Cambodge Mag recently published a story on one of the elements that makes arriving at Malis one of the most special dining experiences in Cambodia, and you’ll find it even before you sit down to your table. 

Les Sourires du Malis
The standard-bearer for Khmer cuisine in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Malis is not just a culinary destination and privileged space for discovering the delicate, perfumed flavours of the traditional dishes that Master Chef Luu Meng has brought in line with modern tastes. Malis is also a place for smiles, those famous Khmer smiles that carry a soul further into the welcome embrace of the young team of this temple of Cambodian cuisine. Here you will encounter the smiles of Bun Sophal, Hung Yolay and others who remind you that you haven’t only come to discover or rediscover Khmer cuisine, but also that you are, definitely, welcomed…

Malis restaurant was opened in Phnom Penh in 2004 out of the desire of its creators to restore Khmer cuisine’s noble heritage after years of conflict had provoked the disappearance of the Kingdom’s traditional recipes.

Set in the heart of Phnom Penh, a stone’s throw from the Independence Monument, 
Malis offers the choice of dining either outside in a garden courtyard surrounded by ponds, frangipani trees and a giant Buddha statue, or to eat in air-conditioned comfort indoors.

Malis is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s equally possible to reserve private rooms for business sessions or other individual events. 

You might not see them, but the Malis’ smiles are also in the cuisine. They’re an essential part of the preparations under the guidance of Luu Meng of the best Amoks and Fish Prahok, the M’chou Prey and Royal Mak Mei, and of dozens of other recipes, all wholly Khmer.

Read the whole article here.