Phnom Penh Noodle Shack Verified listing

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack in Long Beach

I have never been light with the words or the love I have for our Cambodian community and its cuisine. Whether it is a bowl of silky, umami-packed nom p’joe from Crystal Thai Cambodian (on this very list) or pulled pork banh chao from Battambong BBQ, I feel every person experiencing understands the weight of what it took to get that dish to your chopsticks.

Cambodian food in Long Beach is more than a cuisine; it is the essence of a community nearly eradicated from history. Those who escaped the genocide made their home here in Long Beach after being taken to Camp Pendleton by rescuers from the U.S. military. For that reason alone, Long Beach is home to the most traditional, concentrated cluster of Cambodian cuisine.

The House Special represents the culmination of the Cambodian cultural cluster that been birthed in Long Beach—and is an essential part of Long Beach's culinary DNA. And, unlike the photo, I suggest ordering it dry—or ordering the broth separately from the noodles and adding bits as needed. We have a bowl of ground pork and sliced pork, paired with slivers of pork stomach and liver and shrimp, placed atop noodles and served with as few or as many accoutrements as you would like. Extra Thai chile for me, none for others. Garlic fish sauce for some, hoisin for others, both for some.

Either way, it’s more than a cup of noodles; it’s a beautiful display of culinary art and cultural resilience.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.