In the past few years Phnom Penh has played host to a seemingly never-ending influx of bars and restaurants
Spoilt For Choice
There are now more than 140 in town catering to the Western market alone
When the Green Vespa opened in late 2004, and our first issue was going to press, there were about half a dozen bars in the vicinity of St 104, a number that has now comfortably doubled. While many have closed or changed hands, the choice of bars continues to grow at a steady pace.
Hostess bars have multiplied, too, in the past year or so with a stock formula involving low lighting, generally good music and plenty of female company, with many such places clustered around St 104, 108 and 136.
The riverfront continues to develop with the recently expanded La Croisette and El Mundo competing with newcomers such as Huxleys and the Cadillac Bar. Chow (the latest offering from the folks behind the FCC and Pacharan) looks to have set a new standard of sophistication, while Metro continues to attract a loyal crowd of expatriates and affluent Khmers.
Such development comes at a cost, however, as customers of the ever-popular California 2 will know. Cali will shut its doors around the middle of May, though it’s rumoured the revamped Monsoon on 104 may become the new venue of choice for Cali’s regulars. Despite all the changes, the old guard remain as popular as ever and appear resilient to competition. FCC, Riverhouse, Shanghai, Sharky, Martini, Walkabout, the Heart and Howie’s have upwards of five years of business behind them and continue to thrive, despite the arrival of so many young pretenders.
At the end of the day, though, it’s the customer that benefits and Phnom Penh now offers something for everyone, from five-star sophistication to the simplicity of a simple shophouse bar and a great deal in between.
JOBS
