AsiaLIFE

If you excel at the hurtle, slalom, and can say "no thank you" 400 times a minute, you may have what it takes for the Olympic event that is a stroll down the riverside, or Sisowath Quay to give it’s proper name. Words by Kate Liana.

Da-laing o'clock, or 4pm for those new in town, the sunlight slants through the spires of the Royal Palace, casting long shadows on the square. The river unfurls like a ribbon as wooden fishing boats drift home across the Mekong. Families, teenagers with artfully teased hair, and women in pyjamas wind their way towards the river for a bit of exercise, a walk in the falling light, or a visit to the Buddhist shrine. Pick your way through the vendors selling corn and all manner of spiders and insects, and the sparrow-peddlers.

Across the street, Pacharan sits on the corner. Fuel up for your march on half-price drinks during happy hour. Maybe not the breakfast of champions, fried calamari and goat cheese salad will certainly carry you the few feet to the next eatery. The block is home to several popular restaurants, including the riverside outpost of Edelweiss, Le Cedre and expat-favourite, Italian Pop Café. Try the freshest of homemade pasta or the best meatballs in town at the latter or a cold German beer at the former. Falafels lie in between. If you can block out conversations on whether to take bus or boat to Siem Reap, FCC's rooftop is still one of the best spots for a drink and river view. Underneath Fresco has some of the best coffee, pastries and mix ‘n’ match sandwiches in town.

Dodge the persistent motodops on this corner, and practice your 'no thank-yous' – but only for the polite ones. Continue north past a slew of restaurants promising varying degrees of happiness. All follow a basic formula of tourist-friendly menu options, decent, affordable food and friendly staff, so it is a tough choice. Notable standout is Cantina, where Hurley holds court with his roundtable of friends and visitors. Excellent Tex-Mex food, knockout margaritas and laidback staff make this a popular haunt of expats, journalists and long-term residents. Further on, Ponlok has sweet, affable young men enticing you to enter. They even understand the meaning of 'no thank-you', if you're not in the mood.

The game heats up as you cross the intersection of Sothearos and Sisowath Boulevards, in front of Wat Ounalom. Look in every direction, including up and down as you weave your way towards K West. If you made it in one piece, duck into the sophisticated bar for a quick one. If your liver needs a break, hit the teashop instead for some cleansing. Moving down the block, if you're very tall, try leaping over the booksellers. If you're shorter, practice your slalom moves until you hit Chow. Skip the sterile, though pretty, white, cool air of the downstairs restaurant for their beautiful rooftop with Jacuzzi. Happy hour extends to 8pm, so take advantage. Both places have sumptuous rooms, albeit under pseudonyms – Amanjaya and The Quay respectively.

Next up is Sit Down Jeweller, though there is nowhere to sit. Packed into this narrow shop is a huge selection of silver and semi-precious stones, like topaz, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, coral and onyx in a wide array of styles, from traditional to chunky, modern designs. A gorgeous, antique looking silver bracelet encrusted with rubies and emeralds was US$114, and a silver dollar-sized pendant clustered with emeralds was US$320. There were plenty of simpler pieces in the US$20 – US$50 range, but some of us only want what we cannot have. If you don't see what you like, you can make your own design, which will be ready in about two weeks. Next door Bougainvillier promises offerings like frog legs with ginger, French onion soup, foie gras, avocado and smoked duck breast, and Kobe beef, cooked in an array of French and Asian styles. The chilled air of the dining room, perfumed with fresh flowers soothes with a refined, upscale atmosphere of elegant, black and white furnishings. Various offerings such as 5pm to 7pm happy hour and set lunch at US$9.50 further tempt diners. The namesake hotel has separate bedrooms and living rooms with balcony overlooking the river. Furnished in dark wood and vibrant silks, the little touches, like a carved wood-framed mirror, tapestries, a wooden chest as TV table, and ceramic vases will leave you smitten. Until you hit the bathroom. Not only are there tiled floors and marble walls, there is a full-sized bathtub.

Anjali, Sanskrit for the Buddhist practice of pressing your palms together in greeting, veers from the well-worn path. Open 7am to late, they offer the usual western and Asian favourites, but alongside idiosyncratic options such as the West Indian pepper pot soup, Preah Vihear salad with roast beef and basil. All day English and American breakfast, vegetarian options, happy hours and intriguing cocktail names (Wild Water Buffalo, Moto Madness) round out the eatery's attempt at something besides the same same, but different. The large, outdoor seating area with Vegas-style neon lights, huge menu, live music, homemade pasta and happy hour specials continue to draw residents and tourists to Riverside Bistro. The pretty murals inside of jungle temples, bright silk-embroidered pillows, mellow jazz and a smattering of antique portraits and furniture all add to the quirky decor. At Metro, sit outside on the terrace or inside in what is the most stylish contemporary Asian café design in town. Try the excellent Kampot peppercorn steak, chilli seafood risotto, soft shell crab and satays. Alternatively enjoy the non-smoking ambience (before 10pm), and sample the excellent espresso martini while watching Cambodia’s rich and famous drift through the door.

Those on a strict budget opt for Bojangles, with its extensive lists of western, Thai, Khmer, seafood, pasta, salad and vegetarian dishes. It even sports a “diet” menu that includes onion rings, French fries and pasta. Kim Srah offers affordable, quality haircuts, manicure and pedicures, makeup, massage, and waxing. Open from 8am to 6pm (closed Sundays), it also performs hair colouring, but my former blonde-bombshell friend, who now resembles little orphan Annie, would suggest you go elsewhere.

Mekong Palace and Indochine hotels both offer affordable, clean rooms for between US$10 and US$20 depending on whether a window is required. With goggles, torches, bottle openers, knives, sunglasses, jewellery, hats, purses, shoes, CDs and DVDs on offer at Magnet Field, there's no need to lament if you forgot to pack something – this pleasant shop keeps flashpackers stocked with necessities. They even carry western-sized underwear if you've mixed up the clean and worn piles in your backpack. Conk out at La Croisette and take advantage of (yet) another happy hour, and some WiFi. Use the time to reflect on the activity on the opposite side of the river, where young couples nuzzle each other and kids fly kites, and consider having a go at the river side of the riverside next time you're on this strip.

Continued next month...