Plenty of guests walk through our door at 389 Spencer Street having eaten Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian food for years, but never Cambodian. If that is you, welcome. Khmer cooking sits right between its neighbours: it shares their love of fresh herbs, lime and fish sauce, but it is usually gentler on chilli and leans on fragrant pastes, slow cooking and a balance of sour, salty, sweet and bitter. This guide walks you through our menu so your first Cambodian meal feels easy and generous rather than guesswork.
What makes Cambodian food different
The heart of Khmer cooking is kroeung, a pounded paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime, garlic and shallots. Every family has its own balance, and ours comes from Chef Neri's family recipes. Kroeung gives dishes a deep, perfumed flavour without needing much heat, which is why Cambodian food is often a great place to start for people who are nervous about spice. You can always add chilli at the table with our extra homemade sauces.
Meals are also built to share. Rather than one plate each, a Cambodian table is a spread of starters, a salad, a few mains and rice in the middle, with everyone reaching in. That is exactly how we suggest you order.
The three dishes to start with
If you only remember one part of this guide, make it this. Our menu itself tells first-timers to begin with these three.
Fish Amok ($34.50). Cambodia's best-known dish and our signature: a fragrant steamed coconut curry with aromatic kroeung, mackerel, Chinese broccoli and peanuts. It is rich and silky rather than fiery, and it is the dish most guests come back for. Read more about it on our Fish Amok in Melbourne page.
Beef Loc Lac ($32.90). Wok-seared marinated beef with mixed salad, onions and a fried egg. It is savoury, peppery and comforting, a perfect partner for steamed rice. We wrote a whole post about it: Beef Loc Lac in Melbourne.
My Grandmother's Dish ($29.60). Juicy marinated free-range chicken with mixed salad, mint and grandmother's dipping sauce. It is a family recipe in the truest sense, and it is a lovely choice if someone at the table prefers something simple and familiar. Its story is part of our post on Khmer family recipes.
How much to order
For two people, our menu suggests two to three starters, two mains, and rice or roti to share. That gives you a range of textures without over-ordering. For four people, double it and add a salad.
Good starters for a first visit:
- Betel Leaf ($15.50, 2 pieces): prawns, peanuts and shallots with a lime dressing, wrapped in a peppery leaf and eaten in one bite.
- Cambodian Fish Cakes ($14.90, 2 pieces): with green beans and sweet chilli dipping sauce.
- Spring Rolls ($11.50, 5 pieces): vegetable filling with sweet chilli sauce, an easy crowd-pleaser.
- Marinated Beef or Chicken Skewers ($14.90 / $14.00, 4 pieces): grilled, with soy and chilli sauce.
Add Steamed Jasmine Rice ($5.00) or Asian Roti ($6.90, 2 pieces) to soak up the sauces. Roti with Fish Amok or the curry is a favourite pairing.
A fresh salad for balance
Khmer meals almost always include something crisp and sour to cut through richer dishes. Try the Cambodian Papaya Salad ($21.90) with green papaya, carrot, shallots, peanuts, fish sauce and lime (a vegan option is available), or the Banana Blossom Salad ($23.90), which is very traditional and something you rarely see on Melbourne menus.
If you want to go further
Once you have the basics, these are worth exploring on a second visit:
- Beef Stew 'Kor Koh' ($28.90): slow-cooked beef brisket with five-spice, carrots, onion and celery, served with French baguette, a nod to Cambodia's French-influenced history.
- Kampot Pepper Seafood ($32.90): king prawns and calamari with garlic and Kampot pepper, one of Cambodia's most famous ingredients. Our post on Kampot pepper explains why it is special.
- Traditional Red Curry ($25.50): a Cambodian kroeung curry with coconut broth, sweet potatoes, eggplant and green beans, with tofu or chicken.
Vegetarian or vegan? Many dishes have tofu or vegan options. See our guide to vegetarian Cambodian food in Melbourne.
Something sweet to finish
Cambodian desserts are built on coconut, rice and fruit. Sticky Rice with Mango ($16.00) and Black Rice Pudding ($15.90) with coconut cream and sesame are the classics, and our Homemade Coconut Ice Cream ($14.50) comes with a crispy coconut roll. More in our guide to Cambodian desserts.
Not sure? Let a banquet decide
If you would rather not choose at all, our restaurant banquets do it for you (minimum two guests):
- Angkor Classics Feast, $79 per person: Betel Leaf, Spring Rolls, Fish Amok, Red Curry Chicken, Roti or Coconut Rice, and Sticky Rice with Mango.
- Royal Khmer Restaurant Feast, $99 per person: Fish Cakes, Prawn Wontons, Papaya Salad, My Grandmother's Dish, Beef Loc Lac, Red Curry Chicken, Jasmine Rice and Nom Banh Chok.
The Classics Feast is the easiest "first Cambodian meal" you can order. Planning for 12 or more? See Functions & Groups for our event feasts.
Allergies and dietary needs
Please tell our team about allergies when you order. Our kitchen uses peanuts, sesame, gluten, milk, fish, shellfish and molluscs, egg, soy and coconut, so we cannot guarantee an allergen-free meal, but dietary options are available and we are always happy to guide you.
When to visit
ANGKOR is at 389 Spencer Street, West Melbourne, a short walk from Southern Cross Station and Marvel Stadium. Our hours:
- Monday: closed
- Tuesday to Thursday: 11:30am to 3pm and 4:30pm to 9:30pm
- Friday: 11:30am to 9:30pm
- Saturday: 12pm to 9:30pm
- Sunday: 4:30pm to 9:30pm
Lunch has its own menu, so see our lunch page for midday visits, and the full dinner menu before you come.
Book your first Cambodian meal
Bring a friend, order to share, and start with the Fish Amok. Book a table or call us on (03) 7034 8353. If you fall in love with amok, you can also cook it at home with our Amok Curry Paste, and our home Fish Amok guide shows you how.