I'd been dying to check out Malis Restaurant since my parents mentioned it to me on my first night here in Phnom Penh, and I made them promise to take me there before I left. Alas, the time finally came, and after the rave reviews I had heard about this place, there was no doubt in my mind that Malis would leave a lasting impression on me... especially my stomach!
Malis opened in 2004 and became the first upscale Cambodian restaurant serving traditional Khmer cuisine with a contemporary twist, with the help of 'masterchef' Luu Meng. Meng and his team are apparently leading the way in bringing back the almost forgotten traditional recipes from during the Khmer Rouge regime, making Malis the place to go for a taste of both the past and present.
And boy, did they deliver!
Malis does have an outdoor and indoor dining area, and personally I don't think you can go wrong with either option! The outdoor seating area is so lush and gorgeous - with the ponds, plants, candles and statues - that you'll probably forget that there's a pretty busy road just past the walls of the restaurant!
My photos really do not give this place any justice- it's just so beautiful!
One of indoor dining areas of the restaurant - they do have two floors, so there's plenty of seating areas. I love the whole earthy, warm ambience of the place! I'm a sucker for those kinds, where you just can't help but feel so 'in the zone' and relaxed while dining on mouthwatering meals... hmm...
Ordering time!
How delicious do those appetizers look? I'm drooling as I write this, no joke.
Takeo sausages ($8) - pork sausages infused with Malis's mix of spices and coconut shaving, served with a sweet chili sauce. This was my star of the night - I immediately fell in love with these babies that I almost begged my dad to order another one. Absolute heaven in my mouth, especially with that sweet chili sauce! Mhmm... You have got try this out if you dine at Malis!
Chunky prawn cakes with turmeric leaves ($7.50) - bite-size, deep fried prawns in a mic of spices and turmeric, served with salad. Like the sausages, these prawn cakes had their own sauce to go with it, and it tasted amazing!!! Definitely eat this with the sauce though, as it gives the prawn cakes a little bit of a kick.
Left: Korko fried rice (about $8.50 if I recall correctly) - caramelized braised beef with galangal and tomatoes, mixed with wok-fried rice, enhanced by freshly crushed garlic and fish sauce. They do have a variety of 'rices' to choose from, that my dad and I did a bit of eenie-meenie-miney-moe to decide! Finally settled on this, and super glad we did! It's definitely not like the other fried rice 'meals' I've tried.
Right: Saraman beef curry ($8) - beef with hand-picked kroeung and curry spice cooked slowly, with extra coconut cream. Again, another must-try if you're a fan of curry! It's not too spicy, and my mom definitely loved that.
Right: Saraman beef curry ($8) - beef with hand-picked kroeung and curry spice cooked slowly, with extra coconut cream. Again, another must-try if you're a fan of curry! It's not too spicy, and my mom definitely loved that.
My second star of the night! Fish amok ($7) - a traditional dish made with goby fish fillet on lemongrass curry paste, steamed in a banana leaf basket. Urmfff... this tasted so amazing! A tad bit spicy, but that's what made it so delicious. Just remember to eat the veggies (I think it was spinach?) that lines the bottom of the basket with the fish, as it really completes the whole dish. Definitely order this at Malis!
The portions do look quite small, but they're so uber filling! I'd almost wished that I had worn a skirt with garterized-waist instead of one with a zipper!
My diet is so screwed... I mean, just looking through these pictures makes me want to dash over there, at one in the morning, to have another plate-full of these!
Also got myself an avocado smoothie to wash down everything - pretty darn tasty!
For dessert (because I couldn't help myself as everything tasted so delicious it felt wrong to leave without trying one), I tried out their pumpkin creme brulee which tasted soo good! There's actually a touch of red chili skin and coconut in it, which made it so unique. It also wasn't too sweet, and the pumpkin flavour wasn't too overwhelming - a great ending to such an amazing meal!
My mom's dessert - palm fruit with tapioca and yellow bean. She absolutely loved it, and recommends you try it out, provided you still have space in your belly!
I couldn't help myself and put another photo of the scrumptious appetizers here. I'm sorry, did I make you drool a little more? Because I just did, woops!
The menu is pretty extensive, and I do have to say though, you probably won't go wrong with whichever items you pick! My parents had already tried this place out before, so they'd already gotten a taste of the other items - what we ordered was what they considered to be the best of the best. I would definitely want to come back to try out their other curries and appetizers... and of course order another plate of ... all for myself, of course.
You can check out their website here, and Facebook page here.
Although the menu is a tad bit pricy, it is ABSOLUTELY WORTH EVERY PENNY! You're not just paying for the ambience, mind you - it's everything, and my God, it's an amazing package deal. The food, the atmosphere, the staff - Malis does not disappoint.
Malis Restaurant
#136, Street 41, Norodom Blvd., Phnom Penh
Open daily, from 6am to 10pm
I've been making quite a big deal of places a must-visit here in Phnom Penh, but I'm dead serious about it being an absolute sin to come to Phnom Penh without dining at Malis! It'd be so wrong! Because of the price, I'd definitely suggest that you splurge on Malis on your last night in the city - you won't regret every dime spent here. So you know, save up for this luxurious treat! If that means eating by the little cafes they have set up by the side of the road at the beginning of your trip, then so be it. Your meal at Malis Restaurant will be so worth it. I kid you not.
I would definitely recommend you make a reservation at Malis before dropping by, as even though they do accept walk-ins and the place big, it can get pretty full especially during peak dining times (lunch and dinner). We made our reservations for 6:30pm on a weekday, and so it wasn't as busy (yet) and we were also given the choice of seating at either the outdoor or indoor area.
Having gone and tried quite a number of restaurants here in Phnom Penh, I have got to admit, Malis Restaurant was the absolute best! In my opinion, you won't find anything better. Yes, I realize I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself as I do still have a few days left of sight-seeing here in the city, but in my honest, honest opinion, I don't think anything else will be able to live up to the beauty that is Malis.
You can check out their website here, and Facebook page here.
Although the menu is a tad bit pricy, it is ABSOLUTELY WORTH EVERY PENNY! You're not just paying for the ambience, mind you - it's everything, and my God, it's an amazing package deal. The food, the atmosphere, the staff - Malis does not disappoint.
#136, Street 41, Norodom Blvd., Phnom Penh
Open daily, from 6am to 10pm
I've been making quite a big deal of places a must-visit here in Phnom Penh, but I'm dead serious about it being an absolute sin to come to Phnom Penh without dining at Malis! It'd be so wrong! Because of the price, I'd definitely suggest that you splurge on Malis on your last night in the city - you won't regret every dime spent here. So you know, save up for this luxurious treat! If that means eating by the little cafes they have set up by the side of the road at the beginning of your trip, then so be it. Your meal at Malis Restaurant will be so worth it. I kid you not.
I would definitely recommend you make a reservation at Malis before dropping by, as even though they do accept walk-ins and the place big, it can get pretty full especially during peak dining times (lunch and dinner). We made our reservations for 6:30pm on a weekday, and so it wasn't as busy (yet) and we were also given the choice of seating at either the outdoor or indoor area.
Having gone and tried quite a number of restaurants here in Phnom Penh, I have got to admit, Malis Restaurant was the absolute best! In my opinion, you won't find anything better. Yes, I realize I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself as I do still have a few days left of sight-seeing here in the city, but in my honest, honest opinion, I don't think anything else will be able to live up to the beauty that is Malis.
Happy discovering!
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