HAK HEANG (LONG BEACH, CA)

Hak Heang
2041 E. Anaheim St.
Long Beach, CA 90804
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hak-heang-restaurant-long-beach
Tel: 562.434.0296
$ (under $15)
Cuisine: Cambodian
Sun, 05/17/2015, 11:30am walk-in
    (3.5 Piglets)

Cambodia is a country that has endured economic and political turmoil over the years. It is a country that was once ruled by the Communist Party the Khmer Rouge, which orchestrated the Cambodian genocide with deaths of up to 2 million in the years 1975-1979. The Cambodians managed to survive along with their culture and cuisine.


Cambodian cuisine is influenced from its surroundings of Southeast Asia. Hak Heang offers authentic Cambodian food in the middle of Cambodia Town of Long Beach. Curries, soups and noodles are amongst the popular dishes. The soups are deep and rich in flavor, with duck, beef, and pork bones simmered for hours on end. If you feel adventurous, you can always opt for fried intestines (which we did).

The interior with a singer

MY FAVORITE DISH. COMBINATION RICE NOODLE SOUP DRY ($5.50): The noodles come dry with the soup separate. The noodles are garnished with shrimp, ground pork, fish ball, fish patties, duck and steak. Its customary to pour the soup to the dry noodles to the amount of your choice (I like to pour the whole broth bowl into the noodle bowl). Garnish with bean sprouts and lime like how you would do with pho. The noodles are rice noodles like pho. The dish is comparable to pho, but I think this broth has more flavor. Comprehensively, it has great texture and flavor. 

THE BROTH WITH THE COMBINATION NOODLE SOUP DRY (ON THE SIDE)

THE GARNISHES FOR THE NOODLE COMBINATION SOUP

CHINESE DONUT ($1.00/EACH): Light and crispy, these are the perfect combination with your soup. Dip these in your broth or eat it as is. The ones we had were unfortunately, not as fresh as I would have liked them to be. I've heard that if you head to the restaurant at earlier times, they come out warm and fresh. 

FRIED PIG INTESTINE ($8.75): The fried pig intestine had a crisp exterior, although I think it just needed to be a tad bit crispier. The condiment of the fish sauce was sweet and offered a nice accompaniment to the dish. The pickled cabbage cut through the richness of the dish. If you've never had pig intestine before, the initial bite is good, but offers a potent aftertaste that is reminiscent of fermentation. 

Overall, Hak Heang is a one-of-a-kind restaurant that serves decent, authentic Cambodian cuisine. The weekends feel like a wedding or a karaoke bar. The decor is set to host an Asian wedding reception and singers sing loudly over your lunch/dinner course. The food can use a little work on freshness but in terms of flavor, it is bold and unique. The popular noodle dish is similar to pho and if I had a choice, I would prefer this broth over the traditional pho beef broth. Word of advice: you might have to fight for a table as it can get busy on the weekends. 


Notable dishes: Combination Rice Noodle Soup Dry