Phnom Penh: The Birdcage Boutique

The Birdcage Boutique, gay-friendly hotel in Phnom Penh

The Birdcage Boutique used to be a rather tired, gay-friendly, small, hotel, but about six months ago, new management took over the place. The Birdcage Boutique is still both gay and friendly (and gay friendly, in case you wonder). Two of the chefs are from Singapore, and The Birdcage Boutique has had some hype and good reviews for its recently-introduced Singapore ‘Pasar Malam’ menu, available at weekends and on Tuesdays. It is not expensive and has a small, but good selection of mains and Singapore snacks, such as curry puffs, though no interesting cakes or desserts as of yet. Mr. Pheap’s Murtabak (bread with minced meat filling) was good and my chicken coconut curry was ok, except that the chicken pieces had been breaded, which I personally didn’t care for, though I would return to try other dishes. They also offer Khmer dishes, which we may return to try. The shady garden courtyard setting is relaxing and there is a pool. It’s very central, just off the Monument roundabout, and would be good for a casual lunch or supper, or drinks with snacks, as they have a well-stocked bar.

They need to upgrade the seating and general fittings, as those they have inherited are rather shabby now, but the young manager is very enthusiastic so hopefully, when they have more tourist trade, they will turn their attention to these kind of issues.

Price level: Most mains are $5.50-$8, snacks & small plates are $2.50

Who should go? The Birdcage Boutique is a very friendly and welcoming place. Good for casual lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks.

Watch Chic Critiques’ video from Birdcage Boutique below:


The Birdcage Hotel and Restaurant, #21, St 262, 12207 Phnom Penh, Tel. +855 (0)16 238 999

Birdcage Boutique Phnom Penh map

Phnom Penh: Shiva Shakti – North Indian Restaurant

Shiva Shakti - Northern Indian Restaurant - Phnom Penh Guide - Pilots + Cabin Crew

Shiva Shakti is a very good place for North Indian food. The restaurant is well-established and popular with the Indian Embassy crowd, and for visitors who prefer a more recognizable kind of Indian restaurant. Shiva Shakti is well-priced with good-sized portions, suitable for a relaxed, informal dinner. The central location also makes the restaurant a good choice after a ramble through nearby Boeng Keng Kang market with its mix of clothes, new and secondhand , florists and local fruits and vegetables.

What to order? Butter chicken with dhal and aloo paratha would be good choices.

In the video below, Mr. Alan from (h)A.N.D. and Ms. Geraldine from Sunrise Cambodia meet for lunch at Shiva Shakti:


Shiva Shakti, 17 Preah Trasak Paem St. (63), Phnom Penh 12301, Cambodia

Shiva Shakti Phnom Penh map

Phnom Penh: Farm to Table

Farm to Table, Phnom Penh restaurants

Farm to Table is a restaurant specializing in local produce, organic whenever possible, with vegan/vegetarian choices. The restaurant has a good-sized menu, not overlong, and mains are in the $7 – $9.00 range. On the menu, there is also a selection of puddings and cocktails, as well as daily/weekly specials. They pride themselves on fresh ingredients and offer a ‘green bowl’ salad as their signature dish, though we had roast sea bass and grilled chicken (inspired by the free-range hens running freely around!) which were both very good, with flavorful sauces and vegetables. It is good to leave room for the puddings, which, when we were there, included seasonal pumpkin pie, together with warm brownies, and a rich chocolate mousse, all in the $3.00 / $4.00 range.

Farm to Table is delightful in the evenings under canopies and trees, quite an oasis in an otherwise busy part of Phnom Penh. It is a very good place for casual dinner and especially good for those with toddlers or young children as there is a dedicated play area with pretend kitchen, a real tractor to climb over, and rubber-tyre elephants to ride. The staff are very well-trained and service is swift; it is spacious and relaxed (remark: If anything, the bathroom area could do with a little renovation :)… but a few places here have become a tad run down over Covid). They also cater for private parties and groups, and are very well-established, having been founded by a dedicated lover of local and organic produce.

Farm to Table is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily.

Watch the video below! Chic Critiques, aka Mr. Alan & Mr. Pheap from Phnom Penh fair fashion brand (h)A.N.D visit Farm to Table:


Farm to Table, #16, St 360, Phnom Penh, Tel.078 899 722

Farm to Table Phnom Penh map

Phnom Penh: Healthy food at Backyard Cafe

Backyard Cafe, Phnom Penh Guide

Backyard Cafe is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant, quite centrally located, near Royal Palace. The cafe is very popular among expats, which shows in the price level, which is slightly above other vegetarian restaurants in Phnom Penh.

Backyard Cafe has a good selection of cakes and the cafe also makes their own brand of sauces and other products to buy to take away. In spite of the name, Backyard Cafe feels more like a restaurant than a cafe, and the food served is also somewhat heartier than the smoothies and bowls served at their sister cafe Vibe, which makes Backyard Cafe suitable for both lunch and dinner.

What to order? We’ve been through most of the menu, and the food is consistently tasty and portions are big. Remember to save some space for dessert.

Watch the video when Chic Critiques, aka Mr. Alan & Mr. Pheap from Phnom Penh fair fashion brand (h)A.N.D, visit Backyard Cafe below:


Backyard Cafe, 11B Street 246, Phnom Penh, Tel: 078 751 715

Backyard Cafe Phnom Penh map

Phnom Penh: Café Honest

Café Honest, Phnom Penh

Café Honest is a cozy, trendy and instagrammable café, located in Noromall, BKK1. It all started with a woodworking school that quickly evolved into a furniture store (Honest Wood) and a cafe. The owners are Korean and the vibe of the cafe is very similar to the chic cafes, which Seoul is known for, but besides the picturesque place, their baked cheesecake is delightful, it’s creamy, smooth, and melts right in your mouth! It is not too sweet which was very nice. Some people claim that Café Honest have the best cheesecake in Phnom Penh, and I can’t disagree with that, so if you are around the area you definitely do not want to miss out on it. They have many other types of cakes, made with Korean flour, drinks, and desserts on the menu such as macarons and a variety of coffee options which are fairly priced. So if you are craving some delicious desserts, I recommend Café Honest.


Café Honest, #199 Street Preah Norodom Blvd (41), Phnom Penh

Café Honest Phnom Penh map

Café Honest, Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh: Udon Bar Moriiya

Udon Bar Moriiya, Phnom Penh Guide

Udon Bar Moriiya is a casual Japanese restaurant in BKK1. The udon (thick Japanese noodles) of course takes center stage, but the menu also features a good selection of casual Japanese food, as well as different lunch set menu, which are great value for money.

Compared to other lunch spots in Phnom Penh, Udon Bar is in the more expensive bracket, but compared to the US and Europe, it is cheap with most dishes at less than $5.

If you like Sichuan Dan Dan noodles (noodles in a spicy sesame sauce) you would probably like the Tan-Tan Udon, which is a Japanese version of the Chinese favorite.

Best for: Udon Bar Moriiya is best for lunch, but they are also open for dinner.

Watch the video of Chic Critiques, aka Mr. Alan & Mr. Pheap from Phnom Penh fair fashion brand (h)A.N.D at Udon Bar Moriiya below:


Udon Bar Moriiya, Street 282, Samdach Louis Em, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Udon Bar Moriiya Phnom Penh map

Faroe Islands: Bitin in Tórshavn

Bitin in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Guide

Bitin is a new cafe in Tórshavn, specializing in modern Nordic sandwiches. The tempting selection of sandwiches attracts a large crowd, especially around lunch time, when the cafe quickly fills up with nearby office workers.

Two sandwiches would probably be enough for most people, but if you bring a friend, you can always share, and thus sample more. If you are curious, and brave, you might want to try Bitin’s sandwich version of the traditional Faroese dish, Ræstur Fiskur (fermented fish).

What to order? The unpeeled shrimp is a particularly good deal. Enough for lunch for one person.

Best for: Bitin is best for lunch


Bitin, 12 Niels Finsens gøta, Tórshavn

Bitin Torshavn Faroe Islands map

Phnom Penh: Radio Coffee

Brand new coffee shop in an up-and-coming neighborhood just south of central Phnom Penh. At first glance, Radio Coffee looks a bit like Brown (the big, home-grown cafe chain in Cambodia) but Radio Coffee is very much its own. Furthermore, it is halal, which which is also quite unusual, at least for trendy coffee shops in Phnom Penh.

The coffee shop caters to the young office worker crowd in the neighborhood, but the coffee is so good, it is worth the ~ $3 tuk-tuk drive from the city center. In addition to coffee, the cafe also serves a selection of non-caffeinated drinks as well as food items such as burgers, steaks and sandwiches. The price level at Radio Caffee is standard-Phnom-Penh-fancy-coffee-shop. Frappés are $2.65, teas are $3.35 and juices are $2.65 (August 2021).

Watch the video review below of Radio Coffee by our Phnom Penh local experts Chic Critiques, Alan and Mr. Pheap from (h)A.N.D. Artisan Designer:


Radio Coffee, 106, Street 371, Dang Kor District, Tel: 011779779/010696567

Radio Coffee Phnom Penh map

Tokyo: Kikanbo – Devil Spicy Ramen

Kikanbo, spicy ramen in Tokyo

For fans of spicy ramen, there is no way around Kikanbo. The miso based broth is cooked on pork bone, chicken bone and different kinds of vegetables in more than 10 hours. Chili oil made from a well-balanced mix of six kinds of red peppers brings the heat to the bowl, which is then topped with braised pork belly, baby corn and bean sprouts and egg, and drizzled with more red pepper to create the requested level of spiciness.

There are five level of spiciness ranges from Non-spicy to Devil Spicy, and while it might be tempting to see if you can handle Devil Spicy, we strongly advice against it, as you will most likely end up with a bruning mouth and an untouched bowl of ramen. Level 2 – level 3 is suitable for most people.

Kikanbo is a typical Japanese ramen restaurant, so it is not a place to hang around for hours. Considering that there is usually a line outside, it is also common courtesy not to sit around for too long.

A bowl of spicy ramen is 1000 yen (August 2021)


Kikanbo Kanda (the original branch), 2 Chome-10-9 Kajicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo

Address in Japanese: 〒101-0044 東京都千代田区鍛冶町2丁目10−9

Kikanbo Spicy ramen Tokyo

Phnom Penh: House Boutique Eco Hotel

House Boutique Eco Hotel in Phnom Penh

House Boutique Eco Hotel is a bright and cozy eco-friendly oasis in the heart of Phnom Penh. The 25 rooms at the hotel all have ensuite bathrooms and are tastefully decorated, and the hotel has a warm, welcoming vibe.

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel restaurant’s semi-open dining area next to the pool, before venturing out to explore Phnom Penh. You have some of the city’s nicest restaurants, cafes and bars within walking distance, and most of the city’s sightseeing and attractions are only a short tuk-tuk ride away, making the hotel an ideal base for exploring the city.

House Boutique Eco Hotel is owned and run by Mrs. Vannary San, who is also the founder of the ethical fashion brand Lotus Silk. The hotel continuously work on reducing waste and implementing more sustainable processes which shows in everything from the ethically made room decor, to the use of local suppliers for amenities.

Who should stay at House Boutique Eco Hotel? Eco-conscious travelers who want a comfortable stay at a prime location in Phnom Penh.


House Boutique Eco Hotel, No 76, Street 57, Phnom Penh (Between Mao Tse Toung and Beoung Keng Kang Market), Chamkar Mon, Phnom Penh

House Boutique Eco Hotel Phnom Penh