Great Middle Eastern has always been a lacuna in the Phnom Penh dining experience. No longer. Petra, the new family-run restaurant in BKKI, serves 100% Halal food and no alcohol. And not just shawarmas. The menu includes familiar hot and cold mezze plates like falafel ($4.50) and tabbouleh ($4.50), as well as larger plates such as mankush and saj (think feta, minced beef and cheddar). But beyond the food, Petra is an experience, four floors of Middle Eastern cuisine, culture and smoke. A shisha lounge on the top floor offers semi-private outdoor smoking areas. The middle level affords floor seating with silk cushions and imported fruit-blend tobaccos.
Petra, #8a Street 288.
