2013 Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh

Looking for the 2015 list? Check out the best 2015 Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh.

Here’s the Move to Cambodia round-up of the best Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh for 2013 with a good mix of budget and upscale options. If you know of others, please leave details in the comment section.

Christmas in Cambodia

There’s a lot more Christmas in Cambodia than you might expect.

Hagar Restaurant

Hagar is having their yearly buffet on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On the 24th and 25th they are offering a buffet dinner that costs $20 for adults and $10 for kids 10 and under. On the 25th they are also offering lunch buffet at $17 for adults and $10 for kids. This year they’ll have a roast lamb as the main, with lots of sides, accompaniments and starters, including seafood and soup, but no turkey this year. There will be several desserts that will include cookies and homemade apple pie. Reservations are required. T: 070 221 501

44 Street 310, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 010 333 095
hagarcatering.com

Aussie XL

Aussie XL does a great value Christmas dinner of roast turkey with stuffing, honey-glazed ham and roast pork with roast potatoes and vegetables, pumpkin and a pudding with custard for $15.95 per person starting at 12:00 on Christmas day. Reservations suggested as they will book up fast. T: 023 301 001

205A Street 51 (Pasteur), Phnom Penh
T: 023 301 001
aussiexl.com

Alley Cat Cafe

Alley Cat always puts on a great holiday feed, and this year promises to be no different. On Christmas Day they are offering a three-course menu for $20 per person. The meal with start with mussels in a fresh tomato and basil broth, then a plate of turkey and ham with mixed roasted vegetables, green bean casserole, red cabbage with apricot and balsamic vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, a deviled egg, cranberries and a dinner roll. If you’re not too stuffed, they give you a choice of pumpkin pie or cheesecake for dessert. There’s a single seating from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and reservations are advised, call 012 306 845.

42, Street 19z, Phnom Penh
T: 012 306 845
facebook.com/AlleyCatCafeCambodia

FCC

The FCC is back with their yearly offering on December 24th and 25th, offering a set menu for $31.50++ per person that includes a glass of sparkling wine. The menu consists of a starter of duck and chicken terrine en croute with foie gras and micro-salad, roast turkey with roasted vegetables and potatoes with all the trimmings and a cranberry jus, and baked Alaska for dessert. Call for reservations: T: 023 224 014

363 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh
T:023 724 014
fcccambodia.com

Paddy Rice

Paddy Rice is offering a two or three-course Christmas lunch and dinner on the 25th of December. Lunch runs from noon til 2:30 p.m. and dinner is at 6:00 til 8:30 p.m. You’ll be greeted with a glass of Buck’s Fizz on arrival, then a classic prawn cocktail and then onto a traditional roast turkey and ham dinner with brussels sprouts, sausage wrapped in bacon, stuffing balls, bread sauce, roast potatoes and vegetables, gravy and cranberry sauce. For dessert there’s a fruit trifle. Cost is $19.50 for two courses and $22.50 for three courses, and if you book a table of four in advance, they’ll throw in a free bottle of wine.

213 Sisowath Quay (at the corner of Street 136), Phnom Penh
T: 023 990 321; 017 773 102
paddyrice.net

Tepui at Chinese House

Tepui is doing a Christmas Eve dinner this year that is less traditional than some of the other offerings, but promises to be delicious. The five-course dinner starts with a glass of prosecco, then a foie gras terrine with fig jam. Next comes a seafood bisque with coconut and lemongrass, roast sea bass with sweet potato mash and pickle vinaigrette, and a pork tenderloin with homemade polenta, ceps juice and cherry tomato confit. For dessert there are carrot mini-muffins with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream and to finish it off, a digestif of dessert wine. The cost is $55 per person, and you can make reservations via Facebook or email info@tepui.asia

45 Sisowath Quay, in front of Phnom Penh Port, Phnom Penh
T: 023 991 514
tepui.asia

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Christmas

Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh all decked out for Christmas.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal

If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, Raffles has several very swish options. There’s the ‘European Christmas Market Dinner‘ on the 24th of December, held in their Cafe Monivong from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m. with Christmas carols by the Khmer Children’s Choir at 7:30 p.m. For the kids, there’s a special buffet with favorites of the shorter set, along with movie screenings to keep them occupied. The menu will feature smoked salmon, roast turkey, roast beef, cheeses, yule log cake and many more (you can email for the full menu). Price is $110++* for adults, and includes signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices, $55 for kids between 6 and 12 and children under 5 eat for free.

On the 25th of December Raffles have a ‘Santa Claus Buffet Brunch‘ from noon until 3 p.m. in the hotel lobby. The price is $110++ inclusive of signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices, $150++ inclusive of unlimited Taittinger Brut Champagne or $170++ inclusive of unlimited Taittinger Rose Champagne. They’ve yet to release the details of the food buffet, but it seems likely that those who are signing up for this boozy brunch aren’t there for the food, anyway. Also on the evening of the 25th of December, they have a ‘Christmas Night Market Buffet‘ at Café Monivong from 6:00 to 10:30 p.m. for $95++ inclusive of signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices. There’s a sushi and sashimi buffet, a salmon counter, a seafood counter, salad bar, a selection of Asian and international hot foods, carvery, cold cuts, cheeses, soups, and desserts. Basically the menu is very long and you’ll leave stuffed. The fancy-shmancy option on the 25th is their Le Royal dinner, for $125++ per person with a glass of Champagne or $175++ per person with wine pairing (5 wines, you do the math). The menu features a seafood platter of mussels Florentine, tuna tartar, salmon gravelax, shrimp croquet, lobster risotto then onto a red cabbage velouté and sweet basil and cayenne sherbet, rosemary-crusted lamb chops, roasted potato cake with port wine-scented just, Le Royal farmhouse cheese selection trolley, roasted duckling with grand mariner-orange sauce, tiramisu log (of the yule variety?) with galliano coffee cream.

Dress accordingly and reservations required: T: 023 981 888.

92 Rukhak Vithea Daun Penh (near Wat Phnom), Phnom Penh
T: 023 981 888
raffles.com

InterContinental Hotel

The Phnom Penh InterCon also has several Christmas activities and options, starting with a ‘White Christmas Dinner‘ on December 24th, although the title may refer to the skin color of their target audience rather than the possibility of snow. In the Regency Cafe they’ll be offering a lavish buffet including turkey, foie gras, smoked salmon and roast lamb among others. $38++ and includes one glass of wine. If you want something less traditional, in their Xiang Palace restaurant they have a Christmas Eve offering of a six-course Chinese dinner with specialties including Peking duck, filled crab and abalone. $49++ per person and includes half a bottle of wine.

On the 25th the InterContinental has a Christmas brunch in the Regency Cafe, during which Santa will make an appearance and bring gifts for the kids. The menu will feature a wide selection of Christmas favorites including lamb roast, Monte Cristo casserole (battered, deep-fried ham and cheese sandwiches topped with jam and sugar), roast turkey and smoked salmon, among others. $48++ per person. Reservations: T: 023 424 888 ext. 3562. They also have a lot of other Christmas options including making a gingerbread house or just having a glass of mulled wine at the bar. For more details check out Holidays at the Phnom Penh InterContinental.

296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: 023 424 888
ihg.com/phnompenh

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

The Sofitel has several Christmas options this year. On December 24th they are having a Christmas Eve dinner with a five-course authentic Italian menu with Chef Andrea Molinari recreating the dishes his mother made every Christmas (and he’s got her recipes). The menu includes foie gras, smoked apple gelato, red peppers and goat cheese, polenta-crusted bacala, Mont Blanc cake and more that I was too lazy to type out. $65++ per person, $32++ for children under 12. Also on December 24th from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m. at La Coupole, there will be a dinner featuring a seafood buffet, Christmas carvery, Asian delicacies and a range of sweets. Best of all, they’ll have free-flow booze. $79++ per person including unlimited beer and wine, $99++ per person including unlimited Champagne, and $39++ for kids under 12 that includes…unlimited soft drinks.

On Christmas Day, the Sofitel has a brunch at La Coupole from noon until 3 p.m. This one is well suited for children as they’ll have a dedicated kid’s corner with live entertainment and access to the pool. The menu will feature Christmas classics. $79++ per person including unlimited beer and wine, $99++ per person including unlimited Champagne, and $39++ for kids under 12 that includes…unlimited soft drinks.

On the evening of December 25th they’ll have a dinner at La Coupole that features fresh seafood and a “festive buffet.” $38++ for adults and includes a glass of wine, $19++ for kids and includes a glass of…iced tea. 6:00 til 10:00 p.m. Reserve all of the above in advance: T: 023 999 200

26 Old August Site, Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh
T:023 999 200
sofitel.com

NagaWorld

I’ve actually started to get sick of typing these up, so this one will be brief. Nagaworld has a “Festive Feast Buffet Dinner” from 5:30 til 9:30 p.m. On December 21st through 23rd it’s $28++ for adults, and $38++ including beverages (I’m guessing that’s beer and wine, but they aren’t sayin’) and $16++ for kids. On December 24th and 25th it’s $38++ for adults, $48++ including beverages and $16++ for kids. Any of these dinners will also get you entrance to Darlin’ Darlin’, the Nagaworld nightclub that features a pretty decent Filipino cover band and a lot of good-looking, financially-minded ladies. For reservations, call 023 228 822.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen Park, Phnom Penh
T: 023 228 822
nagaworld.com

*All of the hotel prices are ++, which means they don’t include various taxes and VAT. Expect to pay an extra 10% above the listed price.

One Response to 2013 Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh

    Niall Crotty says:

    For a mid-range option The Exchange are doing a set menu for $36.50 with a complimentary glass of bubbles and a carvery of the traditional favourites. 11am to 2:30pm and also available from 6pm to 9pm. Details on their Facebook page

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.