When expectations are completely missed and prices are way too high: Restaurant Malis (4. January 2024)
The Malis looked like a truly fancy place from the outside, and a bit different from most of the places we had tried in Siem Reap. So, as a goodbye dinner, we figured, this might be a good option. The place is lovely in terms of interior design and they kind of really try to be on top of stuff. So, once you’re seated, you’re served some pickled vegetables with spicy sauce, which is nice. Plus some kind of shot (I didn’t capture what it was, since I was not at the desk when it was served).
Then, the complications began. Firstly, the inside door handle in the toilet is broken, so it’s quite hard to get out once you’re in there. Not really what I’d expect from an ‘upscale’ restaurant. Secondly, the ordering process was tricky since one of the party is allergic to all kinds of mussels (oysters, etc.). Hence, explaining it to them turned out to be quite tricky. Which is in thus far surprising as every other, even the very simple in hole in the wall restaurants were able to accommodate for this requirement easily.
Eventually, I figured, they have found out what exactly we had wanted, and they agreed that they could provide the dishes without oyster sauce. So, the “Takeo pork chops (tender pork chops from takeo province marinated in a palm wine and Kampot pepper sauce, grilled and served with a fresh banana blossom salad)” (USD 17.00) was nice as the meat wasn’t too dry and the salad on the side was actually enjoyable.
The “Saraman beef (rich and delicious, this recipe uses a special blend of kreoung cooked very slowly with coconut cream until the beef is tender and fully infused with flavours)” (USD 15.00) was nice as the meat was cooked in a way that it would easily be enjoyed by basically dissolving in your mouth. Plus, the sauce was superbly enjoyable.
The “deep-fried soft-shell crab (daily sourced from Kep’s famous crab market, our softshell crab is deep-fried for extra crunch and served with a flavourful ground black pepper and lime sauce)” (USD 14.00) were nice too. Sure, it didn’t taste like too much since it was a lot of fried stuff, but there was actually some crab meat in the crabs, which was quite nice.
The “Malis Sweet & Sour (white rum, lemongrass, kefir lime, palm sugar, tamarind liquer, soda)” (USD 5.50) on the other hand was a bit disappointing.
The service was really not on top of things. They started taking off plates with which we weren’t even done, so, as hard as they try, as miserably they fail in terms of providing that special and outstanding service experience.
All in all, especially considering the comparitively high prices (for Cambodian standards), the experience at the Malis is not one to be repeated.
Rating:
| Atmosphere: |   |
| Service: |  |
| Dishes: |  |
| Price-Performance Ratio: | |
| Overall Rating: | |
Contact Details:
Restaurant Malis
Pokambor Ave
Krong
12131 Siem Reap (KH)
Tel.: +855 15 824 888
E-Mail: reservation.malissr@thaliashospitality.com
Homepage: http://malis.thalias.com.kh
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
