lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

58YANGONon the other hand, may inspire a variety ofthoughts and emotions.5EatingEating at a Burmese restaurant, with itsseemingly never- ending courses and sidedishes, is an experience in itself. And asYangon is the gateway to Myanmar for mostvisitors, it’s here that many travellers’ firstexperience Burmese cuisine. As such, besure to arm yourself with a bit of culinaryknowledge (p 328 ) before hitting the restaurants,street stalls and teahouses of Yangon.But it’s not all about Burmese eats; Yangonis the culinary capital of the country,and its culinary diversity is an unexpectedhighlight of a visit to the city. You’re likelyto encounter more than your fair share ofChinese (Burmese Chinese, actually) whileupcountry, so unless you’re a huge fan of thegenre, it’s probably worth investigating theother options.Myanmar people love their Shan food,and the cuisine is not difficult to find inYangon. Along Anawrahta Rd, west of SulePaya Rd towards the Sri Kali temple, area number of shops serving Indian food,much of it southern Indian in origin andMuslim-influenced. Much of the city’sWestern-style food is disappointing, butit’s probably the most authentic you’ll encounterin Myanmar, so it’s worth takingadvantage of.Eat early – by 10pm all but a couple ofplaces and a few large hotel restaurantswill be closed. Travellers keen to avoidgovernment-owned places (see p 21 ) shouldbypass the Karaweik Palace Restaurant,which is a remarkable-looking structure onKandawgyi.HAVE YOUR SAYFound a fantastic restaurant thatyou’re longing to share with the world?Disagree with our recommendations?Or just want to talk about your mostrecent trip?Whatever your reason, head tolonelyplanet.com, where you can posta review, ask or answer a question onthe Thorntree forum, comment on ablog, or share your photos and tips onGroups. Or you can simply spend timechatting with like-minded travell ers. Sogo on, have your say.CITY CENTRENilar Biryani & Cold Drink MUSLIM INDIAN $(Map p 46 ; 216 Anawrahta Rd; meals from K800;hall day) Giant cauldrons full of spices,broths and rice bubble away at the front ofthis bright and brash Indian joint. It’s neverless than packed, and with good reason: thebiryanis are probably among the best yourlips will meet. The chicken has been cookedso slowly and for so long that the meat justdrips off, the rice is out of this world andthe banana lassi is divine. Nothing on themenu costs more than K1800, and most is afraction of that. It’s far and away the best ofseveral similar nearby places.Danuphyu Daw Saw Yee MyanmaRestaurant BURMESE $(Map p 46 ; 175/177 29th St; meals from K2000;hlunch & dinner) Ask locals where to eatBurmese food in central Yangon and they’llmost likely point you in the direction of thislongstanding shophouse restaurant. There’sa brief English-language menu, but your bestbet is to have a look at the selection of curriesbehind the counter. All dishes are served inthe Burmese style with sides of soup du jour(the sour vegetable soup is particularly good)and ngapi ye, a pungent dip served with parboiledvegies and fresh herbs.999 Shan Noodle Shop SHAN $(Map p 42 ; 130/B 34th St; noodle dishes from K500;hbreakfast & lunch) A handful of tables arecrammed into this tiny, brightly colouredeatery behind City Hall, a short walk fromSule Paya. The menu includes noodles suchas Shàn k’auq swèh (thin rice noodles in aslightly spicy chicken broth) and myi shay(Mandalay-style noodle soup) and tasty nonnoodledishes such as Shan tofu (actuallymade from chickpea flour) and the deliciousShan yellow rice with tomato.Feel Myanmar Food BURMESE $$(Map p 46 ; 124 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha St; meals fromK3000; hlunch & dinner) This sophisticatedjungle-shack restaurant is reminiscent of anorth Myanmar house. It’s a superb placeto get your fingers dirty experimenting withthe huge range of tasty Burmese dishes,which are laid out in little trays that you canjust point to. It’s very popular at lunchtimewith local businesspeople and foreign embassystaff.New Delhi Restaurant INDIAN $(Map p 46 ; Anawrahta Rd; mains from K500; hallday) This grubby place serves tasty Muslim-