Phnom Penh Noodle Shack Verified listing

I have never been light when it comes to the words or 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 understand 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, unlike the photo, I suggest ordering it dry—or the broth separated from the noodles and add 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 little or 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 by Brian Addison. Photos courtesy of business.