Korean, Japanese or American: a beginner's guide to BBQ in Phnom Penh

Say "let's get BBQ" in Phnom Penh and three people will picture three different dinners. One thinks of smoky ribs and a cold beer. One thinks of a charcoal grill and a table full of little dishes. One thinks of thin slices of beef and a bowl of rice.

They are all right. Barbecue here comes in at least three styles, and each one is a different kind of night. Here is how to tell them apart, and what to order. The places are all in our BBQ in Phnom Penh guide.

BBQ in Phnom PenhThe guide · 8 places

The quick version

American: slow-smoked meat, served ready to eat. Someone else does the work.
Korean: thick cuts and marinades, grilled at the table. Lots of side dishes. Best with a crowd.
Japanese (yakiniku): thin, bite-sized slices, grilled at the table. Neat, quick and easy to share.

If you have never tried any of them, start with whichever sounds closest to what you already love.

American BBQ: smoke and beer

This is the lazy-friendly option. The kitchen smokes the meat for hours, and you just eat it. Think brisket, ribs and pulled pork, with something cold to drink.

In our guide, Smoke American BBQ & Craft Beer is the American pick, in Sen Sok. It is open 11am to 9pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Monday. Brisket or ribs and a beer is the obvious order. We have not tried to pin down its menu, so check its page for what is on today. Budget roughly $12 to $20.

Korean BBQ: grill, wrap, repeat

Korean barbecue is a table sport. A grill sits in the middle, you cook the meat yourself, and a spread of side dishes arrives to keep you busy.

What to order:

Pork belly. Thick, fatty slices. Grill until golden, then snip with the scissors.
Marinated beef. Sweeter, so it burns faster. Keep the heat low.
A plain beef cut. Dip it in salt and sesame oil.
A stew and rice. Good for mopping up.

Eat it as a wrap: a lettuce leaf, a piece of meat, a dab of sauce, one big bite. Go from plain to sweet, so marinade does not coat the grill early.

Three places in the guide fit this style. Dosegi Korean BBQ is in BKK1 and open 11am to midnight, so it suits a late dinner. Seorae Korean Charcoal BBQ is on the second floor of AEON Mall. Reviewers like its beef and pork sets, the grilled cheese and the kimchi, and a set is the easy way to share. Boeung Snor Dae Jang Geum sits in the Boeung Snor food village across the river, also open until midnight. Expect around $12 to $20 a head at all three.

Japanese yakiniku: thin slices, fast cooking

Yakiniku means "grilled meat". The slices are thin, so they cook in seconds, and the flavours are cleaner and less sticky than Korean marinades.

What to order:

A beef set with rice. The safest first order.
A few plates to share. Mix beef and pork.
Something fresh on the side, like a salad, to balance the meat.

Two chains and one group in the guide cover this. Gyu-Kaku is on Street 370 in BKK1, open 11am to 10pm. You grill at the table, so go with friends and share a few beef sets. Uraetei Hanare is on Street 334 in BKK1 and part of the Uraetei group. Plan on around $15 to $25 at both.

Eating alone? Yakiniku Like at TK Avenue in Toul Kork is built around a grill at your own seat. A beef set with rice is the usual order, around $8 to $14, and it is open 10am to 10pm.

And one wild card

Little Rangoon BBQ and Restaurant is on Street 135 in Toul Tom Poung, open 11am to 11pm. The name hints at Burmese food. We think grilled skewers are a fair bet, but we cannot promise it, so ask when you sit down. It is a casual late dinner for around $6 to $12.

Tips for any grill

Bring three or four people. You can order more kinds of meat that way.
Ask how you pay. Some places charge per plate and some charge per person.
Dress for smoke. Your clothes will smell of dinner.
Do not wander off. Thin slices burn in under a minute.
Prices change. Check each place's page first.

Save these places in yummers

Pick your style, then save the places you want to try in yummers and share the list with your group. Start with the BBQ in Phnom Penh guide.