lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

Specialising in pizza and pasta, but with afew other dishes (sandwiches, salads, burgers)thrown in.Royal Garden CHINESE $$(Map p 48 ; %546 923; Nat Mauk Rd, Bahan; mainsK7000; h6.30am-10.15pm) Kicking off withdim sum for breakfast and rolling throughto roasted duck for dinner this big lakesiderestaurant offers up a tasty and keenlypriced selection of Chinese goodies.YANGON’S CAFÉ CULTUREQuick EatsYangon is home to a handful of domesticfast-food chains and several Western-stylebakery-cafés. Most are open for lunch anddinner and have basic snacks and dishesthat start at about K500.For Burmese-style teahouses, see p 63 , andfor street food, see p 61 .Café Aroma CAFÉ $(Map p 42 ; Sule Paya Rd; a) The Starbucksof Yangon, this café has several outletsYangon’s numerous teahouses are not just places to have cups of milk tea and coffee ortiny pots of Chinese tea. They’re also places to grab a snack. They’re places to catch upwith a friend. They’re almost certainly a better place for breakfast than your guesthouse(see p 334 ), and they’re also where gossip is passed around, deals made and, if you believethe rumours, government spies are rampant.But back to the tea. Depending on the size of your sweet tooth and your caffeine tolerance,to order tea in Yangon you’ll need a short language lesson:» lǎp’eq·ye – black tea served sweet with a dollop of condensed milk» cho bawq – less sweet version of lǎp’eq·ye» kyauk padaung – very sweet; the phrase comes from a famous sugar-palm-growingregion near Bagan» cho kya’ – strongest tea, also served with condensed milk.63YANGON EATINGEATINGOnce you’ve mastered the lingo, it’s time pull up a tiny plastic stool and drink. The followingis our shortlist of teahouses in Yangon. All are open from approximately 6am to 4pm. A cupof tea should set you back about K250, and snacks and light meals start at about K400:Lucky Seven (Map p 42 ; 49th St) Located west of the centre of town, this is our all-aroundfavourite Yangon teahouse – tidy, lively and with excellent food. The mohinga here isoutstanding, as are most other Burmese-style noodle dishes.Shwe We Htun (Map p 42 ; 81 37th St) A buzzing old-school teahouse that serves betterqualityfood than most. There’s no roman-script sign, but you’ll know it by the crowds.Thone Pan Hla (Map p 46 ; 454 Mahabandoola Rd) This centrally located teahouse doesn’thave a roman-script sign, but it does have an English-language menu of teahouse staples,from shàn k’auk swèh to fried rice.Shwe Khaung Laung (Map p 46 ; cnr Bogyoke Aung San Rd & 31st St) In addition to goodtea, this Chinese-style teahouse serves decent steamed buns and noodles and bakedcakes and pastries. There’s no English sign, but it’s located right on the corner.Man Myo Taw Café (Map p 42 ; cnr Mahabandoola Rd & 39th St) Also representing theChinese end of the Yangon teahouse spectrum, this tidy place offers good steamed bunsand coffee.Golden Tea (Map p 46 ; Bo Sun Pat Rd) This centrally located Muslim-run teahouse is busyat breakfast, but we prefer to come later in the day when they serve tasty s’uanwi‘n-mauk‘in(semolina cakes).Seit Taing Kya (Map p 48 ; 53 Za Ga War St) A lauded hall-like place, this is very popular –probably because the tea here actually tastes of tea, unlike the sugar and condensedmilk of most teahouses.Yatha Teashop (Map p 42 ; 353 Mahabandoola Rd) A classic Muslim-style teahouse, providingfresh samosas and palata.