We can say that Kep is a favorite province in Cambodia with everyone looking for a quiet break ever since 1960. Kep is a great launchpad to island hopping, but the real gem is local seafood. Indeed, crabs in Kep are a must and plentiful dining options will make your head spin. After a few circles around Kep, we spotted Kep Sailing Club and stayed there from lunch to dinner. Keep reading this Sailing Club Restaurant Kep Review to find out more about this beach restaurant with a view that keeps on giving.
Ambiance
If we focus on a single word to describe the atmosphere of the Sailing Club Restaurant Kep we go with the breeze. That may be because of the light wind, although the south-facing location between the land and sea is quite breezy as well. Speaking about the unique features of the Sailing Club restaurant, this is a restored traditional fisherman’s cottage. Naturally, restoration expanded the outdoor area to get more angles for the unobstructed view of the horizon. The end result is a casual veranda where guests can chill in the shade.
As it happened local fishermen spotted a school of fish in the shallow water right in front of the restaurant when we were there. Talk about entertainment! Plus, we haven’t mentioned the colorful sunset, which was spectacular that day. Actually, to be more specific it was breathtaking every day and we will probably remember Kep by its sunsets forever. With the setting sun, the sitting area expands to the end of the pier where the feeling is even more special.
Drinks
Mixed drinks on a beach are a must and The Sailing Club is aware of that. We were particularly happy to see an array of cocktails and mocktails in The Sailing Club menu. In addition to that, one can pair a meal with a glass of mostly French wine selection. Then there are house spirits and aperitifs, although if you desire some beer or Kampot cider you can stop by as well.
Food
What we loved about The Sailing Club was the use of organic local produce. Regardless of what is on offer, the menu is inspired by the local and global taste. Needless to say, the Kep’s star, the seafood shares a considerable portion of the menu, but one can find vegetarian options as well. Finally, there are mouthwatering sweets with or without the handmade ice creams and sorbets.
We also have to share with you is the fact of the generous portions for all the dishes we ordered and the real feel of solid home cooking. Aside from that, we loved the dried black Kampot pepper on tables and the strong presence of fresh green Kampot peppercorns on the menu.
Our Lunch at The Kep Sailing Club
Daily Soup
Daily soup varies on the daily basis, depending on the available ingredients. When we were there, we had a delicious chicken and mushroom soup seasoned with young lemongrass. The broth was rich despite gentle seasonings, which kept chicken in the spotlight even after we added some lime juice to it. The soup alone was wonderful, but with toothsome noodles and onion shreds, it was at its best.
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Crab Cakes
The chef was very mindful of seasonings and respected the gentle crab meat, albeit we could boost the flavor with lime juice and smoked jalapeno dip if desired. Indeed, crab meat is easily overpowered, but the tender inside remained at its best regardless of the additions. As intended the freshness of coleslaw made of crisp cabbage, cucumber, bell peppers, and carrots, was a perfect fit for the deep-fried crab cakes.
Stir-Fried Kep Crab
To enjoy the tender meat of locally caught crab we had to roll up our sleeves and use some power. As it happens, sucking on the shell is particularly rewarding to extract all the juices, including the ones enhanced by the peppercorn. At the Kep Sailing Club, they stir-fry the crab with fresh green Kampot peppercorns and vegetables. On the side, we got perfectly cooked rice and a lime wedge, both are lovely contributions for keeping the tummy full.
Snapper with Khmer Spiced Sauce
On top of the pan-seared snapper, we got a generous spread of coconut peppercorn sauce spiced with dried chilies. This tasty sauce was delicious also with the garlic steamed vegetables and toothsome rice. We loved the textural differences between crisp vegetables and tender fish fillet.
Brownie with Mango
Chocolate sauce that was poured over the chocolate brownie was a great companion to the fresh mango and mango sorbet. Due to the melting sorbet, we focused on it but we couldn’t leave the compact chocolate brownie alone. Good thing we didn’t. It was excellent to catch the contrast between the refreshing sorbet and heavy chocolate. In addition to that, the perfectly ripe mango was really the icing on the cake. The only downside here was that we didn’t get Kampot pepper on top of the brownie. Apparently, they went out of it and that’s simply unforgivable. The Kampot pepper with chocolate was the main reason we ordered this dessert.
Sailing Club Restaurant Kep Review Card
- ATMOSPHERE – 9.1/109.1/10
- SERVICE – 9.2/109.2/10
- PRESENTATION – 9.2/109.2/10
- FOOD – 9.5/109.5/10
- DRINKS – 8.9/108.9/10
- VALUE – 9.5/109.5/10
Conclusion
Sailing Club Restaurant Kep is one of the best places to have delicious food and unforgettable sunsets at the same time. Not only that, but here you will also find Kep Sailing Club Lounge Bar, just across the path and we will write about it next time. However, the food was delicious with only a few mistakes and the service was nice as well. To point out, Sailing Club Restaurant’s location is worth 10 points by itself and we warmly recommend a visit here, if you will have a chance in the future. Just make sure they aren’t out of the fresh Kampot pepper which is probably the biggest sin there.
Price and Location
Here is a link to the location to Sailing Club Restaurant Kep for easier navigation. For orientation, our lunch here was about 40 USD.
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