lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

TODDY333Throughout central Myanmar and the delta, t’àn ye (or htan ye; palm juice) or toddyis the farmer’s choice of alcoholic beverage. T’àn ye is tapped from the top of a toddypalm, the same tree – and the same sap – that produces jaggery (palm sugar). The juiceis sweet and nonalcoholic in the morning, but by midafternoon it ferments naturally intoa weak, beerlike strength. By the next day it will have turned. The milky, viscous liquidhas a nutty aroma and a slightly sour flavour that fades quickly.Villages in some areas have their own thatched-roof toddy bars, where the localsmeet and drink pots of fermented toddy. The toddy is sold in the same roughly engravedterracotta pots the juice is collected in, and drunk from coconut half-shells set on smallbamboo pedestals. Some toddy bars also sell t’àn-ayeq (toddy liquor, also called jaggeryliquor), a much stronger, distilled form of toddy sap.Where To Eat & DrinkMyanmar has three dining/drinking scenarios: what’s in Yangon (includingmany expat-oriented, high-end choices); what’s in other oft-visitedplaces, including Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake and Ngapali Beach (manytraveller-oriented menus, with Thai and pizza); and everywhere else.Food can be quite cheap (from K1200 or K2000 for a full stomach) if youstick to roadside restaurants with their curry-filled pots or pick-and-pointrice dishes. It’s worth mentioning that these restaurants, though cheap,don’t always meet international hygiene standards. That said, you’re usuallylooking at K3000 to K5000 for a meal. In many mid-sized towns, thereare basic stands and maybe a Chinese restaurant or two – and that’s it.Listings in this book are divided into three price brackets: budget($), meal less than $3 (about K2550); midrange ($$), $3 to $15 (aboutK2550 to K12,750); and top end ($$$), more than $15 (about K12,750).Quick EatsThe bulk of Myanmar eateries are basic, with concrete floors, a wide-openfront for ventilation and often a menu in English. Burmese eateries arebusiest (and many say freshest) at lunch. No menus are necessary at most;just go to the line of curries and point to what you want. A meal comeswith a tableful of condiments, all of which are automatically refilled onceyou finish them. An all-you-can-eat meal can start at as little as K1500.Another abundant option is the (usually) hole-in-the-wall Indian (oftenMuslim) curry shop, which sometimes serves vegie dishes only and no beer.Like most Southeast Asians, the people of Myanmar are great graband-gosnackers. Stands at night markets, selling a host of sweets andbarbecued meals and noodles, get going around 5pm to 8pm or later.Generally you can get some fried noodles, a few pieces of pork, or stickyrice wrapped in banana leaf for a few hundred kyat.RestaurantsMost restaurants keep long hours daily, usually from 7am to 9pm or untilthe last diner wants to stumble out, their belly full of curry or beer.Chinese restaurants are found in most towns and most have similarsprawling menus, with as many as 50 rice or noodle and chicken, pork,lamb, fish, beef or vegetable dishes, usually without prices indicated. Vegiedishes start at around K800 or K1000; meat dishes about K1200 or K1500.More upmarket restaurants – some serving a mix of Asian foods, othersspecialising in one food type, such as pizza or Thai – can be found inBagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake and especially Yangon. Also, most top-endhotels offer plusher eating places, sometimes set around the pool. Suchcomfort is rarer to come by off the beaten track.FRUITMyanmar’s fruitofferings vary byregion and season.Don’t missPyin Oo Lwin’sstrawberries andBago’s pineapples.Mango isbest from Marchto July; jackfruitfrom June toOctober.EATING IN MYANMAR (BURMA) WHERE TO EAT & DRINK