In the language of the Parisian bon viveur, pan’am means something like ‘someplace else’ and it refers to the small back streets and narrow alleyways along which the city’s culinary secrets lie. Pan’am in Phnom Penh, the smallishmo place on Street 19 with half a dozen tables and an eclectic fusion menu, lives up to the name. The main menu offers pasta, pate and whatnot (something to keep the kids happy, the maitre d’ says), but the real attractions are the specials, a short picture book of Cambodian-inspired Euro-Asian dishes. The grapefruit salad with surimi ($4.50) comes served in a watermelon, the salmon roll ($7.50) with avocado, goat cheese and salmon eggs. Pan’am looks expensive from the outside, but the portions are healthy and it’s easy to have a plate or two and a glass of wine for around $10.
Pan’am, #196 Street 19.
