Now, I usually never write a negative review. Instead I try to concentrate on the positives, while offering constructive criticism. But last night’s restaurant visit left me struggling to find any positives at all. A late text at work on Friday suggested dinner out with my friend and his wife (and their gorgeous new baby, but enough of my broodiness). My friend’s wife suggested Anise; a popular restaurant on oh-so-trendy Street 278, so I headed down to the gathering place of younger expats and young, upwardly mobile Khmers.
First impressions were favourable: the terrace is screened from the carbon monoxide-soaked street outside by bamboo, plants and trees, and the décor inside hints at something Parisian and inviting. I was warmed to my frugal Scottish heart to see that not only was it happy hour, but that Anise served passion-fruit margaritas, a favourite of mine when I used to haunt Charley Brown’s Mexicana in Bangkok. Waiting for my dining partners, I took the opportunity to see if Phnom Penh could beat Bangkok on my favourite cocktail. Alas, it fell a little short: not enough passion or fruit. But my spirits remained high when I spotted two more of my Charley Brown favourites on the menu: spicy chicken wings and beef chimichanga.
My fellow diners chose swiftly, too. Ciaran was swayed by a neighbouring table’s ginger chicken; his wife, Ces, plumped for beef rolls as a starter, with caramelised pork and tofu as main. The starters arrived fairly promptly, along with Ciaran’s main, and Ces was enthusiastic about her beef rolls: lightly fried beef with a variety of local vegetables wrapped in cabbage. My enthusiasm, however, was waning. Spicy chicken wings should be spicy, and although these were tasty, they were lacking in any spiciness and left me craving Soi 11 in Bangkok. Ciaran, in his eloquently Irish manner, described the ginger chicken as “OK, nothing special.”
Next to arrive was my chimichanga. Enthusiasm now plummeted towards despair. Nothing was right about this dish: the chimichanga was dry and lacking noticeable seasoning (Mexican food is meant to have taste!); the refried beans had been refried so often they’d raised the white flag, the rice was bland and tasteless and the salsa was as unimaginative as a Stephenie Meyer novel. The dream of reliving my nights in Charley Brown’s lay shattered on the (admittedly) exquisite terrace floor.
It got worse. Returning from the obligatory changing of the baby (changing the nappy, that is, not the actual baby) we enquired as to where the missing main course was. The waiter replied that none had been ordered and that it was our mistake because he’d read the order back to us. An event missed by three grown adults and one very small infant. No apologies, no admissions of guilt, just a finger pointed firmly at us.
All in all: far and away my worst dining experience at an eatery of this level, I’m sad to say. What had initially been impressive service was ruined by one obstinate waiter and a very disappointing standard of food characterised by blandness, lack of taste and certainly not up to what I was expecting. You have been warned.
Anise, #2c Street 278; 023 222522.