AsiaLIFE

Phnom Penh may not have the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, but it does have a wide range of Chinese dining options. Lindsay Muscato reviews one of the city’s most imperial restaurants. Photos by Conor Wall.

It’s hard to miss the bright sign at Emperors of China’s location near Olympic Stadium, but somehow we did. True to the restaurant’s customer service-oriented atmosphere, we received friendly, patient directions each of the nine times that we called. Even after we arrived and settled in with drinks, we were identified as the lost souls and greeted with more warmth.

The wide array of offerings made for an immediate conversation starter. Prices range from around US$6 for rice and noodle dishes all the way up to the braised whole abalone at US$235. While you’re contemplating what to order, you can wander over to wave at your potential meal. In an aquarium near the front, lobster and crab await their fate.

Because the menu is not for the easily lost, it took us a while to choose. We were hardly done ordering when a gong sounded and the noodle-making demo began. If you’ve never watched Chinese noodles cut from scratch, then here’s the place to see dough get stretched, tossed, sliced and slung around in all kinds of gravity-defying directions. Our demo felt like a magic show with edible results. Wait staff passed around samples of uncooked noodles after the demonstration.

For dinner we chose the steamed dumplings, known as xiao long bao (10 for US$5.50), bean curd with minced pork (US$6.50), and fried wontons (US$5.50). Tender, stuffed with juicy pork-based filling and topped with caviar, the dumplings in particular would bring me back again. As a chopstick novice, I found them too slippery and heavy to pick up and transport across the table to my plate, so we lost a few en route. Order extra even if you’re a chopstick expert—they’re worth it. After the meal, we were presented with sweet taro-filled buns, of which we ate every last crumb.

Unfortunately, the noodle demo happened after we’d placed our order, so I didn’t get a chance to sample the cooked version. But Emperors of China offers several more reasons to return. Based on the taro-filled bun, the dim sum seems a potential winner. Next time, I’ll also try the tea. A large selection is available for sampling, including jasmine and rose petal varieties, with a pot priced at US$2.

The service made us feel very welcomed. We never had to look far for a server, and the staff even sang happy birthday to a nearby table. If you’re planning a private party, give the upstairs VIP rooms a look. They’re formal enough for a swank event but also comfortable and lovely, thanks in part to the impressive art gallery. Secluded rooms open from the main lounge, each slightly different and all decorated with an eye toward luxury. The staff let us poke around even though I felt we were not dressed well enough to even set foot near the rooms’ polished interiors.

Emperors of China seems suited to big groups even without booking the upstairs area. It’s spacious, elegant and accommodating, and with a large crew of people, you can try one of everything on the menu. Just remember to order enough dumplings.

Emperors of China, 19 Street 163; Tel 012 780 667; Open daily from 7am to 2pm, 4.30pm to 10pm.