Ben D.
Yelp
Batambang Cambodian Restaurant remains one of my favorite restaurants in Oakland. They are family-run and have held prices down as well as any place can. They are open for lunch and dinner, and are conveniently located neat 8th street on Broadway in downtown Oakland.
If you haven't tried Cambodian food yet, it is lot like Thai and Viet Namese food, very tasty, full of good ingredients, and as spicy as you choose.
Their food is always fresh and delicious. Providing a wide variety of dishes, including vegan options, fish, fowl, beef, lamb and pork, almost everyone will find dishes that delight. The atmosphere is casual and unpretentious, but very clean, attractive, and welcoming, even of large parties. (Though 10-12 people is probably the comfortable max.)
We especially like their Grilled Pork (#40), Green Papaya Salad, and the Eggplant and Catfish dishes. And they have what has become one of my all-time favorite deserts, Amok Nur, which is a coconut custard featuring jackfruit chunks. This is served warm, and is definitely worth a try!
Batambang has a good selection of beers, and does OK on wines, but like most Asian restaurants, their wine list is not their strong point. But their Sweet Iced Tea, which is very much like Thai Iced Tea, is a delight.
The service is also quite wonderful, and over time you get to meet and know the entire gracious family, all of whom are eager to please.