Hubs made another great food discovery in Long Beach. Knowing that the largest Cambodian community in the U.S. resides there, along with a sizable Lao population, he’s been wanting to explore the local spots and try dishes that are totally new to both of us. Cambodian and Laotian cuisines are mostly uncharted territory for us, and we’re ready to change that.
Our most recent adventure took us to Phnom Penh Noodle Shack, perfectly capping off a noodle-heavy week (soba, Bolognese, udon… we’re basically turning into noodles at this point, as a friend joked).
Since it was our first visit, we went with two of their most popular dishes: the House Special and the Student Noodles. The first is technically a noodle soup, while the second is a stir-fried noodle dish. On the waitress’s recommendation, we ordered the soup on the side, and I’m so glad we did.
A special aside for the consommé, because it deserves its own moment:
The consommé that comes with the House Special Noodles is liquid gold. Bottle it up and gift it to me for my birthday! I’d be thrilled. That bone broth alone is reason enough to come back.
For the House Special, we opted for the thicker noodles (Option B), which are a guilty pleasure of mine. I love a chewy, toothsome noodle. For the Student Noodles, we went with the thin “small” noodles (Option A). The Student Noodles reminded me a bit of Pad Thai, with the crushed peanuts and the sweet, tangy vinegar or fish sauce you drizzle on to taste—from a syrup dispenser bottle, no less.
Both dishes were absolutely delicious, but the House Special is the one I’ll be dreaming about.
Phnom Penh Noodle Shack
1644 Cherry Ave Long Beach, CA 90813
JULIENNE CARROTS 