Located on the 101 North headed out of Eureka, you can spot Annie’s Cambodian Cuisine nestled on the side of the road next to the Sizzlers. It doesn’t look like much from the outside but once you step inside your worries are lessened immensely.
Annie’s is family owned and a recent winner of North Coast Journal’s 2018 Best of Humboldt award for “Best Chinese Restaurant,” even though Cambodian is in the name of the restaurant.
Their menu is centered around Cambodian style cuisine but could be considered more of an Asian Fusion of Cambodian,Thai, and Vietnamese food. The interior has an old world ambiance and the art on the walls had a native look.
My friend Kim Coates and I arrived at 5 p.m. and were greeted by a friendly server. Just as we put in our orders for drinks the place began to fill up quickly with hungry looking customers.
For drinks we ordered the Jasmine tea ($1.50) and Avocado smoothie ($3.50). The tea was served hot and couldn’t have been smoother and I’m not usually a big tea fan. My friend mentioned I would “stay young and beautiful” if I drank it. Bottoms up!
The avocado smoothie was exactly how it sounds. In a tall smoothie glass filled to the rim is a green avo slushie with black boba and it tastes like pure avocado heaven. If you’re head over heels for avocado you should try this.
We ordered the pork spring rolls ($4.75) for an appetizer which was sauteed ground pork, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, cilantro, carrots and vermicelli noodles, rolled up in rice paper. Pretty basic but the veggies were fresh and deliciously crispy. I will have to try the highly recommended Annie’s cheese puffs on my next visit.
If you’re trying to warm your tum-tum make sure to try the chicken Tom Yum ($10.95). Served with a side of steamed white rice, Tom Yum is a delicious mushroom and tomato soup with lemongrass, lime leaves, and green onion, topped with fresh basil. It’s a perfect mix of tang and spice that hits your senses as soon as you lift the lid off the steaming hot bowl. The chicken was juicy and filled with flavor.
A different, yet pleasantly enjoyable dish was the pineapple fried rice ($9.95). I wasn’t sure if the mix would work but I would be put at ease as soon as the taste hit my tongue. The pineapple gives a feeling of authenticity and you could easily be eating a dish traveling in south east Asia.
The meal would not have been complete without trying the Khmer sticky rice ($4.95) for dessert. The steamed sweet rice is drizzled with a tasty coconut sauce and is served with fresh, perfectly ripened mango slices. These two delicacies together are a force to be reckoned with.
“Imagine having a stand at every corner selling this stuff for a dollar.” Coates said, “I got so fat living in Asia.”
I would recommend this restaurant to any hungry people out there looking for some place different. Just bring your appetite and make sure to share plates so you can try more of Annie’s delicious selections.
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