Burmese Food - Any favorites?
Jan 22nd, 2010, 07:37 AM
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Burmese Food - Any favorites?
Does anyone have any simply "must trys" for food in Burma? Some love mohinga, lepet & khow suey...any others or recommendations on what to try & where to find some great eats?
We tend to be adventurous and like a mix of restaurants & street food (as long as the food is fresh & the locals are happily munching away).
We tend to be adventurous and like a mix of restaurants & street food (as long as the food is fresh & the locals are happily munching away).
Jan 22nd, 2010, 08:24 AM
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I found Burmese food rather disappointing. It was on the bland side and the mohinga was too "fishy" for me. I love Thai food and have had excellent food all over SE Asia, but Burma is not a foodie's paradise.
Jan 22nd, 2010, 09:51 AM
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The best meal I had in Burma was Indian at Aroma2 in Nyaung U.
In Yangon I ate mostly in Indian restaurants and some street food. Mandalay was a disappointment except for the barbecued chicken. In Bagan I ate mostly in local Burmese restaurants where some of the small dishes were quite good and others bland.
Personally I Loved Mohinga and ate it frequently for breakfast.
There is supposedly an Inle specialty that is a boned fish that has been roasted and stuffed and then fried. Only heard about after I had left Inle.
On your other thread you asked about overstaying your visa. Can you not ask for a longer visa when you apply? It didn't seem to be any problem in NYC.
In Yangon I ate mostly in Indian restaurants and some street food. Mandalay was a disappointment except for the barbecued chicken. In Bagan I ate mostly in local Burmese restaurants where some of the small dishes were quite good and others bland.
Personally I Loved Mohinga and ate it frequently for breakfast.
There is supposedly an Inle specialty that is a boned fish that has been roasted and stuffed and then fried. Only heard about after I had left Inle.
On your other thread you asked about overstaying your visa. Can you not ask for a longer visa when you apply? It didn't seem to be any problem in NYC.
Jan 22nd, 2010, 11:07 AM
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@Kathy - I too love Thai food and my expectations for Burmese cuisine aren't up to that level for sure. Hopefully though we will find a few gems!
@Nywoman - Aroma2 is starred in my guidebook, we will definitely be stopping there. I'm not sure how I will feel about mohinga but I'm excited to give it a try! I have a feeling that I will be eating a lot of Indian food.
The maximum length of visa they would grant us was 28 days. Just trying to decide whether or not to head to India a couple of days early or if we can risk the extra day.
@Nywoman - Aroma2 is starred in my guidebook, we will definitely be stopping there. I'm not sure how I will feel about mohinga but I'm excited to give it a try! I have a feeling that I will be eating a lot of Indian food.
The maximum length of visa they would grant us was 28 days. Just trying to decide whether or not to head to India a couple of days early or if we can risk the extra day.
Jan 22nd, 2010, 01:16 PM
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While we are on the subject of eating in Burma, does anyone care to offer suggestions for good food in Yangon? As I will be with older friends who are probably not keen on street food, I am looking for upscale places serving local fare, or at least SE Asian or South Asian fare.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 01:43 AM
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'Upscale' eateries in Yangon are often not the best places to eat .... all the effort seems to go into the decor and the food is all-too-often disappointing. I ate recently at the very trendy-looking Cafe Jasper; my other-half almost threw up afterwards.
There is a small chain of restaurants called YKKO. They are modern-looking and specialise in noodle dishes. Comfortable local rather than upscale - good prices and great food. I eat at the Myaynigone branch.
There is a small chain of restaurants called YKKO. They are modern-looking and specialise in noodle dishes. Comfortable local rather than upscale - good prices and great food. I eat at the Myaynigone branch.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 02:38 AM
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YKKO is a good tip. I have noted it in my book.
Many thanks.
Have you been to Sabai Sabai? This restaurant is near our hotel and seems to garner good reports..
Also, would you mind giving your opinion about these two much-lauded eateries:
Monsoon
Sandy's (at K. Palace Hotel)
How is the restaurant at Governor's Palace? I am sure it is overpriced, but if you've been, would you care to comment?
I appreciate your taking the time to respond and info in rather thin on the ground...
Many thanks.
Have you been to Sabai Sabai? This restaurant is near our hotel and seems to garner good reports..
Also, would you mind giving your opinion about these two much-lauded eateries:
Monsoon
Sandy's (at K. Palace Hotel)
How is the restaurant at Governor's Palace? I am sure it is overpriced, but if you've been, would you care to comment?
I appreciate your taking the time to respond and info in rather thin on the ground...
Jan 23rd, 2010, 06:07 AM
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We had an ok meal at Monsoon. Despite asking for the food to be spicy, it was bland. I know may others loved it so... I'm of the opinion that while restaurants all over the world can be uneven - great one day merely ok another - that this is magnified in places like Burma.
We had an exquisite meal in every sense of the word at the Governor's Palace. Yes, it was expensive (for Burma). Yes, for us it was worth it.
Of course, the Strand has excellent food and service. Though the Grill has ridiculous prices, the cafe prices are merely expensive for Burma.
We also ate at J's Irrawaddy Dream. I don't recommend it, though the setting is nice.
We had an exquisite meal in every sense of the word at the Governor's Palace. Yes, it was expensive (for Burma). Yes, for us it was worth it.
Of course, the Strand has excellent food and service. Though the Grill has ridiculous prices, the cafe prices are merely expensive for Burma.
We also ate at J's Irrawaddy Dream. I don't recommend it, though the setting is nice.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 08:34 AM
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Kathie, thanks. I have a feeling that my friends will like Governor's Palace (I still wonder if I did not make a mistake choosing the Savoy over GP as a hotel) Can you give me an idea of the price of your meal?
Jan 24th, 2010, 11:14 PM
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Another suggestion... Thiripyitsaya Sky Lounge, Floor 20, Sakura Tower. Fantastic 360 degree city views (includng the Shwedagon) were the main attraction for me but enjoyed the food as well. We chose the Myanmar set menu but I recall a variety of western entries on the menu as well.
Jan 25th, 2010, 03:22 AM
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Hi Ekscrunchy,
I haven't eaten at Sabai Sabai but it has a generally good reputation. Monsoon is a well-run, friendly restaurant. The food is 'nice', nothing exceptional at all. I personally like Sandy's. The decor's not up to much but the lakeside location makes up for that. I like to experiment; try new Myanmar dishes ... and the menu here is v..a..s..t. - and pretty good - and fairly priced.
Heading east from the Savoy is a very flash-looking hotpot restaurant (very un-Yangon) which opened just before Xmas. It looks like it was architect-designed in Beijing and air-dropped into the city. It was heaving with customers when I last passed. I'm terrible with remembering names but there is also a really excellent Chinese restaurant on the ground floor of the executive apartment complex just along from Zawgyi's on Aung San Road. Don't eat at Zawgyi's - overpriced and poor quality.
I haven't eaten at Sabai Sabai but it has a generally good reputation. Monsoon is a well-run, friendly restaurant. The food is 'nice', nothing exceptional at all. I personally like Sandy's. The decor's not up to much but the lakeside location makes up for that. I like to experiment; try new Myanmar dishes ... and the menu here is v..a..s..t. - and pretty good - and fairly priced.
Heading east from the Savoy is a very flash-looking hotpot restaurant (very un-Yangon) which opened just before Xmas. It looks like it was architect-designed in Beijing and air-dropped into the city. It was heaving with customers when I last passed. I'm terrible with remembering names but there is also a really excellent Chinese restaurant on the ground floor of the executive apartment complex just along from Zawgyi's on Aung San Road. Don't eat at Zawgyi's - overpriced and poor quality.
Jan 25th, 2010, 06:36 AM
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Eks, the problem with being required to pay cash for everything in Burma is that there is no credit card receipt to go to for an answer. I remember thinking it was US prices, what I'd pay at a nice restaurant here in Seattle for a lovely lunch. So I'm guessing (and Cheryl concurs) that it was about US$50 for the two of us. (We did not have any wine.)
As far as the question of the Governor's Residence vs. any place else, it's a matter of whether you want to be IN the city. It's not that the Governor's Residence is far away, but the feel is very much of not being in the city. It's an oasis. Personally, I would have a hard time deciding where to stay the next trip - the Strand with it's incomparable service and lovely colonial-era suites or the Governor's Residence, placed in a lovely, cool garden. I would probably resolve the issue by staying at one on the way in, the other on the way out.
As far as the question of the Governor's Residence vs. any place else, it's a matter of whether you want to be IN the city. It's not that the Governor's Residence is far away, but the feel is very much of not being in the city. It's an oasis. Personally, I would have a hard time deciding where to stay the next trip - the Strand with it's incomparable service and lovely colonial-era suites or the Governor's Residence, placed in a lovely, cool garden. I would probably resolve the issue by staying at one on the way in, the other on the way out.
