Cocina Cartel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

-
One thing why I love traveling with the NKids is because we all love to EAT! No kidding. During our trip to Cambodia, our bags were all filled with chips, snacks, drinks and even chocolates to ensure that no one goes hungry at any point in time. We try to make the most of each meal by researching well on the different restaurants to try both in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap.

cocina cartel 2
I will be sharing with you where we went to eat during our trip but let me jump to our very last meal in Phnom Penh. Since we took the late afternoon flight, we had the chance to leisurely have a good lunch before heading to the airport. Our hotel is surrounded by a number of interesting cafes and restaurants that the challenge actually was to choose only two from close to ten options. Since we've been having local Khmer food for the past days, we decided to deviate from it for our last meal. The choice was to try Cocina Cartel, said to be one of the best Mexican restaurants not only in Cambodia but in Asia based on the reviews on Tripadvisor. Woah!

We got there quite early so we were immediately able to get a nice long table for 7. The menu was very simple and easy to understand. First, you choose your meat -- Beef Barbacoa, Shredded Chicken, Pulled Pork or Veggies. Next, you decide if you want it served as a burrito, burrito bowl, quesadilla or tacos (3 pieces). This is followed by a wide-array of toppings or fillings that will go with your meat. You can choose as many as you like! I find this to be really cool and so generous of them. Lastly, choose if you'd like any sides with it.

cocina cartel 1
Paul and I decided to share a Beef Barbacoa Burrito ($6.50) filled with black beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa fresca. The burrito was quite big so I was glad that Paul and I just shared one piece as we were still full from our heavy breakfast a few hour before this meal. It was packed with tender stewed beef which perfectly blended so well with all the other fillings that we chose. I love that they served a bowl of mexican rice with refried beans on the side. Needless to say, I was impressed.



cocina cartel 3
We also got some Chips and more Guacamole ($4) on the side too. The chips was perfectly crisp and lightly salted just the way I love it. We happily enjoyed the creamy fresh guacamole together with our individual orders.

cocina cartel 4
The Nachos ($6) is a bigger serving of corn chips topped with cheese, beans, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos. I would alternate between this and the Chips and Guacamole from time to time. Yum!

This was indeed a really good last meal in Phnom Penh. It may not be a local cuisine but it's something that has left a good impression and memory about Phnom Penh for me. This is one place you shouldn't miss when in Phnom Penh.

Cocina Cartel is located at 198B street 19, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Visit their website for more details. 

Popular posts from this blog

Franny Mommy Finds : Happy Noz Sticker Patch

-
Image
As a parent, I have one thing that I dread the most and that's when any of my kids fall sick. From the moment we detect the faintest sniffle followed by sneezes and runny nose, we know one thing is for sure -- we will be having a couple of sleepless nights. For twins, it is very common that when one falls sick, expect the other one to follow suit in just a matter of days, sometimes within hours even.  A few years ago, my twins would catch a cold and we really would struggle because they'd become very fussy and cranky at night. They're sleepy and tired from the cold but with a clogged nose, they can't really have a restful night and this means, either one of us will have to sit up and carry them all throughout the night. It came to a point wherein both kids were sick and Paul and I eventually caught the bug too. It was just so hard to care for the kids while you're not in the best condition as well. This got me researching on remedies on how we can have a good night ...
Read more

Bag of Beans (Charito) in Tagaytay

-
Image
I can't believe that we have been frequenting Tagaytay for more than a decade now and not once have I written about Bag of Beans ! I tried searching all over this blog and I found..nothing. To think that not a single trip to Tagaytay, back then, would ever be complete without stopping by Bag of Beans for lunch or merienda. I must have been to engrossed with their coffee and bread that I wasn't able to take photos of the place and their food thus no blog entry. They, after all, have one of the best brewed coffee in Tagaytay and the yummiest bread to go with it too. Bag of Beans has been an institution in Tagaytay. Just like us, other tourists and visitors would make sure to drop by in order to grab a bite or to take home some of their homemade goodies every time they find themselves in Tagaytay. Bag of Beans started with one branch along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Main Road across Residence Inn Zoo and it wasn't even overlooking the Taal. While they may lack in having a scenic ...
Read more

IKEA Singapore Pyjamas Party

-
Image
For those who have watched the movie 500 Days of Summer starring Zooey Deschanel and my ex-boyfriend Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you probably also loved this scene: Paul and I are regular shoppers of IKEA . It's highly possible that someday, we will be able to furnish our future home with IKEA furniture pieces and items as it has been our go-to place since our 1st day here in Singapore. We would joke that if only we can live in IKEA, we probably would go for it. Well, who would have thought that the opportunity would come for us to "spend the night" in IKEA? A week ago, Paul and I were chosen to be one of the lucky few to join the exclusive IKEA Pyjamas Party . It was a 4-hour event starting at 11PM and we were told to come in..what else?!...our PJs. We were too shy though so we just went in our comfy t-shirt and shorts. Well, some were really brave and came in their full PJs complete with fluffy bedroom slippers! This event was to launch the 2015 IKEA catalogue also...
Read more