Sok Pheary checks out Phkar Thmor restaurant, a place that cares about food, and alot more

I assume that you are similar to me in that your dreams are filled with visions of a restaurant that not only serves delicious food, but has great service and suitable prices to match. Finding a good restaurant in Phnom Penh used to be a tall task, and while it is becoming easier, finding a truly excellent eatery, with WiFi to boot, can take some serious searching.

So let me save you the time, since I have already located a winner. Phkar Thmor restaurant is located near the centre of the Psar Damkor, but before you hop on your motorbike, you need to find them online, because one of the many unique features of the progressive restaurant is their Facebook page, where friends get 30 percent off on their meals in the real world.

I know what your thinking, “that’s as good as it’s going to get,” but your wrong my friend, this sparkling new restaurant, which opened a month ago, cares about Cambodia as well. You might not notice it if you hadn’t heard it from me, but their staff are university students in Phnom Penh from Kampong Cham, who the restaurant has given a part time job to help support them while they study at the Vanda Institute. The owner of the spot, Siv Sokhoeun, also provides them a place to live near the restaurant, making their lives in Phnom Penh quite comfortable, considering the circumstances.

Siv Sokhoeun was also the mastermind of the Facebook site, which he launched because he enjoys meeting and staying in touch with friends online, but it has turned out to be  an effective marketing tool. The restaurant already has nearly 5,000 friends on Facebook, and you can become one quite easily, simply by searching the name of the restaurant and becoming a fan of the page once you have found it. A few clicks and you get 30 percent off of anything in the restaurant. That’s a deal!

So what can you actually get in this new, unique restaurant? They have an extensive menu of Khmer and international cuisine. I have only been there once, so I can’t speak to all of their dishes, but I think you will find the food and drink as pleasant as the modern orange decorations and classic images of Angkor Wat that are hanging on the walls.

I don’t want to be too positive, since this is a critical review after all. The food and atmosphere aren’t incredible, but it is great to see someone trying out something new when it comes to spots for students to dine, and it is even better to see that some people aren’t only trying to take money from the city’s university students, they are trying to help them as well.

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Facebook pages you have found? Tell us at

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