The guesthouse Shadow of Angkor on Pokambor Street has been open for nine years.

So why has it just caught the eye of many locals?

Two months ago the ground level was renovated into a new and stylish bar and restaurant.

The menu is extensive, with a variety of Khmer and Western dishes such as the seriously

delicious Amok Fish Curry, served in a fresh coconut, and a very decent spaghetti

bolognaise. Rex, the new manager, has successfully created a relaxed and friendly

dining atmosphere. All dishes are $2 to $5.

*** Ladies, ladies, ladies (and maybe a few pampering men), did you know that you

can get your hair washed - with an inclusive luxury head massage - and then styled

and blow dried for only $2? And why not go all out and combine it with a one-hour,

no-nonsense massage for an extra $4? There are several hairdressers to choose from

over the road from the Angkor Children's Hospital and all offer the same service.

*** Swiss NGO Child Support Network and local NGO KADO (Khmer Angkor Development

Organization) set up the Agricultural Vocational Training Centre two years ago to

provide disadvantaged teenagers training in various aspects of agriculture, including

livestock rearing, machinery repairs and vegetable planting, with the hope that they

would be able to break the cycle of poverty. Children were selected from provincial

villages, a local orphanage, or among those rescued from child-labor traffickers

from the Cambodian-Thai border. Unfortunately, funding for the center will cease

in September and a new donor is urgently needed. For further information contact

Sunsoley on 012 858 015.

*** Where is the best pizza in town? Many people say Ecstatic Pizza. Here's what

I've heard:

"They definitely have the best base."

"They have many different combinations of toppings."

"Green Eggs N Ham pizza from Ecstatic is definitely the best."

Drop in to the restaurant over the road from the Provincial Hospital, or ring 012

436 869 for home delivery. Small pies are $4-ish, mediums $-8ish, and large ones

$12-ish.

Slices of Siem Reap is a regular column that aims to provide information on happenings

and what to do in the Siem Reap area. If you have something to add, email Michael

Hayes at [email protected]