Food in Kep

Kep is famous for its seafood, and specifically its crab. Everyone raves about the restaurant Kimly, which is a seafood restaurant in a strip mall-type setup along the water. However, Kimly turned out to be closed for the week, so we explored about five alternates. All the nearby restaurants appear to be pretty similar, with extremely similar menus. Each main course is about $5, and the menu includes various preparations of crab, fish, squid, pork, beef, and chicken. Some of the most famous Kep preparations is "with spices," in which your choice of protein comes in a Khmer-style curry, and "with green pepper," which is generally cooked with onions and clumps of green peppercorns still on the stalk. We decided that eating anything but seafood while in the area was probably pretty sacrilegious, so here's what my first dinner looked like:

We identified our favorite restaurant, called Kep Thmey, and went there twice. We loved the food, loved the price of the $0.80 stout beer (usually ~$1.50), loved the free pineapple for dessert they brought us, and more. We tried to order the shark on the menu here, but the fishermen hadn't caught any recently (Darn! I will just have to get my cousins to make me shark tacos when I get back!).




As I mentioned in my Kep teaser post, our Jasmine Valley Resort accommodations provided an extensive complimentary breakfast. The menu boasted a buffet including coconut waffles and bottomless coffee (in addition to many cook-to-order options). The eco-resort really lived up to its name, and the waffles were made one by one in a simple single waffle press over a wood-burning stove. The waffles, in turn, lived up to my expectations. Here's how I assembled my breakfast:

First up: coffee. Also snag a waffle as it comes out. As they are made one at a time, you might have to wait if you don't grab them while they're hot.

Sprinkle some muesli (from buffet) on top.

Slice bananas (also from buffet).

Finish with syrup.

Get your second (or fourth) cup of coffee and some fruit (pineapple, papaya and dragon fruit here) and voila! What a way to start the day!

As we were exploring a short trail (dotted with hammocks) around the Jasmine Valley grounds, we found some starfruit trees. The boys, naturally, started throwing sticks and rocks at clusters to bring them down, while I walked over to a lower-hanging branch to pick one off. I had never tasted starfruit before! It was pretty yummy. They boys said it was way better than the starfruit you get in the stores. I'm temped to launch my own investigation, as it sounds like a delicious project!

After lunch on Sunday, we stopped by the crab market on our way out of town. The boys shopped for Kampot pepper to bring home, while I continued my tropical fruit education. Among the jack fruit, mangos, and durian, some intriguing round orange fruits caught my eye. Tuned out to be mangosteen!

My first mangosteen experience. Tastes like mango, in cute apricot-sized form.

Happy Easter eve! Hope you're all enjoying your weekend. All my family (besides me!) is at home for the holiday. I know it's going to be an amazing Easter in Monterey. Wish I could be in two places at once!