While Cambodia is awash with great food, Kampot surely has the best set of restaurants in such a small area. And it was while visiting one of the best that I found the best steak tartare in Kampot, as well as perhaps the best ceviche.
And where was this special restaurant? Well of course Kampot Pepper and Seafood, my personal favorite restaurant in the city.
Kampot Pepper and Seafood
I avoid going into too much detail about this restaurant as I have written a full guide here, but it is located in downtown Kampot around all the great street food, bars and of course restaurants.
As expected they largely serve seafood here, mostly imported daily from the nearby Kep Crab Market. These are by and large served with a pepper kick, pepper sauces and well all variants of the infamous Kampot pepper genre.
More than just fish…..
Of course they also serve more than just fish having a fairly decent steak menu. This included a tenderloin for just $11, as well as a Wagyu steak for under $20. Now keep in mind that this is one of the more expensive restaurants in Kampot.
To read about the KFC Wagyu Burger click here.
On said list was a steak tartare for just $10.95, which obviously I had to get. This was accompanied by a mixed platter I have previously had, as well as a white fish ceviche for $7.95.
Best steak tartare in Kampot?
I am a lover of not just steak tartare, but tune tartare, raw fish and indeed even raw chicken! I have though generally not found great steak tartare in Cambodia with even the beef carpaccio never up to that much (or even available).
The steak tartare in Kampot though came out with the other food on a wooden platter being a perfect circe with an enclosed raw egg yoke ready to be added. This was duly done and mixed by me before I was to add the killer ingredient, Kampot pepper. This combo created not just the best steak tartare in Kampot, but potentially the best I have had while in the Kingdom.
And the best ceviche in Kampot?
Unlike other island, or coastal countries ceviche has not gained popularity in Cambodia like it was in say the Philippines with Kinilaw. Therefore what you get tends to be a bit average.
Not so though with the best ceviche in Kampot. This was made with a. White fish and had a real Khmer kick to it with there not only being mangos present, but also a very light citrus twang. When this was added to the Kampot pepper mix I had already made it really finished off the dish.
That it was washed back with a pepper craft beer that actually had a pepper twang aftertaste merely sealed the deal.
You can check my bespoke Cambodia Tours here.