In
the states, you will be lucky to find a Burmese
restaurant where you live. It is one of the few
cuisines that Americans have not yet discovered, so
you can imagine how excited two food consultants were
as they booked their trip to Myanmar. We felt a little
like Columbus, sent to explore previously uncharted
territories.
After spending a few days in the former capital of Myanmar,
Yangon (also known as Rangoon), we weren't much closer
to unlocking any culinary secrets. We had eaten some
tasty Chinese food, dined on some fancy French food,
and even stumbled across a Mexican wine bar... but
where was the local food? After querying everyone we
met, the general consensus was that Shan State had the
best traditional food.
Hope
sprang eternal as we excitedly boarded the plane for
Khentung - the old Shan capital. Although the flight
took only a few hours from Yangon, when we landed we
felt like we had gone back 100 years in time. Khentung
is built in a valley around Nong Tung Lake, and is
surrounded by picturesque green-clad mountains.
Numerous Buddhist temples (known as stupas) and
monasteries add to the quiet beauty and peaceful
serenity which is most welcome after the hustle of
Yangon.
Our travel agent had booked us at the Princess Hotel,
right in the center of town. Although rather basic, it
was impeccably clean, and the General Manager did
everything possible to ensure our stay was enjoyable.
When he found out we were writing about Burmese food,
he quickly ordered the cook to forget about the
standard fried egg breakfast, and prepare us Shan
soups.
The first night we ate at the Golden Banyan. We pre-arranged
to have a Shan dinner prepared, and the chef rallied
to the occasion. Although the atmosphere of this open-air
restaurant may leave something to be desired the food
certainly does not. Meals are a communal affair, with
everyone sipping out of the same serving spoon and
using their right hand to scoop up a handful of food.
We began with a pot of vegetable soup-made up of a
potpourri of market vegetables, seasoned with a unique
blend of herbs and spices. One of our favorite dishes
was Ne Sa, a mound of minced pork that was saut้ed
with shallots and chili surrounded by a bed of crunchy
cabbage, scallions, chive root, and herbs and accented
with crispy fried onions and dried shrimp. We were
impressed with the beautifully presented Lakai en rok
care, an elegant, deep-fried local flower stuffed with
delicately spiced minced meat. The colorful vegetable
stir fry was lightly kissed with a touch of garlic and
chilies. We ladled this over piles of fragrant sticky
rice, debating the merits of the white versus the
brown rice. (Later we tasted the black sticky rice and
had a new contender) This was where we first
encountered the ubiquitous nyapi. The Shan people can't
make it through a meal without copious spoonfuls of
nyapi-a hot seasoning paste based on fermented fish or
shrimp. After our first taste, we were immediately
hooked. We even began carrying small containers of our
favorite nyapi with us in case our food needed a fix!
* Two important caveats: The Burmese use excessive amounts
of oil when cooking. They feel it is insulting to
their guests to do otherwise. After requesting that
our food be made with only a little oil - and finding
out that "a little" meant something quite
different to them, we asked for "No Oil" and
were extremely satisfied with the results. The other
warning is to be sure and ask for food to be prepared
"without Ajinomoto", which is MSG.
For our last night in Khentung we invited our guide
and his wife out for dinner. When we found out that
she had never eaten in a restaurant, we knew we wanted
to take her someplace special. Most Burmese prefer
Chinese food when dining out so we selected Lod Htin
Lu restaurant. We were a little disappointed when we
walked in - but behind its characterless fa็ade
lay a very accomplished kitchen. Not only was it the
best Chinese food we had in all of Myanmar, it was
better than most Chinese food in China! After slurping
up a richly seasoned vegetable soup, we knew we had
picked the right restaurant. Every dish was exemplary.
The mouth-watering lo mein noodles were firm and
virtually grease-free. They were generously topped
with toothsome pork and assorted fresh vegetables. The
hot and sour chicken was made with velvety chicken
pieces infused with garlic and ginger and a hint of
chili. We quickly devoured a deceptively simple dish
of homemade tofu and mixed mushrooms. The seasonal
greens were quickly saut้ed retaining a slight
crispness, and served with a light garlic sauce, that
enhanced but did not overwhelm their delicate flavor.
It's easy to be virtuous when dessert choices consist
of perfectly ripe slices of pineapple or orange
quarters. A meal at either of these restaurants costs
about $6 for 4 people and will provide you with enough
food to feed eight. After such a delightful meal I don't
think this is the last time the guide's wife will be
dining out!
With all this eating, some sort of exercise is mandatory.
Taking day treks to visit the local hill tribes is an
excellent way to burn off some extra calories. Our
favorite guide, Mr. Paul, not only speaks fluent
English, but also knows most of the dialects of the
local tribes. He contributed greatly to our visits by
explaining the different tribal customs and religious
beliefs. He was extremely concerned with the welfare
of the tribal people and we were happy to help support
his efforts by providing them with basic medicines,
pencils, and notebooks.
Since no food was available where we trekked, a
picnic lunch was in order. Starting off each day with
a trip to the market, we felt just like the locals, as
we cheerfully elbowed our way through the crowds,
visiting our favorite vendors, squeezing and sniffing
the fruit to make sure it was at peak ripeness. Every
day we'd try a different sausage or jerky to go with
our sticky rice selection, and a salad-perhaps made
from freshly chopped sweet tomatoes, onions and chili
sauce-all packed in pristine little plastic take-away
bags. Instead of our usual ketchup and mustard, here
our favorite condiments were a salty piquant sauce
made from pickled mustard greens, an intense smoky
aubergine spread, or sour slivers of fermented bamboo
shoots (an acquired taste). For dessert, we would
wander over to the fruit stalls and buy a pomelo,
which looked like a grapefruit on steroids, a cluster
of huge grapes from China, or a bunch of finger
bananas. Holding our noses, we decided to skip the
durian!
Hearts and stomachs heavy, we sadly boarded our
plane 4 days later. We could have happily spent
another week exploring Khentung, but our plans called
for stops in Kalaw, Inle Lake, Mandalay, and Bagan,
before returning to Yangon. During the next few weeks
we'd partake of many delicacies. We would feast on the
appropriately named "Suffering Fish," a lake
fish that is painstakingly skinned, de-boned, pounded,
seasoned and then stuffed back into its skin. We'd
slurp mohinga, the famous fish soup that is the
Burmese breakfast of champions. At a scenic restaurant
overlooking the river in Bagan, we crunched the heads
off the sweetest, most impeccably fresh prawns
imaginable.
Khentung is a living picture-perfect postcard, with
a plethora of fascinating tribal people to visit. But
for two food consultants, in search of uncharted
cuisines, it was a dream come true. After eating such
beautifully prepared meals, home-cooked or at
restaurants, and sampling from the endless array of
exotic foods at the market, we concluded that Khentung
was indeed the culinary mecca of Myanmar. We highly
recommend that all foodies make this pilgrimage at
least once in their lives. Just be sure to pack a pair
of pants with an elasticized waistband!
* Special thanks to Myriam Grest, owner of Myanmar
Travel Ltd., who organized our entire trip. More information about our itinerary, hotels,
and prices can be found by contacting Myriam at:
Myanmar Travel Ltd.
Pansodan Office Tower, 3rd Floor, Room 3A
189/195, Pansodan Street, Kyauktada Township
Yangon, Myanmar
Tel.: (+951) 204-046, 243-125; Fax: (+951) 243-125
E-mail:
info@myanmartravel.net
Hotels
Yangon: Traders Hotel/deluxe ****
Kyaikhtiyo: Golden Rock Hotel/deluxe **
Khengtung: Princess Hotel/standard * ½
Kalaw: Kalaw Hotel/superior **
Inle Lake: Hupin Hotel Kaung Dine / superior ***
Mandalay: Sedona Hotel/superior ****
Bagan: Bagan Hotel/suite *** ½
Airlines
Air Mandalay
Yangon Airlines
Janice Nieder and Rebecca Sparks are
co-owners of Food & Travel, a bi-coastal venture.
While others make dinner reservations, they make plane
reservations in search of a truly memorable meal.
Janice is a San-Francisco based Food & Fitness
Consultant, with an insatiable culinary curiosity.
Rebecca is a nutritionist and cooking teacher who
makes sure that food is not only healthy but more
important tasty.
