lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

MA THANEGI: WRITER ON ALL THINGS MYANMARMyanmar cuisine does not use coconut, green chillies or sugar like in Thailand. It is neitheras delicate as the steamed dishes of China nor as fiercely hot as Sichuan cuisine. Itdoes not use as many aromatic spices as India.Best DishesThe salads we call athoke or let thoke, meaning a ‘mixture’ or ‘mixed with hand’. You mustalso try the pickled tea leaves, eaten in a salad with roasted or deep-fried nuts and beans,sesame, etc. The prepared tea-leaf pulp tastes like pesto, and can have lime or chilliesadded to it for different tastes.Best Noodle DishI love all, but my favourite is the Delta region noodle mohinga, thin rice noodles eatenwith a thick fish broth cooked with lots of lemongrass and slices of the inner bananastem for crunch. My favourite upcountry noodle is mondhi, the thick, soft rice noodleseaten with a curry of chicken strips, onion oil, roasted chickpea powder, sliced fried fishcakes and sliced raw onions.Best Yangon RestaurantsFor Burmese food, clean but not fancy, I like Feel Myanmar (p 58 ). For teahouses, LuckySeven (p 63 ) because it has a huge selection of snacks, one-dish meals and noodles.Best Eating TipIf you don’t like the oil in the curries, simply leave it in the bowl and don’t spoon it ontoyour plate, just take the meat or fish. This is what we do; not all Myanmar people go foroily food.59YANGON EATINGEATINGinfluenced South Indian dishes such as aninsanely rich mutton curry, as well as meatfreeoptions including puris (puffy breads),idli (rice ball in broth), various dosai andbanana-leaf thalis.365 Café INTERNATIONAL, JAPANESE $$(Map p 42 ; Ah Lan Paya Pagoda Rd; mains K3300-7800; h24hr; aW) This stylish café, locatedon the ground floor of the Thamada Hotel,serves coffee drinks (K2200 to K3150) anda largely Japanese-influenced menu, witha few Western and Chinese dishes thrownin for good measure. Wi-fi is available at 15hours for K5000.Shwe Mei Tha Su MUSLIM BURMESE $(Map p 46 ; 173 29th St; meals from K2000; hlunch& dinner) Located next door to the more famousDanuphyu Daw Saw Yee, and lackinga roman-script sign, this is the Muslimversion of the traditional Myanmar curryhouse, where the sour soup is replaced witha hearty dhal, the meat-based curries arerich and spicy, and sides include pappadumand a smoky balachaung.Be Le CHINESE $$(Junior Duck; Map p 42 ; Pansodan St Jetty; dishesfrom K1200; hlunch & dinner) Virtually the onlyplace in town taking advantage of a riverfrontlocation, this former ferry terminalis one the best places in town to soak up aview and some breezes. The Chinese foodisn’t amazing, but it’s decent, and most gofor the roast duck.Ingyin New South IndiaFood Centre SOUTHERN INDIAN $(Map p 46 ; Anawrahta Rd; mains from K600; hallday) The cheery staff here do the crispiestand tastiest dosai in central Yangon. It’s agood place for a thali as well, and it has teaand Indian sweets if you require dessert.Aung Mingalar Shan NoodleRestaurant SHAN $(Map p 46 ; Bo Yar Nyunt St; mains from K1000;hbreakfast & lunch) Aung Mingalar is an excellentplace to indulge simultaneously inpeople-watching and noodle sipping. It’s asimple and fun restaurant with trendy citycaféovertones.