After many return visits this year, I have decided this is one of my favourite bars in Phnom Penh. When I started reading website postings about what makes a good bar in Phnom Penh, many people said it was the man behind the bar ( does anyone know a female bar owner in Phnom Penh ? ) and in the Green Vespa's case, this is particularly true. Alan is a consummate professional and I reckon he probably knew he wanted to be a barman at the age of four. When Alan isn't wiping the bar down to ensure it isn't swimming in the overflow of revelry (one of my pet hates), he is checking your beer to ensure there is not one second delay between old and new, asking if you are ready to hit his great menu, engaging you in frank discussion and generally being the perfect, congenial host. I also get the feeling you would not want to tangle with him as he is quite a solid chap and Irish to boot which gives him that mad factor and this can be a useful trait in Phnom Penh where madder is better. He has put together a truly amazing collection of whiskies and the Single Malts on his top shelf are legendary. Alan also has a very dangerous freezer full of frozen flavored vodkas and I can highly recommend a couple of snorts of the Apple Vodka if you are feeling slightly jaded from…er….working too hard.
The bar itself has a warm and very green ambience and there is a great collection of vintage Vespa posters on the walls. I have always been aware of Vespas as a cult transit machine but I never knew they ran a famous advertising campaign featuring the hottest Hollywood stars of the 50s, 60s and 70s- including John Wayne !. I could never tire of looking up and seeing Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and Ursula Andress staring longingly at me from the back of a scooter whilst I chow down on Alan's bangers and mash. There is a great collection of UK-dominated CDs (The Jam, The Who, Joe Cocker, Rolling Stones, Beatles etc etc) which you can choose from if you have a favourite and whilst there is no pool table, the main sport to be had at the Green Vespa is conversation and drinking. A good old craic I think they call it in Ireland and if you close your eyes and dream hard enough, you could almost be in Ireland. The crowd is mixed and Alan welcomes everybody no matter where they are from. Old, young, local, tourist…just bring your manners and a wedge of cash (it's not expensive, it is just that Alan is a bloody good salesman!) and you will be guaranteed of a good night. Last time I went there it was a family affair as my colleague's wives and children were all in attendance and it was the start of a fun and long night that saw me leaving with several new found friends from all over the world.
So do yourself a favor, hop on down to the Green Vespa and prop yourself up at the bar for a single malt or a few cold ones. Announce your arrival by loudly ringing the large cow bell at the end of the bar and you will have friends for life……well…. maybe just one night!. Eat his fine fare (the bangers…..oh….the bangers!!), talk to the complete stranger next to you and enjoy being in a traditional bar where the customer comes first and the drinking comes first too.