“Southeast Asian Cuisine” is one of those terms that seems to have more meaning than it actually does. No doubt it’s the food of lands that might be considered “Southeast Asian,” but that’s nearly tautological and reveals little about the foods. Ask 10 people and they probably wouldn’t answer with anything beyond Thai curries and Vietnamese phở. But the “Southeast Asia” region offers a lot more flavors than just those of Thailand and Vietnam.
One place to try Cambodia’s version of those flavors is Ly Heng (4451 University Ave., City Heights). Ly Heng bills itself as an “Asian Restaurant” and includes some Vietnamese and even Chinese dishes on the menu. The fried salt and pepper appetizers are good examples of the latter. The calamari was particularly good: tender inside, brilliantly crispy on the outside and with a nice little hit of MSG.
