Cuisine Wat Damnak

After leaving his post at Meric restaurant, in the former Hotel de la Paix, French chef Johannes Rivière opened what quickly became this town’s top eatery. It's housed in an airy, two-story Khmer bungalow adjacent to a Buddhist wat on the east side of the Siem Reap River. (Most tuk-tuk drivers know the way, but look for the blue sign with the cartoonish cooking pot.) Rivière’s multi-course, French-influenced Khmer menu changes nightly but may include grilled river fish with star fruit salsa, Tonle Sap Lake croacker fish served with stir-fried green jackfruit or frog braised with winter melon. Those with special dietary concerns should be clear about these when booking to confirm that these restrictions can be accommodated.