I loved Phnom Penh before I knew I had Celiac Disease, and was one of the places I sorely missed when I realized soy sauce, the foremost ingredient in asian cooking contains gluten. whenever my friends were heading there for dinner or getting takeout, I would sigh and moan because I figured there wouldn’t be anything on the menu that is gluten free. all that changed about a year ago when a friend of mine, who frequents this place almost every friday night, and speaks Cantonese, decided I should just come and give it a try, and she would enquire with the staff about what I might be able to eat. I was ecstatic to find there are a few things without gluten, and could not believe I had missed out on four years of eating here!
at Phnom Penh it’s a bit of a game of musical chairs ordering gluten free, but it’s absolutely worth it. the photo above is of one of my favorite dishes, the Phnom Penh Dry Rice Noodle (no.2), which comes with seafood, pork slices, ground pork, and dried shrimp. you have to order this without the special sauce though, I always get the fish sauce instead, or you can order it with broth (no.1). each costs $6, really good value. another nice dish is the papaya salad, but you have to ask for it without the beef jerky since it contains soy sauce, or ask for it on the side if you are sharing dishes at your table (asian style dining). for something green, try the sautéed pea tips.
two other dishes which I would love to recommend are the famous Phnom Penh Deep Fried Chicken Wings and the Phnom Penh Spicy Garlic Spareribs, but I cannot at this time be certain they are totally gluten free. the first time I enquired about ingredients via my friend, the owner Solange assured me that these are coated in corn starch not flour, and I have eaten them numerous times without getting sick afterward, however when I ate here last week, the wait staff couldn’t verify this, and Solange wasn’t around to ask, so I didn’t order them. I stuck to my favorite noodle number two. I will re-post with an update as soon as I can confirm the ingredients with the owners. until then, eat at your own risk, and ask questions before you order. there are many, many items on the menu for your non-Celiac friends to enjoy!
there are several desserts that are gluten free, my favorites are the taro with coconut milk and the caramel custard (like flan). this place is extremely popular, and is busy every night of the week, with line ups out the door. they will take reservations for groups of six or more, and you can always get take out, but the busy and noisy room are all part of the experience here! give it a try and let us know what you think. Happy New Year! Andrea.
map
Share
Posts
2 comments:
I recently was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and I have really missed Asian foods! I just found your blog today and have found it so helpful! I'm going to go to Phnom Penh this weekend.
Thank you!
Hi Cydney, thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, but at the same time happy to hear you know what it is! As you may know many people go undiagnosed for a long time. Robyn and I are so happy to hear the blog has helped you. Enjoy Phnom Penh, I love it there. Let us know how you made out! All the best, Andrea.
Post a Comment