Myanmar’s Best Bites

At first, I wasn’t sure I liked the food in Myanmar, but with time I learned how wonderful it actually is.  Here are some of my favorite dishes from my time in the country.

1. Myanmar Tea

Not a “bite” but still a ubiquitous taste in Myanmar.  I’m addicted and distraught at the thought that I won’t be able to find such a wonderful cup outside of Burma.  Myanmar tea can be found anywhere and everywhere in this country.  The beverage is a milky, sweet blend of what I believe is black tea and condensed milk.  It is best enjoyed stooped over a knee-high table in a corner tea shop surrounded by chattering locals and soccer-showing TVs.

2. Pickled Mango

Photo courtesy of Elliot Pelling

I had never tried pickled mango before, but I am sure I will be having more during my travels through Myanmar and India.  This dish was enjoyed at a sidewalk Indian restaurant at the corner of 26^th and 33^rd streets in Mandalay.  It wasn’t the main dish, but a side that accompanied every meal.  The pickled mango was so good we visited this restaurant multiple times just to eat the side!

3. Guacamole and Poppadum

Guacamole isn’t something I think of when I think Burma, but the guacamole at a vegetarian restaurant in Old Bagan was some of the best I’ve tasted.  The lady who makes the stuff told me that she adds honey and chili powder to the avocados and tomatoes.  Whatever she does, it is wonderful!  And the poppadum instead of chips just seems to make perfect sense.  To find this dish, look for the Old Bagan vegetarian restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet (I think it is called the Moon).  The restaurant with the guacamole is actually across the way from the one that is recommended.  It is well worth eating there, but we did find that the other dishes on the menu are not as good as the guacamole and the drinks are expensive!

4. Fermented Tea Leaf Salad

Photo courtesy of Elliot Pelling

One of the more interesting vegetarian dishes I tasted during my time in Myanmar, fermented tea leaf salad is available most places but preparation seems to vary.  My favorite version was enjoyed in Hsipaw where the tea leaves were added to shredded raw cabbage and peanuts before being topped with vinaigrette.  If you see this dish on a menu, definitely give it a try.

5. Indian Curries

From Mandalay to Yangon, some of the best food we ate was at Indian restaurants and food stalls.  In particular, vegetarian curries stole the show.  Inle Lake was home to a fantastic (and dirt cheap!) night market stand that served wonderful potato curry with chapatti for only 700 kyat ($0.70).  We managed to eat 5 servings in one night!  Yangon offered all-you-can-eat curry for only 1200 kyat (about $1.20).  The tomato curry at this indulgent, 39^th street hole-in-the-wall left me desperate for a larger stomach so I could fit more in.  It seemed we couldn’t go wrong with curry anywhere in the Myanmar.

Have you been to Myanmar?  What was your favorite meal?  I’d love to hear about your favorite Burmese dishes or other international dishes in the comments below.