New York - December 01, 2006

Use Your Noodle

Kampuchea Noodle Bar

Say you fancy yourself an accomplished raconteur. You enjoy the anecdote. Crave the bon mot. Covet the excuse to gesticulate like a hopped-up Zorba the Greek.

And say on one particular night you’re rolling four-deep on the LES, looking for a place to swap stories and share bread.

You step up to Kampuchea Noodle Bar, a new Cambodian eatery. (Let’s say there’s a table with your name on it.)

The chef-owner, Ratha Chau (formerly Fleur de Sel’s GM), is an old-school-hip-hop kind of guy. You dig his convivial, laid-back attitude. You tip your cap to the space: communal tables, big sharing plates, an affordable wine list, late night service (till midnight on weekdays; 1 a.m. on weekends).

Say you orchestrate the ordering: Shrimp, mint, and tuk trey sauce to hand-roll into crepes; crispy mango, sesame, and grilled squid salad; grilled sweet corn with coconut mayo and chili powder; a steaming bowl of noodle soup.

In middle of your best, most gesture-embellished narrative, the food arrives. You dig in.

For once, you don’t need to say anything.

Kampuchea Noodle Bar, 78 Rivington Street, at Allen Street (212-529-3901).