Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Camera in the Kitchen: Kampuchea
By
youngna park
Published May 19, 2008
Modified May 19, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
youngna park
Published May 19, 2008
Modified May 19, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As the weather warms up, restaurants who keep their windows open wide maintain a serious advantage over their stuffier competitors. On a recent heated evening, this is how we stumbled upon the LES's Kampuchea, a crowded spot that riffs on Cambodian street food.
While hardly authentic, Chef Ratha Chau's menu is heavy in chili, lime, coconut, and lemongrass: sweet meets sour meets spicy all over your palate. Soups and noodles comprise most of the specialties; the phom peng soup is a massive bowl steaming with a light chicken & beef broth, infused with shrimp, fish, beef, shrimp, and sprouts. Soothing, but lacking kick, the soup is better for sharing alongside some of the house skewers which can be ordered a la carte with a side of the house pickles.
Refreshing starters like the watermelon salad with lime, cucumber, and onion is also recommended. Another dish of cold flat noodles, was doused – generously, but not too heavily – in a sweet and spicy sauce with hints of both pepper and coconut. The deal-sealer was the succulent shrimp topping the noodles, which, when eaten with the tiny bits of fried pork bell, were explosive in flavor.
The dining room is dimly lit and on a loud and busy corner, so expect to compete with street noise or the couple with whom you might share a table; seats are closer to one another than might be comfortable, but once you settle into your chair, that distraction is overridden by food. The house offers a handful of wines starting at $8 a glass, but better refreshment is found with the house cocktails, like the summer blackberry margarita.
Kampuchea is located at 78 Allen Street (at Rivington). 212-529-3901.
Tagged
best
cambodian
downtown
food
Kampuchea
Lower East Side
new york
nyc
restaurant
review
village
youngna park
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .