I found out that it is not easy to find traditional Khmer coffee in fast modernising Phnom Penh. Even the street side coffee stands that I came across during my trip, sport espresso machines. So, you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this side lane coffee stand near the intersection of Charles De Gaulle Blvd (217) and Sok Hok Street (107) at the Orussey Market area.
The first thing that caught my attention here as I combed the Orussey Market area for food was people gathering around small tables and tiny "kindergarten" stools enjoying coffee and tea.
At the centre, surrounded by an oasis of idyllic calm of people seeping coffee and tea, was a frenetic work station. Steam was puffing from two large wood fired containers at the back labouring to produce hot water for the lady boss who was juggling ladle, tea pot, coffee pot, coffee sock, cups and glasses like a sort of cool acrobat.
Lady boss was making traditional sock coffee using a Chinese medicine herbal pot - something I've never seen anywhere before 😮
I ordered coffee
Sat down with locals.
"Ja-pon?" One of them asked.
"No, Singapore".
Tuk tuk drivers are better at guessing people's nationality 😬
I was surprised that the cup of coffee came with a bottle of tea and a spare cup. The bottle of tea was served inverted over a saucer like those school science experiments we did decades ago.
The coffee is like Singapore / Malaysia kopi with condensed milk. But, it was intense almost like espresso - full bodied, deep coffee bitter with a bit of acidic balance and smoothed by sweet milk. There was a slight coffee aroma. Ah, so this is Khmer coffee - nice to know you.
It's a quaint, dingy, makeshift kind of drink stall but it was one of the memorable highlights of my short Phnom Penh trip.
I hung around for a while to get more pictures of lady boss in action.
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Written by Tony Boey on 15 July 2022
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