Restaurant Le Royal, the acclaimed Khmer fine dining venue at the 90-year-old Raffles Hotel Le Royal in the Cambodian capital, has relaunched following an inspired refurbishment.

The restaurant’s new menu continues to spotlight authentic Royal Khmer cuisine alongside modern Khmer gastronomy whose offerings will be updated monthly. Restaurant Le Royal’s elegant and sophisticated interior features beautiful original artwork amid gleaming white walls and a bank of arched windows overlooking a lush courtyard. 

For its reopening, the Royal Khmer menu at Restaurant Le Royal includes the following dishes, among others: Nhoam Svay (green mango salad with grilled prawns, Nuoc Mam sauce and peanuts); Phlea Trey Tonle (marinated bar fish cured with lime, lemongrass and a homemade spice mixture); Kd’arm Trung Kroeung Stuffed Crab (crab shell, coriander root, dried chili and fresh herbs); Takeo River Lobster Amok (served in young coconut with steamed rice); and for dessert Chek Chhoeng Skar (pan-fried caramelized banana with orange sauce) and Num Khmer Bai Mouk(a trio of Khmer sweets: sticky rice, taro cake and sweet potato).

The modern Khmer menu features Marinated Beef Carpaccio (cured with lime, chili and garlic, mixed fresh herbs, spiced foam); Kandal Province Pumpkin Soup (open foie gras ravioli, coconut cream); US Scallops, Amok Reduction (baby bok choy, river fish and curry cake); Seared Duck Breast (kale, garlic oyster sauce, organic rice); and Flambeed Banana (caramel banana mousse, crumble banana chips, sponge cake).

“Restaurant Le Royal offers an extraordinary dining experience with Royal Khmer recipes that have been handed down to Raffles Hotel Le Royal by decree from the royal palace. It’s an authentic, distinctive and truly memorable place,” said Executive Chef Martin Becquart.

Regarded as one of Cambodia’s finest restaurants, Restaurant Le Royal operates from Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays) for dinner only from 6pm onward. A piano soloist serenades diners with traditional Cambodian classics from the golden era, and a regular sabrage ceremony is also featured.

Voted the No. 1 hotel in Cambodia by readers of the US-based travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler in its annual Readers’ Choice Awards in October, Raffles Hotel Le Royal originally opened in 1929. The hotel features 175 rooms and suites that underwent a full refurbishment as part of a meticulous one-year restoration project in 2019.