Discovering Phnom Penh Noodle Shack and Exploring Naples Island | 洛杉磯長灘市的柬埔寨美食以及浪漫的拿波里島

28歲生日那天，男朋友領著我去了位於南加州長灘的一家柬埔寨餐廳吃午餐。他告訴我這間餐廳每天只營業到下午三點(周一公休)，所以他一直沒有機會嘗試過。要不是當天下班的時間早，可能也沒有什麼機會可以嘗試這間店。出發前，我們在Yelp看到它目前等待時間需要30至40分鐘。算好車程所需時間，我們在開車前往餐廳之前就先在Yelp把名字放進等待名單中。

On my 28th birthday, my boyfriend took me to a Cambodian restaurant located in Long Beach, Southern California for lunch. He told me that the restaurant only operates until 3:00 PM every day (closed on Mondays), so he hadn't had the chance to try it before. If it weren't for the fact that we got off work early that day, we might not have had the opportunity to experience this place. Before heading out, we checked on Yelp and saw that the current wait time was 30 to 40 minutes. Considering the time it would take to drive there, we added our names to the waiting list on Yelp before heading to the restaurant.

**Phnom Penh Noodle Shack**

1644 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
Website | Tue-Sun 7:00am-3:00pm

餐廳附近可以免費街邊停車。如果我們所預期的，餐廳的整體大小並不大。也因如此，如果沒有提前規劃好會需要等上好一陣子才有辦法入座。所幸出發前已經提前搶好了位子，我們抵達時並沒有等待就直接入座。

There is free street parking available near the restaurant. As we anticipated, the overall size of the restaurant was not large. Because of this, without prior planning, there might have been a significant wait to be seated. Fortunately, we had secured our spot by adding our names to the waiting list on Yelp before leaving. When we arrived, we were seated immediately without any waiting time.

我和男友當時總共點了兩道麵食以及兩道小點。聽說它們家的稀飯也很好吃，可惜當時沒有機會嘗試。值得一提的是它們家的 Knom Hing (Round Bread) 和Cha Quai (Bread Stick)/油條意外的很好吃，麵皮本身酥脆不油膩。Round Bread本身的芝麻香非常可口，帶出了麵包本身自然的甜味。柬埔寨油條則和傳統印象中的中式油條不同，沒有油炸所呈現的油膩感，反而有種麻吉甜甜圈的那種彈性的口感。

My boyfriend and I ordered a total of two noodle dishes and two small bites. Although we didn't have the chance to try their porridge, we heard it's delicious. Notably, their "Knom Hing" (Round Bread) and "Cha Quai" (Bread Stick) turned out to be unexpectedly tasty, with crispy and non-greasy textures in the dough. The Round Bread had a delightful sesame fragrance, enhancing the natural sweetness of the bread itself. The Cambodian Bread Stick was different from the traditional Chinese-style, lacking the greasiness associated with deep frying and instead offering a resilient, doughnut-like texture.

麵食本身我們點的則是下列兩種:
As for the noodle dishes, we chose two different types:

麵條可供個人喜好選擇不同粗細和總類。我這次選擇的是B- Big Rice Noodle。
The noodle thickness and variety could be selected based on personal preferences. For this time, I went for “B - Big Rice Noodle”.

**Phnom Penh Noodle House Special**

湯頭本身比Mo’s更加濃郁，裡面主要材料為豬內臟、豬絞肉、豬肉片、以及鮮蝦。適合本身喜歡重口味且可接受食用內臟的人。
The broth itself is richer than Mo's, with the main ingredients being ground pork, pork slices, stomach and liver, and fresh shrimp. It's suitable for those who enjoy bold flavors and are open to the inclusion of offal in their dish.

Mo's Special Noodles

和House Special比起來相對清淡，裡面並沒有豬內臟而是用牛肉球代替。適合想嘗試House special但不太能接受豬內臟的人。

Compared to the House Special, this option is relatively mild, as it does not contain pork offal but uses beef balls as a substitute. It's suitable for those who want to try the House Special but are not very receptive to pork offal in their dish.

整體來說，這間餐廳非常值得再訪。每道餐點都有各自的亮點，我估計下次再訪時會嘗試大家提及的稀飯。

Overall, this restaurant is definitely worth revisiting. Each dish has its own highlights, and I plan to try the porridge that others have praised on my next visit.

近黃昏，我們到了Naples Isaland散步。由於去的時間剛好在聖誕節後，住宅區的聖誕節裝飾還沒有卸除。所以可以趁此機會享受2023年最後的聖誕氣息。由於這個小島被整個河圍繞，夕陽照應再河面金光閃閃的真的很美。感覺很適合跟情侶和家人在這裡悠哉地散步。

In the late afternoon, we arrived at Naples Island for a leisurely stroll. Since our visit was just after Christmas, the residential area still had its Christmas decorations on display. This provided a great opportunity to enjoy the lingering Christmas atmosphere of 2023. The small island is surrounded by river, and the sunset reflecting on the river created a breathtaking golden shimmer. It felt like a perfect setting for a relaxed walk with a partner or family.