lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

Sin Chun Yin BARBECUE $(Map p 202 ; 36th St, 80/81; barbecue items K300-1600; draught beer K600; h9am-10pm) Althoughit looks like any normal beer station, thestuffed grilled fish is as good as you’ll findanywhere – almost boneless and with agreat tamarind dipping sauce. If you’re lookingfor a suaver option, try Sylvia Cafe acrossthe road.Shwe War Thar THAI, HALAL $$(Map p 202 ; 82th St 38/39; meals K2500, beerK2500; h10am-9pm) Wooden booth seats onthe ground floor, a karaoke lounge upstairsand a rooftop ‘coffee garden’ that’s openfrom 5pm.Super One BEER STATION $(Map p 202 ; 80th St at 38th; draught beer K400;h8.30am-9.30pm) This cheap, cheerful andessentially male-only place is handily locatedfor quaffing draft Spirulina beer whilewaiting for the Moustache Brothers’ performanceto start. Minimal food.KANDAWGYI LAKEKandawgyi Pat Rd forms a causeway acrosslarge Kandawgyi Lake, starting from theSagaing–Mandalay road around 900ydsouthwest of Mahamuni Temple. Dottedalong it you’ll find a restaurant shaped like aroyal boat and a scattering of cafes in variousprice ranges. It all adds up to an alternativenightlife centre, but for visitors it’s handiestas a refreshment stop when heading homefrom Amarapura or Sagaing, especially viathe quieter riverside route.Coffee Tower CAFE $$(Map p 200 ; Kandawgyi Pat Rd; mains K2500-4500,juice K700-1200; h2pm-2am) An open-air cafeon a stilt pier over the waters, ideal for a goodespresso (K700), iced latte (K1500) or freshstrawberry shake (K1000). Simple yet popularand with decent food. Open very late.Smart Garden BURMESE $$(Map p 200 ; Kandawgyi Pat Rd; mains K3000-6000,beer K2000) Attractive thatched pavilions in alakeside garden, but no English spoken andno draught beer.Emperor BEER STATION $(Map p 200 ; Kandawgyi Pat Rd at 85th St; draughtbeer K1000) This simple beer station comesto life after dark when the trees are beautifullylit with orange paper lanterns. Snookertables available; live acoustic music setsfrom around 7pm.3EntertainmentA-nyeintA-nyeint is a form of vaudeville folk operawith dance, music, jokes and silly walks.Moustache BrothersCOMEDY(Map p 202 ; 39th St, 80/81; donation K8000;h8.30pm) Officially banned but presentlytolerated, this world-famous a-nyeint troupehas suffered a string of prison sentences fortheir jokes and rants against the Myanmargovernment. These days the shows includeslightly indulgent self-parody, but they remainone of Mandalay’s greatest talking points forWestern visitors. See boxed text, p 218 .Dance, Music & Puppet ShowsEvening shows, professionally performedbut aimed squarely at tourist audiences,have helped rekindle interest in Burmesetraditional dance and puppetry. The mostauthentic performances are set to a sixpiece‘orchestra’ led by a distinctively wailinghneh (an oboe-like instrument). Theother musicians play gamelan-style gongarrangements and percussion, notably acircle of tuned mini-drums known as a saiwai.As well as those listed below, you cansee a selection of performances during dinnershows at several upmarket hotels, andthere’s a free puppet show at Mya Nandarriverside restaurant.Mandalay MarionettesPUPPET SHOW(Map p 204 ; www.mandalaymarionettes.com; 66thSt, 26/27; admission K10,000; h8.30pm) On atiny stage, colourful marionettes expressivelyrecreate tales based on the Buddhist Jatakaand Yamazat (Ramayana), with occasionalbursts of visual humour. Read the leaflet foran overview of what you’re about to see. Occasionallya sub-curtain is lifted so that youcan briefly admire the skill of the puppeteers’deft hand movements. The troupe has travelledand performed internationally.Mintha TheaterDANCE(Map p 204 ; www.mintheater.com; 27th St, 65/66;admission K8000; h8.30pm Jul-Mar) Colourfullycostumed dancers give human form tomany of the scenes you may have seen depictedby puppets at Mandalay Marionettes.Explanations here are somewhat clearer, butthe show lacks the flashes of humour. Seeingboth is worthwhile if you can spare a secondevening. Some shows include a remarkable(if entirely discordant) display of cane-ballskills as an off-beat extra.217MANDALAY ENTERTAINMENT& AROUND ENTERTAINMENT