Nyum Bai
3340 E 12th St. Ste. 11
Oakland, CA 94601
I visited Nyum Bai when it was briefly at Emeryville Public Market a few years ago. But ever since they moved to their current brick & mortar location in Fruitvale, I had never gone until a friend of mine suggested we go there to eat dinner and catch up a few weeks ago. Naturally, I was excited to go as now I could explore a fuller menu of Cambodian dishes I could not try when they were in a small food hall stall.
We went on a Sunday night and while the restaurant was fairly busy, we didn’t have to wait too long for a table inside their cramped indoor seating area (they also have an outdoor seating area for larger parties). After being seated we perused their entree options, though our server had informed us that dishes that night, including the Amok (catfish) dish I was thinking of trying. Despite that, we ordered the following:
Pea Tendrils at Nyum Bai
Cha Pea Tendrils – I am a complete sucker for pea tendrils and these were no different. The slightly sweet and umami filled sauce complimented the crunch and nuttiness of the pea tendrils. The fried garlic was an excellent touch as well.
Koh at Nyum Bai
Koh – There weren’t a lot of these pork belly cubes, but they were so succulently tender with fat that melted in my mouth. The sauce was rich with the simmered pork flavor accented with spices like star anise. The sauce made the bamboo shoots and slice of boiled egg really tasty too.
Lok Lah at Nyum Bai
Lok Lak – The cubes of beef were juicy and tender and the fat of the beef was perfectly cut with the tangy citrus vinaigrette. The romaine lettuce and tomatoes provided a touch of freshness as well.
In addition to the noodle soup (Kuy Teav Phnom Penh) I had back when they were at Public Market, I have loved every dish at Nyum Bai. It may not be in the trendiest, most gentrifying neighborhoods in Oakland, but it is certainly worth the detour down to Fruitvale (and a couple blocks away from Fruitvale BART!). I will certainly go again soon so I can taste every dish on the menu.
SINO IN SOCAL 