Makila Restaurant — Restaurant in Khan Boeng Keng Kang

So I been wanting to try Makila restaurant on the ground-floor of the Novotel in BKK1 with my wife, and wow… what a massive disappointment. We were hungry and curious about this new place since we had a great experience at the Skybar above a few times now.

Ordered the mushroom soup (fine, nothing special) and the duck dish, which was an absolute train wreck. First clue it was going to be a bad experience it was empty during prime time lunch. As someone who has owned multiple restaurants and bars, I know what should and shouldn’t happen in a kitchen—and this was a masterclass in what NOT to do.

The duck? Overcooked, dry, and utterly flavorless. Duck should be medium-rare, not turned into jerky. The mushroom sauce was passable, the mashed potatoes were fine, but the pathetic drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette glaze sauce used as decoration instead of flavoring. It looked like a mistake, and honestly, it was. They could’ve at least caramelized the duck with the glaze and some minced garlic in the pan for depth, but no—we got a sad, overcooked, uninspired mess. Guys at a minimum ADD SALT 🧂 for some flavor 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

For a fusion restaurant, this was a fusion of disappointment and regret. Do better, Makila. 🔥👎 Personally just fire the crew and start over with the menu and training of the team, the current team can’t even...

During my business trip to Phnom Penh, I had the chance to dine at Makila Restaurant, located in the lobby of the Novotel Hotel downtown. I happened to meet a client there for lunch, and since it was a weekend, the only option available was the buffet.

Since we were already there, we decided to give it a try — and I’m glad we did! The seafood selection was impressive, definitely up to a five-star hotel standard. From different kinds of shrimp to fresh oysters, everything tasted fresh and delicious. The only regret? No lobster on the menu.

As a dessert lover, I was especially impressed by the dessert bar — honestly, it could rival a dedicated pastry shop outside. Everything looked and tasted amazing!

For weekends, the buffet is priced at around USD 35 per person (about USD 40 with service charge), which I’d say is pretty reasonable for the quality.

Overall, a great spot if you’re in Phnom Penh and want to enjoy a satisfying hotel buffet with standout seafood...

Fantastic restaurant! I had dinner and free-flow breakfast at Makila restaurant, the atmosphere is cosy and the area very fancy! the highlight is the quality of the service : all the staff was really friendly and helpful with us, giving us advice and ensuring that we were comfortable. The basquaise dinner is a must-try: We ordered as starters foie gras and chicheron salad: a culinary delight ! For main courses we got the famous basquaise dish: Chicken basquaise with rice and duck magrais with mushroom and mashed potatoes... Both were Delicious. Unfortunately we hadn't enough place in our stomach for desserts 😜 We had also two delicious basquaise cocktails.

The unlimited breakfast was again a delight: I had succulent eggs Benedicts, pancakes and waffles with honey & chocolate sauce, fresh fruits, yoghurt and muesli, as well as banana bread cake... A must-go for...