Kampuchea and Lambrusco - Uncommon Bedfellows

Hello Foodies,

What Kampuchea and Lambrusco have in common is Kampuchean street food that is served up expertly by chef Raffa at Kampuchea Noodle Bar located on the corner of Rivington and Allan Sts on the lower Eastside of New York. The lambrusco is the chef's favorite bottle of wine on his wine list. Order it - you won't be sorry!

Here are my faves from the menu. First enjoy the Cambodian Hot 'small' Plates - indulge in Tamarind Baby Back Ribs with Cilantro & Lime Dip. The meat falls off the bone and hopefully, directly into your mouth - you don't want to miss a morsel. Also, know that you can get an entree-size portion for a few bucks more. It's a deal. The Lemongrass Quail served with lime and black pepper sauce - confirm that delicious things come in small packages. The Skirt Steak with toasted coriander and sambal chili melts in your mouth.

Five Cambodian Savory Crepes are offered on the menu. I've tried the Shitake mushroom, soybeans and butternut squash crepe - superb. The squash adds lovely sweetness to the earthiness of the mushrooms. And I've tried the Chopped Jumbo Tiger Shrimp and Red Onions Crepe - good but the flavor was a bit muddied. Your waiter explains the proper way to eat these crepes. Don't wear gloves.

Then there are specialty noodle soups called 'Katiev', rice soups, stews and cold noodle dishes. Of these, the Oxtail Stew steals the show and the unexpected garlic bread is a delicious surprise. The Chilled Flat Noodle dish with seared chili tiger shrimp, crispy pork belly, chives, cucumber, lettuce hearts, hoisin and chili sauce is wonderful too. The other one I've tasted is Bwah Moun that comes with jasmine rice, chicken broth, organic chicken breast, tiger shrimp, ginger, Thai chili, lime juice, sprouts & herbs - makes you smile between bites.

My two complaints are as follows: the prices for the wine and beer are a bit pricey and the street food is also a bit overpriced but I guess this is the trend. The other complaint is that if you are a party of two - you are seated with other people and seated close. You have no privacy. So sit at the bar at least you can have a private conversation. We couldn't get passed the weirdness of the people seated next to us. The first time I went was with two dear friends and that was fine!

Enough complaining from me. Let us know if you go!

Enjoy,

the Forks