepared in French style/technique. What a memorable meal!

One of the top rated restaurants in Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak serves Khmer cuisines with a French twist. Set up in a traditional wooden Khmer house, the restaurant is run by the celebrated chef Joannes Riviere, and is listed among Asia’s top 50 restaurants. Two menu sets are served at the restaurant that change fortnightly.

Nestling by the riverside is the charming Cuisine Wat Damnak. This restaurant has redefined the notion of a budget meal with its deliciously affordable tasting menus. The harmony of local ingredients and French culinary techniques makes for an intriguing dining experience, not to mention the inviting ambience.

It�s easy to sample many types of Cambodian food, from traditional dishes like amok (a yellow coconut curry, usually made with fish) and luk-lac (cubed beef wok-fried in sauce) to adventurous contemporary and fusion fare, including some world class entries, such as served at the renowned Cuisine Wat Damnak.

Cuisine Wat Damnak specializes in French-inflected Khmer dishes. Rivière's inspiration, though, has never been just the ingredients. A few years ago, he met the Australian chef David Thompson, who revived a certain kind of “royal” Thai cuisine at his revered Bangkok and London restaurants, Nahm.

After many years of trying, I finally got to eat at the most famous game in town. And let me tell you, it was worth the wait – I will definitely be heading back. Fantastic Cambodian food cooked by a top French chef and served by his lovely partner.

Siem Reap has some truly spectacular restaurants but alas the top restaurant Cuisine Wat Damnak was closed for two months at the time of our visit. We had a fine dining experience at Malis, one of the most visually stunning restaurants.

Address: Wat Damnak Market Street, Siem Reap, (between Psa Dey Hoy market and Angkor High School), Wat Damnak village, Sala Kamreuk Commune. Phone: +855 77 347 762. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6:30pm to 9:30pm (for last orders)

Located in Wat Damnak Village, Lelawadee Restaurant is minutes away from the Old Market and Pub Street. You can’t miss the restaurant, with its beautiful green garden, brown walls, modern angular roof and two-storey setting.

We had a wonderful set-menu dinner at Cuisine Wat Damnak, a restaurant that merges Cambodian flavors with French culinary techniques. It is on my cousin’s list of top 50 restaurants in Asia (we are trying to go to each one).

There was a dinner at the famous Cuisine Wat Damnak, which left me unimpressed, but everyone seems to love, and there was a dinner at an Italian place on our first night in town which I barely remember due to jet lag.

You can find Beef Lok Lak at many street food stalls in Siem Reap, but for a more upscale experience, head to one of the Best Restaurants in Siem Reap like Cuisine Wat Damnak or Embassy Restaurant.

Cuisine Wat Damnak was selected as the “Best 50 Restaurants in Asia” by the famous British food magazine “Restaurant” in 2015. It is one of the most famous restaurants in Siem Reap.

Each week there are two different dégustation menus where you can sample haute twists on Cambodian classics, featuring only the freshest local ingredients.

The Fine Dining in Siem Reap are mainly located in:The Dining Room at Park Hyatt Siem Reap:Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak - Siem Reap:Siem Reap

The Fine Dining in Siem Reap are mainly located in:The Dining Room-Park Hyatt Siem Reap:Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak - Siem Reap:Siem Reap