Chi Restaurant & Bar, Anantara Angkor Resort
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Chi Restaurant & Bar, within Anantara Angkor Resort, welcomes guests with charming wooden accents and French windows, offering lovely views over the hotel’s beautifully landscaped courtyard. With a menu showcasing modern Khmer cuisine, Chi emphasises sourcing ingredients from local farms, embodying a progressive Khmer culinary style.
We’re dining here for lunch today and are welcomed by the cool, air-conditioned dining area. We enjoy views of a perfect green lawn, frangipani trees, and a water feature. The vibe is relaxed, and the service team is attentive and kind.
Chi Restaurant & Bar Menu
Every dish we order at Chi Restaurant & Bar is beautifully presented, pleasing our cameras and palates. We’re most interested in Cambodian recipes and browse the menu with keen interest. The origin of ingredients has obviously been carefully planned, with the names of provinces noted for key produce.
Aperitif
Two house speciality cocktails are cooling us down on this warm afternoon: Bill’s Booze – The Chairman’s Favourite Drink (USD 10) and Khmer Mojito (USD 9). The former is built over ice with a cinnamon stick and juice, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, and topped up with Sprite. The cinnamon rounds the edges of the spirit – Han Sen approves. The operations manager in charge of food and beverage, Sophea, recommends stirring the latter before sipping. The mix of Bacardi rum, muddled lime, lemongrass, mint, sweet basil and brown sugar topped-up soda is an awesome local take on a classic.
Appetisers
We begin the meal with two fresh starters – Battambang Grilled Prawn and Pomelo Salad (USD 16) and Banteay Srey Green Mango and Tuna Salad (USD 20). Both are reminiscent of Thai recipes (or Thai recipes are similar to these Cambodian dishes), yet the flavours here are milder, more approachable, and have a less punch-you-in-the-face type vibe. Both dishes are presented in paper-thin pastry cups with carrot ribbons, bell pepper, shallots, plentiful local herbs and the fleshy Kry Sengtry pomelo or Banteay Srei green mango, nicely coated in a citrusy lemongrass dressing with a sprinkling of crushed roasted peanuts. The former has a line-up of sizzling tiger prawns on the side and the latter grilled tuna fillet slices. The fresh and crisp salads provide a nice balance between tangy and salty. A hint of spice accompanies nice bursts of moisture from the pomelo and tang from the mango. The flavours are manageable even for the spice-aversive – Cambodian cuisine welcomes everyone.
Chi Restaurant & Bar Wine List
Chi Restaurant at Anantara Angkor Resort has a lovely wine list with some decent labels available by the glass. We enjoy Le Grand Noir, Viognier, France (USD 15) with our salads and then move to rosé for the rest of the meal. Le Grand Noir Viognier is made primarily from Viognier grapes, with a touch of Chardonnay for complexity. Redolent of honeysuckle and apricot aromas, this wine offers a rich yet refreshingly light body, leaving a trail of delicate floral notes on the tongue. Unoaked, this Viognier highlights the grape’s natural characteristics.
Later, we shift to the Villa Garrel, Côtes de Provence Rosé, France (USD 11), which is clad in a pale pink hue and bursts with fresh lemon on the nose. The palate is round and balanced, offering hints of plum before a clean, fresh finish. It’s perfect for those seeking a quaffable and fruity Provençal rosé and an excellent partner to Siem Reap’s warm weather.
Curry
We’re rather partial to the national dish of amok and have had the privilege of trying several versions – fish, veggie and today, a mix of seafood. Chi restaurant’s Cambodian Seafood Amok (USD 30) elevates the beloved recipe with a combination of seabass, prawns, and squid simmered in the rich coconut curry sauce with egg, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, mushrooms, kaffir lime and the distinguishing feature, noni leaves – it’s not amok if it doesn’t hold these nutrient-rich greens. Steamed rice is a must, ensuring no drop of the sauce is left behind.
Soup
The Khmer Chicken Soup with Coconut Cream (USD 12) is another refreshingly light version of a familiar favourite. This soul-nourishing spicy chicken and coconut cream soup is infused with a traditional blend of local spices: chilli, morning glory, curry leaves, hot basil, and sour tamarind juice. We appreciate the less-weighty broth and once more love the inclusion of an abundance and variety of local herbs.
Wok
Beef Lok Lak (USD 30) is a famous regional specialty. This Cambodian classic comes hot from the wok, with juicy cubes of Australian sirloin taking the lead. The stir-fried green beans add a nice snap, and the green peppercorns pack a bit of heat. A grilled tomato sits aside fresh local herbs, adding another layer to the profile. The marinated beef is delicious on its own, but the salty black peppercorn sauce awaits if you’re feeling adventurous. It comes with perfectly steamed jasmine rice to round out the plate.
Noodles
Our final savoury dish, Siem Reap Tamarind Noodles with Prawn (USD 15), looks similar to pad Thai wrapped in egg. The silky home-style rice noodles are a highlight. They’ve been stir-fried with seasonal vegetables in a sweet and sour tamarind sauce. The noodles are bundled inside a thin Khmer crêpe, made from rice flour and coconut milk, and crowned with a row of tiger prawns. We enjoy adding the bean sprouts, chives and lime found on the side, balancing each bite with freshness and crunch.
Chi Restaurant & Bar Dessert
Even though I’m not a dessert fan, we do our job well and conclude with Steamed Chak Chan Cake (USD 11). There are many familiar flavours in the attractive green pandan and white coconut rice cake round served alongside coconut ice cream and fresh fruit.
Reasons to visit Chi Restaurant & Bar at Anantara Angkor Resort: quality Cambodian cuisine; decent wine list; lovely green views over the courtyard; helpful staff; must order the Amok and any of the salads.
Chi Restaurant & Bar
Anantara Angkor Resort
National Road no. 6, Khum Svay Dangkom, Siem Reap
+855 63 966 788
[email protected]
*vegan & vegetarian options
**air-con & alfresco options
Chi Restaurant & Bar Opening Hours
Breakfast: 6.00 am – 10.30 am
All-day dining: 11.00 am – 10.30 pm
Find more recommendations for luxury and gourmet travel in Cambodia here and stay up-to-date on the latest gourmet and travel happenings around Malaysia here and here.