A Global Mix-Up on the Menu

Diving into the fascinating field of Asian cuisine, a reviewer’s culinary compass went amusingly awry in an online critique of a Chinese restaurant, bemoaning its prices and un-Cambodian-like menu. The owner’s response was a gentle nudge in global gastronomy, pointing out the obvious yet overlooked fact: the cuisine of the two countries is very different.

Chinese food, with its vast regional varieties, is known for bold flavors and stir-frying feats, whereas Cambodian cuisine features a subtle balance of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors. Who needs a map when you have flavors to guide you, albeit to the wrong country?