Bayon Brings Cambodian Cooking Back To The Upper East Side: Report

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — After closing during COVID-19 lockdowns, an Upper East Side Cambodian restaurant has had an improbable return at their old home.

Now called Bayon, owners Minh and Mandy Truong are back at where they opened their Cambodian spot in 2015 on East 64th Street between First and York Avenues.

Their old restaurant, Angkor, was one of the last Cambodian restaurants in the city, according to Eater NY, and its closure was lamented by city foodies.

But once the East 64th Street space became available again, the landlord reached out to the Truongs based on their past relationship, a representative for the owners said in a January Community Board 8 meeting.

Since their recent opening, it seems like the Truongs have slipped right back into their old position as one of the only Cambodian spots in the city — and a really good one at that.

Eater published a list of five dishes diners should try that capture the essence and uniqueness of Cambodian cuisine.

Here's what they recommend:

Starting with the prahok crudite, Eater says this three-dip dish all incorporate the same fermented fish paste called prahok mixed with ground pork and prepared " with steamed egg, in coconut curry, and in a tart relish with garlic and lime leaves."

The Phnom Penh roast duck in coconut milk and basil leaves is similar to the Chinese style, Eater writes, but "is sliced and deposited in a rich red curry that displays Thai influences, too."

Deep-fried Khmer fish cakes sees a popular regional dish and is "given a uniquely Cambodian spin and name-checking the country’s predominant cultural group," says Eater. The cakes include both shrimp and fish and are seasoned with curry powder and lemongrass.

Kuythiew cha, a dish of rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp, is described as "scintillatingly fresh."

"The sweet and tart flavor comes from tamarind," Eater reports, "a frequent ingredient of Khmer dishes."

And lastly, a dish that Eater calls "brilliant" and is often called the national dish of Cambodia: Grilled Amok.

"It is based on a souffle laced with fish sauce and coconut milk and flavored with lime leaves," writes Eater. "In this luxe version, the mousse is layered with prawns and scallops and steamed in a banana leaf."

To read more, click here for the full report from Eater NY.