By the looks of things La Papilles Enchantées is not the k9ind of restaurant you end up accidentally and indeed it was not how I got there. Located way out in the Kep boonies said restaurant offers French and Khmer food, as well as a fare range of Italian via its French owners.
In fact this is the kind of place that really epitomizes everything that is Kep. Mainly the fact that since colonial times there have always been a lot of French people doing food, even if bugger all people come.
This though is not necessarily a bad thing of course and it was for me anyway a recondition from the good people at Kilimandjaro In Siem Reap that led me here.
Table of Contents
What the La Papilles Enchantées?
Les Papilles Enchantées is a small French-run restaurant that opened last year and is already carving out a niche in Kep. It’s managed by a French couple who’ve been cooking in Cambodia for over 16 years, so they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to blending local produce with proper technique.
It’s attached to a guesthouse, though not in a forced way, more like a place where you wonder whether the rooms came first or the food did. Located about 15 minutes from the Kep Crab Market by tuk tuk, it’s a quiet and about weird, but hey so is Kep.
The Menu and the Food
The menu is actually much less French that I had expected, sintered focussing on Italian fare like pasta and pizza, but also throwing in Khmer classics like fried rice and noodles among others. Being Kep there is also a tilt towards seafood with the crab lasagna apparently being the signature dish. This was what I went for as alas not everything was available.
I also sadly had to get it takeaway as well being in the boonies getting Grab is not exactly easy. I did though manage a few beers before the food came. Atmosphere was nice and there were a few expats (no idea why they were in this part of town) having drinks, as well as the odd Khmer family staying at the guesthouse that popped through.
The lasagna I have to say was pretty decent, but with hindsight I am not sure I would have ventured so far out of town had I known I might end up stuck there. Indeed hindsight tells me what with taxi and all that was fairly expensive bit of pasta.
Where the La Papilles Enchantées?
La Papilles Enchantées
Address: AH123, Krong Kaeb 22000, Kep, Cambodia
Worth it if you are in the area, but probably not worth beelining too. Although I am told a new lounge just opened nearby….
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