Bayon
Bayon was a Cambodian restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side, opened in 2024 by Minh and Mandy Truong.[1] Its final dinner service was August 3, 2026, when its chef-owner retired after 45 years in New York's restaurant community.[1][2]
History
Minh and Mandy Truong opened Angkor Cambodian Bistro in the same East 64th Street space in 2015. That restaurant closed in 2020. The two had previously run Royal Siam, a Thai restaurant in Chelsea, for about two decades.[1]
Their former landlord contacted them when the storefront became available again. In January 2024, they appeared before Community Board 8 for a beer, wine and cider license. Bayon opened later that winter with 14 tables and a small seasonal backyard.[1]
The restaurant took its name from the Bayon temple. The owners compared their return after the pandemic with the temple's endurance and renewal.[2] In their farewell announcement, they thanked the guests who had celebrated milestones at Bayon and encouraged continued support for Cambodian-owned businesses.[1]
Food
The menu ranged across Khmer noodles, fried rice, curries, Siem Reap specials, duck and fish. Fried chive dumplings came with ginger soy sauce. Nyoam combined rice noodles, ground fish, red curry sauce, cucumbers, long beans, bean sprouts, sweet mint and fish sauce.[3][1]
Banh chao crepes came with shrimp, chicken, onions, bean sprouts, peanuts, lettuce, mint and cucumbers. Baked amok combined fish, shrimp, scallops, red curry and eggs in a banana leaf, topped with coconut cream and lime leaves. A grilled version used fish stuffed with shrimp, scallops and lemongrass.[3] Time Out singled out the restaurant's amok and prahok, the fermented fish preparation served with vegetables.[4]
Other dishes included loc lac, with steak tips and black pepper-lime sauce; charcoal-grilled chicken or beef skewers marinated in herbs, coconut milk and lemongrass; and red curries with vegetables and coconut milk.[3] The dining room had simple decor and soft jazz.[5]
Recognition
Bayon entered the Michelin Guide in November 2024 and later received a Bib Gourmand distinction.[1]