Mteay Knows Best

The Pitch

Mother's Day is an occasion to pamper and treat one's mater to a meal she truly enjoys.  With our own moms living halfway across the globe, tonight's outing would instead involve a gathering of two young families; which includes our Cambodian friend celebrating her first Mother's Day.

Who better to arm one's self with at Saint-Michel's B.Y.O.W. no-reservations Kim Hour on this busiest of Sunday evenings?  The Indochinese native would prove instrumental in helping us navigate her homeland's cuisine, something we have not had significant contact with.

tagged:  B.Y.O.W. CAN'T RESERVE SUNDAY NIGHT

The Mood

We're not fans of early dinners, but school nights dictate them.  At least we were able to dodge the lineup that formed as packs of families with and without kids congregated at the entrance starting 6PM.

Our mixed Syrian/Salvadorian/Italian/Cambodian table fit in nicely with the racially-diverse crowd that would give any United Colors of Benetton advertisement a run for its money.

tagged:  BRING THE FAMILY BRING THE KIDS

The Food

The impossibly-long, 27-page menu of Cambodian, Chinese and Thai specialties can feel overwhelming to the uninitiated – or the starved!  Luckily for us, our aforementioned friend would come to the rescue; ordering mostly family-style khmer dishes, as we requested.

Our premature summarization of Cambodian cuisine places it somewhere along the Chinese/Thai spectrum; more flavorful than the former but not as fiery as the latter.  Highlights included a refreshing vermicelli salad, tangy salt & pepper shrimp and fragrant beef curry.  The rest was run-of-the-mill grub; decent without disappointing.

Starter

Starter

$5.95

$5.95

Beef Skewers

Starter

Starter

Shrimp Egg Rolls

Starter

Starter

$9.95

$9.95

Vermicelli Salad

Main

Main

$9.95

$9.95

Fried Salt & Pepper Shrimps

Main

Main

$9.95

$9.95

Tender Steamed Beef

Main

Main

$9.95

$9.95

Cambodian Style Beef

Main

Main

$9.95

$9.95

Morning Glory

"sautéed in a bean curd sauce"

Main

Main

$7.95

$7.95

Beef & Chinese Broccoli Noodles

tagged:  GOOD FOR SHARING YOU MAKE ALL THIS?

The Service

As swamped as the staff may have seemed on this hectic evening, orders were taken swiftly and plates arrived at a steady pace.  Of course it helped that we had a Cambodian insider at our table to overcome potential language barriers and negotiate dietary restrictions.

tagged:  HUSTLE & BUSTLE

The Verdict

Following our second visit here, it became evident that – Mother's Day or not – this is one popular spot.  With nary a dish on the menu cracking the two-digit price tag, Kim Hour has quickly become one of our favorite no-frills, typically-Asian eateries outside of Chinatown.

So if you find yourself next year scrambling for a last-minute plan for Mother's Day, and are planning for a larger group, keep Kim Hour in mind.  If your mteay – Cambodian for mother – enjoys a feast, she'll be in for one!

tagged:  SOLID

Price per person:  $17.50