Olala — Restaurant in Khan Daun Penh

I frequent this place often when in Phnom Penh on visa runs and have generally found it to be decent affordable fare. I usually go there for breakfast and coffee and sit outside where they seem to allow every huckster, beggar and trinket salesperson to incessantly harass customers. Beyond that, it seemed a decent place to eat until I went there yesterday and had a quite miserable experience. Ate breakfast, bill was $7.50. Paid with a $100 bill I got from an ABA bank ATM. The bank charges $5 for the transaction, so I am already down $5. The waitress leaves with my money to take it inside, presumably to get change, then returns and says they don’t want my $100 because it has a small (so freaking tiny) rip in it. Ask me for riel, but all I have is about $4 in riel. Ask me for credit card, I tell them it’s Thai and doesn’t work, I tried at a hotel yesterday. Then some European guy butts in telling me to use my card, that Cambodia has a counterfeit money problem. I tell him that is their problem, not mine. They can take my 100 or thanks for the free breakfast. They call a security guard. Then they want me to go with them to a place that will change my bill. I ask why they can do that, but not take my money and just go to their money change place later. Nope. So we walk there and the woman wants $5 for her “service.” Now my $7.50 breakfast is $12.50! Plus the bank’s $5 transaction fee. I was pissed. Such a lousy, petty and obvious scam. I’ll never spend another Riel in...

I used to like this place and to be fair the food is still good and the location is obviously the same but my negative review is largely based on a recent experience where I was with two dinner companions both of whom are local Cambodian and the waitress who served us brought with her a bad attitude from the very. My two companions were not sure about some items on the menu but when they asked the waitress for help she literally told them in Khmer why don't you look at it more carefully before asking me. When I asked her another question in English she loudly sighed and looked at me as though I was asking for her kidney. My dinner companions were gracious and went with the flow but I of course called over another waitress to complain and asked if I could see the manager. They told me the manager or rather the owner doesn't speak English so it might be hard to get my point of cross but then the other waitresses admitted to me that the rude waitress was new on the job about two or three weeks at that time which means probably close to 4 or 5 weeks on the job by this point. Hopefully she gets fired before anyone else has to suffer her poor attitude. Anyway the good news is that the River road is full of other corner...

Monday evening at 6:00. LOTS of street traffic, so a bit loud outside. While there is a river view, at night that means lights and reflections. Even though there is a hedge, street vendors come directly to the outside tables and people asking for money speak to guests over/through the hedge. All responded well to “no thank you.”

I started with Fried Calamari with Sweet Chili Sauce. Tender. Gently fried. Tasty. $4.00

My entree was Mushroom Soup with Garlic Toast. On its own, the soup could have had a bit more seasoning. However, the garlic toast created a perfect balance. $4.50

The service was quick and friendly. Overall a good experience at this French-influenced eatery in the touristy Riverside area.

(Though I have lived in Phnom Penh for over 2 years, I will always be a tourist. This is part of a stay-cation where I visited a part of town I rarely get to...