Mao San, the co-owner of Angkor Cambodian Cafe, frequently tells first-time customers how flavorful the food she serves is, because they’re not familiar with the abundance of the bold aromatics that define Cambodian cuisine: lemongrass, galangal root, makrut lime leaves, turmeric and basil, which are pounded with a well-worn metal mortar and wooden pestle.
Even though Cambodian flavors are unfamiliar to a lot of people in Eugene, for San, each dish is an opportunity to share her heritage through the rich, complex flavors of the country where she was born.

