THE LUXURY TRAVEL
MAGAZINE FOR INDEPENDENT
TRAVELLERS

The Sailing Club is as perfect place as I’ve ever seen for a sundowner. Perched on the edge of the ocean, it’s actually a restored fisherman’s house, built in the traditional Cambodian style, on stilts. The large wooden verandah juts out over the sea and means you can sit sipping cocktails and snacking on seafood while watching small schools of fish jump out of the ocean in front of you. Not a bad way to pass an hour or two.

Of course, the Sailing Club is also perfect for a lazy Sunday lunch. The service is extremely friendly, but not particularly speedy, so don’t come ravenous. In fact, that’s the only part of the Sailing Club that falls flat – the service. We waited over 45 minutes for our mains, and we heard other guests complain of the same thing. That said, management seems aware of the problem and one hopes it will be sorted out soon.

The food is pretty special, though. In fact, it’s delicious – a range of superbly fresh seafood dishes prepared simply so that the flavours can shine through. We tried the seafood salad, chunks of squid, fish and prawn in a Cambodian kose kong dressing, which was light and refreshing with surprising notes of lemongrass and peanut; and their signature dish: the Kep seafood platter. Some of the freshest prawns I’ve ever tasted, a whole Kep crab (famous in the area), and some delicious grilled squid served with rice, salad and two sauces, the kose kong sauce (chilli, garlic, fish sauce and lemon) and the infamous black pepper and lime sauce, served all over Cambodia and one of my favourite things about the country. The tangy lime offsets the sharp pepper with a generous flavour, and it complements fresh seafood perfectly.

While you’re at the Sailing Club, you might as well try a cocktail (where there are sundowners, there are always cocktails). Our pick was the passion fruit mint caipiroska, a fruity mojito-related drink with a shot of vodka. Delicious!