Phnom Penh Noodle House - Seattle

Some friends took me and the family to dinner the other night at Phnom Penh, a Cambodian noodle house in Seattle's ID (International District). It was a rare treat, especially since we don't currently have a Cambodian restaurant here in Chicago. I've only eaten Cambodian a couple of times and in both instances, the restaurant was named Phnom Penh. In any case, as much as I loved my meal at Cleveland's version in the summer of 2007, Seattle's Phnom Penh really trumped it, in my book. Perhaps that's because in Cleveland a large group of us simply walked in unannounced for lunch on a Saturday. In Seattle, a friend pre-arranged our meal with the owner, Sam, and he pulled out all the stops for us. Pretty much everything we were served was utterly delicious. Some of the dishes are on the menu and some of them are not, although we're told those that are not will be added soon . . .


Phnom Penh Noodle House is located in Seattle's International District, at 660 S. King Street.



Phnom Penh Special Rice Noodle Soup
Gulf prawn, squid, fish cake, fish balls, sliced and ground pork and thin rice noodles, garnished with scallion, cilantro and roasted garlic. Aromatic, bright and comforting.



A closer look at the Phnom Penh Special Rice Noodle Soup



Cambodian Fish Cakes
Fish, infused with chili, lemon grass and spices. This is served with pickled vegetables and sweet chili sauce. These were similar to Thai tod mun but a bit more herbacious and less salty than most versions I've had.



Papaya Salad (Bok La Hong)
I was told by Sam that this differs from Som Tum in that it doesn't have the chilis added, so it's milder. This version included the small, pickled crabs seen atop the salad.



Chinese Herb Duck with Ginger-Soy sauce
A pretty straightforward dish that was very well-executed, with wonderfully crispy skin.



Phnom Penh Chicken Wings
These totally addictive, intensely-flavored wings are sauteed and served with jalapenos and scallion in a sweet black pepper sauce. I could eat these all day long.



Mixed Grill
Here, Sam combined 3 menu items for us on a single platter: Grilled Beef Short Ribs, Grilled Curry Chicken and Grilled Pork Chops. I loved these meats. The short ribs were fantastic and even the chicken breast was moist and delicious.



Cambodian Hot & Sour Soup
This sensational, distinctive soup combined pineapple and tamarind to create the sour side of its 'hot and sour.' It also contained catfish and shrimp.



Hot & Sour Alaskan Pollock
This was served with assorted vegetables and a hot & sour sauce. I appreciated this dish because the exterior was perfectly crunchy and the interior was piping-hot, moist and flaky.



Alaskan Pollock in Coconut Curry with Lemon Grass over Greens (A-Mok)
An almost casserole-like dish that was very intense in flavor and aroma, with a creamy texture.



Tender Beefsteak Cubes (Lok Luk)
Steak marinated with garlic, cracked black pepper and house spices. This is sauteed with whiskey and served with sliced hard-boiled eggs and a side of lemon-black pepper vinaigrette. This was similar to some better versions of Thai Tiger Cry I've had. So tender, so delicious.



Fisherman's Delight (Chow Geutew)
Gulf prawns, scallops, squid and fish cakes sauteed with Chinese broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots. Served over wide rice noodles. I thought this dish, packed with sea-faring treasures, really delivered. The sauce was terrific, as were the perfectly chewy, big noodles at the bottom of the plate.



Green Lipped Mussels with Red Curry and Basil
A phenomenal dish in which the succulent mussels combined perfectly with the mildly-fiery red curry. The aroma of the basil was a perfect accent.



Beef with Basil and Jalapeno
A very tasty dish, which was not part of Sam's planned meal and was served at the the end of the meal. One person in our party loves this dish and wanted us to try it. I can easily see why.

Several locals who were with us claimed that this was the best Cambodian they'd ever eaten. This was true for me, too, even though it was only my 2nd Cambodian meal. The flavors were bold, intense and bright. The contrasts were wonderful and the dishes were complex and enjoyable.

If you're ever in Seattle, I highly recommend Phnom Penh Noodle House. Ask for Sam and put yourself in his hands. You will not be disappointed.

=R=

Phnom Penh Noodle House
660 S. King St.
Seattle, WA 98104
206 748-9825

That all looks really good. I'd love to try that special rice noodle soup. How many people did you have there to eat that feast?

Thanks for sharing.

brandon_w wrote:That all looks really good. I'd love to try that special rice noodle soup. How many people did you have there to eat that feast?

Thanks for sharing.

I think we had 14 and the cost, with a fat tip was $17/pp.

=R=