Num Banhchok, or Fermented Rice Noodles with Fish Curry by Sophath, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Num Banhchok, or Fermented Rice Noodles with Fish Curry

by Sophath, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

On a warm and sultry evening in Phnom Penh, I arrived with two local friends at Sophath, an old-school noodle restaurant located near Wat Botum Park and the Independence Monument for a bowl of num banchok, an iconic Cambodian noodle dish that is eaten all throughout the day.

Special thanks to Lost Plate Food Tours (https://lostplate.com/), who operate fantastic food tours out of China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Portland, Oregon. I joined Lost Plate on an evening food tour in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and it was one of the best travel experiences I've had.

num banchok in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Num banchok is a staple of Cambodian cuisine. The dish is made from a bowl of lightly fermented rice noodles served in a rich and herbal fish curry sauce. The num banchok that I had was made from snakehead fish caught locally in the Mekong River.

These special noodles are traditionally handmade through a meticulous and time-consuming process, making the dish truly special. Served warm, the noodles are topped with a warm fish curry made with coconut milk, kaffir lime, finger root, turmeric, and other spices, and finished with herbs of your choice. 

I was served a huge heaping plate of various local herbs to add to my dish, each adding a distinct flavor, texture, and aroma to my noodles.

The flavors are excellent! The curry is heavily spiced without being spicy (it's got a very mild but pleasant heat offset by the coconut milk and herbs), and although it's considered an everyday food, it feels far more luxurious than it is.

The dish is so quintessential and important to Cambodian culinary culture the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts have submitted a joint application for num banhchok to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists!

fermented noodles with snakehead fish curry at Sophath, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I enjoyed my meal with a glass of fresh iced sugarcane juice.

Freshly squeezed sugarcane juice has a light, herbal, almost grassy flavor. It's super refreshing on a hot day! Even though it's made from sugarcane, it isn't as overwhelmingly sweet as you might expect. Instead, the drink has a very mild sweetness and goes really well with a hot or spicy dish.

a glass of refreshing iced sugarcane juice

Location

Sophath Restaurant is located at # 78 Street 07 Sangkat Chaktomok, 12207, Cambodia very close to Wat Botum Park and the Cambodian Independence Monument.

The restaurant is open daily from 7:00 am until 8:00 pm.

Sophath Restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

When you're in the area, pay a visit to the Independence Monument (វិមានឯករាជ្យ), which was built in 1958 to memorialize Cambodia's independence from France just five years earlier.

The monument is built in the form of a lotus-shaped stupa, reminiscent of the ancient architectural style of Banteaya Srei and other historical sites at the Angkor Historical Park and throughout the country. The monument was designed by famed Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann.

Just across a beautiful expanse of park where people congregate in the evening to walk, jog, and meet up with friends stands another monument built in 2013 to honor the late King Norodom Sihanouk.

Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia