Heng Lay Restaurant

Delicious, authentic Khmer food. Seriously yummy

Authentic, family-​owned place. Nothing fancy, but delicious food at reasonable prices.
We asked for the owner’s recommendations, and once we said that we were adventurous eaters who’d traveled quite a bit in Asia she recommended one of the Khmer specialties. I have to admit that it wasn’t our favorite, but I can tell it was done well (just not our favorite flavors).
The beef lo lak was really delicious, and it sounds crazy to laud the fried rice but it was super delicious (and reminds me of the eggy fried rice at a great place in Los Angeles). They were happy to oblige my need for no cilantro, and I appreciated that.
Also much appreciated was their willingness to customize my shake drink, and it was yummy. Everyone kept checking on us, making sure we liked it and didn’t need anything else.
We were there at a holiday time and so it wasn’t busy and parking was no problem, but I can see how it might get tough at busy times.

The beef satay is some of the best I have tasted. Also the spicy wings. Everything else we tried was great too, but those dishes were standout. Will definitely be back to try more.

This is the best food in Lowell that I’ve had. My son had the spicy calamari, which was as good as any squid I’ve had at any restaurant, spicy and portioned generously. My wife had a chicken soup, huge, tasty, and fresh (actually, it was heavy on a spice I didn’t care for, but that’s on me, not the dish.) I had seafood chow foon, as good an Asian dish as I’ve eaten, and we split a mango salad that was outstanding, heavy on the lime and with lots of small shrimp. My son had a mango shake, also great, but when will I learn to make him eat before he drinks these things??? We couldn’t finish it, and we’ll be back. I’ve had few better meals anywhere at any price.

Great service and foods ! Many choices for great Asian foods in Lowell !
Busy place even after 2!
Highly recommend this place !
Our first and will come back !

My husband and I really enjoyed our meal at Heng Lay. It’s a neat, laid back restaurant with great food. We had the spicy beef with rice and the Special Phnom Phen noodles. The noodle soup reminded me of a fishball noodle soup dish that I love from back home (Singapore) and the spicy beef rice was amazing. We also tried out trey parma which was yummy and refreshing at the same time. A part of me wished that we had brought some friends along so that we could have tasted more dishes! It’s about a 40 minute drive out of Boston on a weekend and worth the drive, especially if you plan to do some Asian grocery shopping at V-​Mart nearby.

Excellent Cambodian Food. This food is truly authentic. I hadn’t tasted flavors like this since I was in Cambodia 10 years ago. Parking is limited but there are stops in the back lot. Clean family run, great food. If you want home cooked cambodian food head here.

Great and authentic Cambodian food! Excellent prices, large portions, friendly and helpful wait staff. We brought a young family friend who spent two years in the Peace Corps in Cambodia, living in a small village with a farm family. She is fluent in Khmer and we all had a great time seeing the owner and her family exchanging stories, pictures, and jokes in their own language with our friend. Our friend said the food is absolutely authentic and we just knew it tasted great. This is a hidden gem, tucked away in a residential neighborhood, parking can be tricky. But you’ll find a space. This was our second visit, and we’ll be back for sure.

Just finished eating here with my husband. I had never been to Lowell before but had always wanted to check it out because of the Cambodian population here and restaurants. I’m Cambodian, grew up eating my mom’s amazing food, and also been to Cambodia several times so when it comes to khmer food I think I know a thing or two.
This place was great! The lady, who I assume owns the place, was very nice to us. It wasn’t that busy when we arrived so we were seated immediately, had our order taken, and our food came out fairly quickly. We were in and out in about 45 minutes.
As far as the food goes, I was very satisfied. We got Phnom Penh noodles, beef skewers, and papaya salad. My noodles were really good and exactly how I expect Phnom Penh noodles to taste. The beef skewers were very good too. And these things can be hit or miss depending on who makes them. Some people use gross beef and gives it a funky texture but these were better quality and tasted pretty much how my mom makes them and so I was happy.
The papaya salad was good too. The portion was huge and hubs asked for it to be extra spicy so when it came out looking really red I was worried but it was just from the tomatoes. It was spicy but not too spicy. Just perfect our taste. It was a bit too heavy on the shrimp paste and I would have liked it to be more sour like how my mom does it but it did come with extra wedges of lime.
Lowell at first glance looks like a pretty run down town with not much to offer. I was only here for about an hour and most of it was spent inside the restaurant but after driving around I can’t imagine there being much to do. My 4 star rating is a relative rating. The food is good, staff is friendly, and it’s cheap and quick. No complaints here.
Overall, I would come back to this restaurant if I’m ever in Lowell again. Our total bill was $ 26. The prices are reasonable and we left very full. I actually wish I had extra stomach space to try more things.

Hidden gem, authentic food at a family-​run establishment. Will be back again.

Wonderful family– owned Cambodian restaurant! All soups we’ve tried (Tom– Yum, sweet and sour pork rib) were delicious. We’ve also tried a few of the chicken dishes which were fabulous– they mix their own curry paste here. We look forward to coming again after an afternoon at the MRT and trying many other unique and well– prepared dishes.
Oh yes, the owner is so engaging and friendly and engages in conversation about Cambodia with her guests.

Parking is leery. There’s a VERY small lot on the right side of the restaurant and a few spots on the left side. Locals seem to park all over… I don’t feel comfortable enough doing that!
H and I have come here a number of times over the past year. I’ve tried a slew of items as a single order takeout and also as one of 5+ for hot pot. IMO, this is the best place in town to order mikathang (pad-​see-​ew or chow fun). The order always seems freshest (and if it’s a to-​go order, I’m coming from Centralville!) and is NOT soggy like a few other restaurants in the metro area.
This does NOT hinder my review in any way, but I will note that it’s difficult to understand the person answering the phone (although the woman is easier to understand than the man…) when speaking in English. Your order will still go through correctly, but it made me wary when ordering! I guess that’s what happens when I can’t properly converse in my parents’ native tongue.

The hours are 8 am — 7 pm (not 8 as listed on Unilocal) every day but Wednesday when they are closed. We wish that they were open later and don’t understand why they would be open so early in the morning. It may be best to aim for lunch rather than dinner.
We go just for the fried spicy calamari/​squid. It is the best we’ve had and we’ve tried it all over New England.

I’m in love with Heng Lay Restaurant. It’s small and family owned, the service is fast and friendly, and everything is made to order. I’ve never had anything less than awesome. All of the soups are amazing, and the Pad Thai is to die for. I ordered the «Chicken with Spicy» last night, but instead of chicken I asked or Tofu. It was wonderful… perfectly cooked Tofu and veggies in a fantastic ginger/​curry sauce. The spring rolls are a must-​have as well. It’s BYOB so bring your favorite wine or beer and your appetite. This place won’t disappoint.

Heng Lay…
Try: Phnom Penh noodle soup. Delicious! It’s like phở, but with pork instead of beef.
Stir fry pork intestines with pickled mustard greens. My fave!
Salmon salad– perfect blend of sweet, salty, and sour!
Seafood dry noodles, yes… try this as well!
Skip the meekathung, unless you like powdery meekathung. Gross. Gave it a few tries thinking maybe I had a bad day, but nope, not good at all.
You’re welcome.

My wife and I went to the Heng Lay Restaurant as our first experience with Cambodian Food. We were ever so impressed. The food was tasty, served hot and fresh. I got the feeling, because of the prep time they took, that each dish was prepared when a customer ordered a dish vs. pre-​prepared food many Asian restaurants use. Definitely a plus taste-​wise. The restaurant is small but we went there on a Sunday evening when the restaurant was practically empty. The waitress, who I understood, is a member of the owner/​operator family, was very helpful and made our experience even better. I would strongly recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Asian food. Kudos to the owners.

My aunt and cousins brought my fam here a few months ago and this Khmer restaurant is one of the cleaner ones that I’ve ate at in Lowell. The family that works here is extremely nice and friendly and they weren’t pushy at all. Just like another Unilocal reviewer said, the vibe you get from Heng Lay is like you’re eating at a relative’s house since it is a small place. I think I ordered the Mee Kathang the first time and the crispy egg noodles (not sure if it’s called that but I forget the name of it) the second time I’ve ate here. Seating is a bit limited if you have a large family with you and yes, the parking does suck lol but the food is still good.

First time for Cambodian food. Not a lot of tables in side but plenty for the flow of people. The service was great and very friendly. WE got help on items to order when we knew the type of dish we wanted.
Spring rolls were very fresh, soup was outstanding with great lemon flavor. Portions were large and a decent price.
If we are in the area again, we will stop. This was worth the drive. I wish I could post the dishes we had, but I can’t find a menu.

This Cambodian restaurant is on the corner of a busy intersection where School street meats Liberty street. It is literally 2 minutes from our house and it’s our «go to» restaurant for Cambodian cuisine. Most of the younger crowd prefer Simply Khmer or Red Rose but we have been going to Heng Lay for years.
Heng Lay hasabout 10 tables including 2 large round ones in the center of the restaurant for large groups. Similar to any other Cambodian restaurant in town, there is a TV that broadcasts Cambodian news or features the latest in Cambodian karaōke music.
The family that runs the restaurant are extremely nice and always chatting with us and asking about our latest vacation or playfully gives us a hard time for not seeing us in a while. Once seated, complimentary Jasmine tea is served.
We’ve pretty much eaten everything off the menu. Within our group of friends, we all agree that Heng Lay makes the best Yow Hon Hot Pot sauce among all Cambodian restaurants in Lowell. The broth has the right consistency and is sweet and sour, just the way we like it. It’s not uncommon that we would order just the broth to eat the rich Cambodian broth at home. We like to order a side of their fried bean curd (which is not traditionally eaten with it)
When I am missing my mom’s cooking, I like to get stir fried morning glory with pork belly or «Cha Kroeung Sach Ko» stir fried beef with vegetables in Cambodian curry paste. Yes I know how to make the dishes, but sometimes it’s just more convenient to shell out the $ 8.00 and not have to worry about picking up the ingredients, cooking and cleaning.
I was recently introduced to their famous Trey Prama dish by my friends. The traditional way of cooking the dish is to steam the fish with eggs and spices. The fish smell usually gets to me and turns me away from the dish. At Heng Lay, the dish is actually fried to a crisp perfection. It’s my new favorite dish! Salty and savory at the same time. The dish is served with an assortment of vegetables: cucumber, steamed broccoli, cabbage, Thai eggplants and jalapenos to balance the saltiness of the dish and aid in digestion.
My husband’s favorite is «Kuy Tiev Kaw– Ko», a specialty Cambodian/​Vietnamese rice noodle dish with a five-​spice beef stew broth simmered for hours with beef, brisket, tripe. He also loves their beef loc lac dish with the lime & pepper dipping sauce.
You can’t go wrong ordering their fresh rolls, fried calamari, spicy wings or mee ka thung, wide rice noodle dish. We get the «Special» which comes with squid, shrimp, beef, fish cakes and chicken.
To read more and see menu item pictures, visit here
Tips:
The restaurant is closed every Wednesday
The restaurant does not serve alcohol but you can BYOB. When dining with a group, I like to pick up a couple bottles of wine and the Mo grabs beer for the guys
If you are ordering hot pot or Yow Hon, you can call ahead to have it ready for your party. They will put out the vegetables, proper plates/​utensils, cooking equipment and serve the broth once the whole party comes.

Being a vegetarian in Lowell means that I miss out on a lot of the yummy food that Lowell has to offer. Then Heng Lay comes along and offers a vegetarian section. Your food can also be made vegan if you’re about that life.
Try the veggie fried rice. It’s different every time I go. The constant is that it’s always: a large portion, chock full of veggies, and DELICIOUS!