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| - My favorite restaurant in Cleveland. Out of all the hole in the wall, mom and pop, independent establishments tucked away in every nook and cranny in the area, Cambodge is the best I've had. They offer an extreme value for the consumer - dishes may reach up to $12-13, but you can easily eat 2 or 3 meals from one main dish.
I love this style of cuisine - sweet, salty, sour, spicy, savory, aromatic - all of these flavors and sensations balance naturally at the experienced hand of the chef. Texture plays an paramount role in the greater scheme of enjoying these dishes as well. Crunchy on top of soft, sweet followed by savory, Cambodge is an exercise in contrast.
One of my favorite things to order is the appetizer sampler, which showcases many different fried and fresh appetizers, like egg and spring rolls, tofu, chicken wings, etc. Everything on the plate is perfectly executed. The plate always comes to your table less than 5 minutes from ordering, so you can have confidence the items were pulled out of the wok and delivered directly to your table.
Their garlic and black pepper shrimp is the best seafood dish i have ever had. The batter is not shy - thick and rugged, deeply crunchy, not lightly crispy - it makes you work for the shrimp reward inside. The batter is also flavored perfectly as a compliment to the shrimp. I'm not sure what is in it, but it makes my mouth water like crazy. They saute little bits of bell pepper and onion which acts as the base for plating the shrimp, and these little nuggets are a delicious supplement to the dish.
While these are my two favorite dishes, I have had dozens more, and everything is better than the last. I would give Cambodge my highest recommendation to anyone. It is the crown jewel of Cleveland's network of low-key off-the-beaten-path ethnic eateries.
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