Phnom Penh
GO HERE: for the chicken wings and butter beef this Chinatown legend is famous for. A case study in restaurant success, Phnom Penh serves food that has drawn daily lineups after 25 years.
ORDER THE: chicken wings (No. 78), which are deep-fried, tossed with salt and a touch of sugar, and dunked in a peppery lime dipping sauce; the marinated butter beef (No. 71), a carpaccio wonder covered in heaps of cilantro, garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar; and the stew-like filet beef luc lac with a fried egg and rice (No. 35).
THE VIBE IS: noisy and crowded but efficient and friendly.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day: Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. No reservations needed, but come early for lunch to avoid the lines.
—Lindsay Anderson
