This restaurant in Bengaluru goes beyond its Cambodian name and serves treats from all over the Orient

You know when a restaurant’s name sounds like it was plucked from a travel brochure and you turn up expecting monks, lemongrass and possibly enlightenment? That was us, waddling into Kampot on Sarjapura Road — not exactly the centre of Bengaluru — expecting hyper-regional Cambodian cuisine. What we got instead? A flavour fiesta that could give SAARC a run for its money.

First off, the ambience. Let’s just say Sarjapura Road’s charm is... an acquired taste. But step inside and suddenly you’re in a cheerful oasis of beautiful lights, eclectic décor and a smell that whispers sweet, Asian nothings to you. We were seated quickly and dove headfirst into the menu like it owed us money.

We began with soups — because we’re classy like that. The Eight Treasure Prawn Soup promised mystery and marine life; and served; while the Shanxi Crab Meat Soup didn’t disappoint either. They were both so heartwarming we considered reordering them, but we’re glad we didn’t. The menu here is huge! It was the sides, however, that truly stole the spotlight: Tai Pei Cauliflower Konjee Crispy Fry, Jiang’s Chilli Prawns and the Crispy Ginger Prawns.

Now for the main event — and reader, we did not hold back. Our table looked like an international summit of protein: Fish Amok Bhetki, Tangra Style Chowmein Chicken — both from Kolkata’s streets; Non-Veg Khowsuey from Myanmar, Pork Bun Cha from Vietnam, Lamb Chops (yes, really), Cilantro Chicken Dumplings, Blue Pea Asparagus Dumplings, Banh Mi Pork and even a Philadelphia Salmon Roll because, well, sushi is now also Cambodian-adjacent, no?

The staff kindly gave us smaller portions, which was ideal because otherwise we’d have rolled out of there like dumplings ourselves. Need we really tell you how good all these dishes were? Cause, they were oh-so-good! To drink, we sipped on Taro Milk Boba, Green Melon Boba, Tropical Sunrise, Cherry Cola, Vietnamese Iced Coffee and a Tiramisu Mix Boba and each one was more delightful than the last and perfectly paired with everything. It was like magic and we recommend them all!

We could have eaten more; but before gluttony got the better of us, we wrapped up our meal with three desserts — Water Chestnut in Coconut Milk, Mango Sticky Rice (a literal hug from Thailand) and a Caramel Custard. They were all perfectly executed and brought us even closer to a food coma — something we were really trying to avoid. All in all, this meal was good and is highly recommended for the hungry, the curious and anyone who believes calories consumed on Sarjapura Road don’t count. Because, let’s face it, you’ll burn through the calories getting back home, irrespective of where you stay in the city, Sarjapura Road included.

Meal for two: INR 1,800 onwards.  At Sarjapura Road.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

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