I like to think of myself as adventurous, but I'm really not. This is perhaps most evident when trying new places. I like to try new spots, but I want to know 'what I'm getting in to' as it were. I want to be able to peer through the window and see what it's like and who's there. I'm also a big fan of menus out the front that I can peruse before committing myself. The problem is, in Phnom Penh, many of the best finds are hidden away behind tall walls and sturdy gates.
A good example is Gastrobar Botanico. I pass their rather beautiful door 3 or 4 times a week. I always admire it and wonder what lies behind it, but I have never entered it, mainly because I wasn't really sure what was inside. But, finally, this week I took the Boy with me, and we ventured through the door and down the garden path.
(Seriously, I think this is one of the prettiest doors I've ever seen - how could I resist?)
At the end of the path it does almost feel like you've wandered into a secret garden. Little booths sit in secluded bungalows surrounded by lush foliage.
The menu is small but interesting, with a bit of a Spanish feel. We started with Patates Bravas with some of the creamiest and garlic-iest aoili I've ever had. It was delicious.
I had the Chicken Milanesa sandwich.
The Boy had tenderloin with cheesy potato hash and fried eggs. The fried eggs lay on a bed of meat, fried potato and onion and loads of melted cheese.
After lunch this gorgeous butterfly stopped by our table. : )
Botanico is just around the corner from the Independence Monument, but once you're inside you can totally forget that you are in the centre of town. They have happy hour in the evenings with free tapas with each round of drinks.
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