ROMDENG... "Its more than just Spiders."

ROMDENG... "Its more than just Spiders.", a photo by alison lyons photography on Flickr.

“Can we see the spiders?” We asked.

“Yes.” He replied gently and led us through the French Colonial villa. Through the leafy courtyard, across the wide verandahs, under high ceilings and out to the bustling kitchen.

On the edge of the servery, through the translucent sides of a large tupperware container, we saw a cluster of slow moving legs. Tarantulas. He scooped one out, tenderly and placed it with great care on the stainless steel bench.

“You can touch it.” He urged. “It cannot hurt you.”

We looked at the specimen and laughed, nervously.

“Its OK.” I said. We’ll just take some photos instead.

“It is safe. See.” And he picked it up and let it walk up his arm to demonstrate how docile it was, before placing it on a large dinner plate for our viewing pleasure. I backed away a little.

He smiled. “It is safe, it can’t hurt you.” He said again. He was tall for a Cambodian, young with a gentle smile and a gentle nature. His English was good and his diction clear.

I took a deep breath and bravely reached out and touched its soft abdomen with my index finger. Just so I could say I’d done it.

“We will come back here tonight for dinner.” We said. But we wont be eating the spiders.

He laughed and took us out past the kitchen to the swimming pool.

“When you come back, you can swim.” He said helpfully. The pool looked very inviting.

“Do you eat the spiders?” I asked.

“Yes. Of course.” He replied.

Romdeng (meaning galangal in Khmer) is a training restaurant, run by former street youth, even the furnishings and paintings on the walls have been made by students.

We returned for dinner that night. Choosing a table in the courtyard. We ate Banana Blossom Salad, Pork with Chili and Ginger, and Chicken Amok (a Khmer coconut curry.) We drank watermelon juice with chili, minted lime juice with galangal and ubiquitous Pina Coladas.

The man at the next table ordered spiders. Described on the menu as ‘Crispy Tarantulas with Lime and Kampot Black Pepper Dip.’ At $4.00 for three spiders, it is a very affordable dish. The spiders are dipped in flour and thrown into the oil, live. A dreadful demise, even for an arachnid. We watched as the man took his first tentative bite. “Tastes like spider.” He announced. (I’ve been told they taste a bit like chicken.) I could contemplate nibbling on a crispy leg, but the thought of the gooey abdomen. Eek.

Although it is now considered a delicacy, it is thought that the Cambodians’ penchant for spiders may have started out of desperation during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when food was in short supply.

We returned to the serious business of dessert. Coconut ice cream, served in a martini glass with piccolo wafers. As they say at Romdeng... “Its more than just spiders!”

Our tuktuk driver was waiting patiently for us in the dark street outside. We feel “Colonial guilt.” We dined, while he waited. But competition is fierce for a tuktuk driver in this town, and it is worth his while to wait for us.

“To the FCC.” We tell him. For the night is still young and we are in Phnom Penh.