Pandoraspace

The Soup Dragon

On the day we went to the Silk Farm, we asked Tony out for lunch and he recommended that we eat at the Soup Dragon. The Soup Dragon is a casual dining restaurant that serves Khmer, Thai and Vietnamese food. It is located beside the Old Market in that part of town that tourists usually visit. The waitresses were friendly and accommodating. I felt very relaxed at the Soup Dragon.

We were given a table at the second floor veranda that overlooked the street. As we were starving when we got there, we over-ordered. Of the six or seven dishes we ordered, I was only able to sample the Beef Loklak, Vietnamese spring rolls and a Khmer dish of chicken in sour pandan broth. Of course, I ate all those dishes with steaming moist white rice. My favorite dish was the beef Loklak, which surprised me. There was nothing unusual about the stir fried tender strips of beef but eating it with the dip made of lime juice salt and ground black pepper made the dish extraordinary. The tangy taste of lime and the spicy pepper gives the beef a refreshingly usual flavor and it opened my taste buds. There is no taste quite like it. If you are looking for a cozy place to eat a hearty meal, I suggest you eat at the Soup Dragon.

Tip No 7:  Share a meal or two with your guide and the Tuk-Tuk driver.

Since the Tuk-Tuk driver and guide are paid to serve you, they naturally act as if you are their boss and treat you with deference. For instance, they would offer to carry your bag, never contradict you and seldom voice out their opinion. Also, while they will definitely share information, it is very basic and seldom gives you a deep insight into the Cambodian people and culture. (more…)

While Padma’s friend suggested we experience sunrise at Bayon, she did not tell us what to expect. Being the Pandoras we are, Padma and I headed for Bayon on the first morning of our stay in Siem Reap.

As we passed Angkor Wat, our driver, Tony, asked us if we wanted to go there instead. We said no. It was then that I noticed that the headlight of our Tuk-Tuk provided the only flicker in the darkness. After a few minutes of cruising in the dark, Tony stopped the engine and told us “Here is Bayon. I will see you there later.” The word “where” was just on the tip of my tongue when Tony quickly drove away.

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