Brian Kennett
Amateur Chef and Boozy Traveling Foodie Extraordinaire
FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap
FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap was our lunch destination on day 4 of the Kennett family Siem Reap adventure. We’d been to two museums already and needed watering and feeding. I made this choice based on our experiences of FCC in Phnom Penh, the ‘sister’ location. And boy oh boy was I glad to have made this choice. This restaurant rocks. Its light, it’s airy, it’s colonial in style, the drinks are amazing and to the food is exceptional. It should be a MUST on any travelers itinerary in Siem Reap.
I guarantee whole-heartedly you will NOT be disappointed. We had 5 food critics this day, and all concurred how good this place is. FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap, is going to get a 4.5 out of 5. No questions asked it has a high rating for everything. We had such a great time here for a few hours.
What did we eat?:
- Chicken fingers with French fries;
- Fish & chips for kids;
- Grilled sea bass;
- Stir fried chicken mince;
- Khmer tasting platter;
- Tempura prawn shooters;
- Coconut panna cotta; and
- Creme brûlée.
What do you reckon? A tad over the top? Too much food? Well let me tell you, every single scrap, and morsel of food was cleaned from the plates. No wastage here today. A great selection for kids and adults alike, and Asian/local and Western alike. A fantastic menu. I think we all look super happy below.
Yes family Kennett is very happy with out choice for lunch today. FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap – you ROCK!!!
But before we get in-depth on the food, let me sling down a cocktail. I chose this one – how could I not. Frontline was its name, clearly aligning it to the press audience this place had back in conflict days.
Frontline is made with chilli and Kampot pepper-infused vodka (exactly why I chose this – OMG), passion fruit, lime and vanilla syrup. Holy cow, this one clears the cobwebs. What a drink. It says it is a timeless favourite with journalists. If you need to be awake to get some last-minute copy out, then this is the drink – BOOM!!!
Prawn shooters. You have to have these, you just have to.
Mary and I have quaffed these down at FCC in Phnom Penh with our great mates Dougy and Ged. These little blighters are just exceptional. Tempura battered prawns, stuck in a shot glass with this divine sauce in the bottom. The sauce is like Thousand Island’s on steroids, accompanied by some crunchy fine chopped vegetables. You have to eat these. You will want more, I guarantee, but here comes main course!
Mary’s grilled sea bass with pureed potato and lemon, and root vegetables.
Mary said the fish was killer, as it was so very fresh. I tried to potato puree. If you want to eat the very best mash potato you’ll ever eat in your life, then order this dish. Holy shit it’s so so good. Mash from heaven!
Now I didn’t taken pictures of the kids meals. I mean, come on, its chicken nuggets and batter fish. But I just wanted to give a mention for how good these were too. The food flew off the plate. The kids loved it too.
This is plainly called chicken mince salad, but man oh man is this a complex little bugger.
I will absolutely be copying this to my best endeavours. This little chicken mince salad was flavour popping. It is an absolute cracker of a local Khmer dish. This rocked my boat, believe me. The description in the menu was what drew me to this; stir fried chicken mince with, lemongrass, sour leaf, and red curry paste “Chhar Kroeung Moan Tamung”. FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap, you had me at hello.
This dish literally did go pop, pop, pop. As you pop it in your mouth you get one flavour, chew it and another comes to the fore, start to swallow it and the back of your tongue gets a hit, and then fully swallow it and another burst of sour/sweet/curry kicks in. It is an absolute cracker. A must have!
You know me. Not a massive sweet or dessert person. But this…
Holy moly – stop the boat. The berry coulee is to die for. The panna cotta is just an OMG moment. When you whack it in your gob you get a little hit of flavour, but once inside for a second or two this explosion of coconut creaminess hits you. It is simply incredible. I loved this dessert, which is quite surprising for yours truly.
What does The Foreign Correspondents Club Siem Reap have to say for itself?
“Our mid-century mansion becomes the house of memorable culinary experiences with the launch of a new lunch menu and a distinct dinner experience. From an all-day comfort cuisine concept, our restaurant undertakes an exciting gastronomic journey.
While the Mansion’s lunch menu is a hearty, delicious bid for local produce, with a selection of seasonal salads, succulent toasts, poke bowls and Khmer and Western specialities; its all-new Dinner Hours recreates a culinary journey exploratory of Khmer terroir, geography and traditions through three seasonal set menus that can be also enjoyed a la carte. All paired with a renewed wine selection.”
Our conclusions of The Foreign Correspondents Club Siem Reap
There you have it my friends, another food review for Siem Reap. FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), Siem Reap is ‘die, die, must try. The food choice is superb from local, to Asian, to Western and kids. The ingredients are super fresh, you can just tell. The presentation is divine, the taste exceptional, and all washed down with ice cold lassies, beers and superb cocktails. I wish we had more time to go back to FCC for dinner as well. We sat on the open colonial style balcony, watching the world pass us by below, chatting together in this airy joint, supping and chomping on some very fine consumables. Get here and – ENJOY!!!
What are the contact details for The Foreign Correspondents Club Siem Reap?
- Address: Pokambor Avenue, next to the Royal Residence.
- Telephone: +855 63760 280
