A story about the Khmer Rouge Experience
Cafe in Phnom Penh made it to Boing Boing, which then provided an update saying that the cafe had been closed. But
I thought it was worth posting about because it was so, well, odd. And, perhaps, expected.
The cafe allegedly offered customers a taste of the horrible food served during the murderous Khmer Rouge regime. Such
delicacies as steaming bowls rice gruel and bitter tea were served, all with the idea of bringing attention to the
terrible history of Cambodia…and to satisfy the vast and burgeoning demand for rice gruel (you know who you are!).
Waitresses at the cafe were barefoot and clad in the black pajamas and red-white scarves worn by Khmer guerrillas. Nice
touch.
But seriously. Seems like an interesting idea, and they certainly got a lot of press out of it. But unfortunately, the
tourism
ministry then closed them because it said they did not have a license, the tourism ministry said.