Nyum Bai

You don't come Nyum Bai for the atmosphere or the service. But this tiny eatery in the heart of Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood serves some of the best Cambodian food you'll ever have. Straight from chef Nite Yun’s childhood memories comes the machoo kroeung, a spare rib soup packed with flavors. It’s all at once tangy, spicy, funky, and pleasantly bitter from the mixed in lemongrass paste, tamarind, Thai eggplant, and a whole roasted jalapeño.