yangon eats: lahpet, balachaung and so much more

Fried fish with balachaung.

I must admit that I did not really know much about Burmese cuisine. Prior to our trip, I've only eaten at a Burmese restaurant once. Now, after returning from our trip, although I cannot say that I am an expert, I can definitely say that I am an enthusiastic supporter of the local cuisine.

Our first stop was Yangon, a big city that is likely the entry point to the country for most people. Mr. Sazy Rock and I would like to say we ate everything but we only had two stomachs between us. We tried though. We really did.

Below are my top tastes that are absolutely worth a looooooooong journey from the US:


Balachaung - Out of everything I have eaten in the country, balachaung has captured my heart and my stomach. As far as I could tell, this dish was  made of dried shrimp, chilies and garlic. I loved that it had a strong, powerful flavor - it was fiery and salty (but not too much - the dried shrimp was naturally salty). I suspect the Burmese serve it as a side dish because one only needs a little to punch up a main dish. But, let me tell you that I have eaten multiple bowls of balachaung mixed with rice in one sitting and I was a happy camper. In a restaurant called, Mya Kan Thar (a restaurant near the Shwedagon Pagoda that offered a buffet style lunch selection), they served fried fish with Balachaung (pictured above), and as a side dish. At nearby Feel Restaurant, they served balachaung two ways: wet (fried in oil) and dry (not fried in oil). Either way, balachaung rocked!

Balachaung at Mya Kan Thar.

As a side note, between Mya Kan Thar and Feel -- both served traditional Burmese cuisine -- I preferred Mya Kan Thar. The dishes were a bit tastier, the prices were lower, the side dishes were included in the price and the clientele were primarily local (we were the only Westerners). At Feel, we saw a few Europeans, and the side dishes had to be ordered separately (for a price). Both had friendly and helpful servers although Feel had more English speaking staff.

Wet and Dry Balachaung from Feel Restaurant.

Lahpet - This fermented tea leaves with crunchy beans and dried shrimp had good flavors and textures. 

Lahpet from Mya Kan Thar.

Shan Noodles - Myanmar's Shan state borders China and their big neighbor to the east has definitely influenced Burmese cuisine. 999 Noodle Shop specializes in Shan Noodles. During our visit, we tried Shan noodles with oil and pork, a dish made with vermicelli-like noodles. It was rich and spicy. We also tried sticky Shan noodles with pork, a dish with stickier, chewier and firmer noodles. 

Shan Noodles with Oil and Pork from 999 Noodle Shop.

Sticky Shan Noodles with Pork from 999 Noodle Shop.

Biryani (especially with balachaung) - Myanmar also borders India and their other big neighbor has also influenced Burmese cuisine. Burmese style biryanis - a dish made with rice, sauce and meat - may be paired with balachaung. We tried two biryani shops that offered tasty dishes. Nilar Restaurant's biryanis (we tried chicken and mutton) had fluffy rice, rich sauce and tender meats. KSS Restaurant's chicken biryani had drier rice but had more stuff in it like peas, carrots and cashews, in addition to the sauce and chicken. While we enjoyed eating in both restaurants, we preferred Nilar.

Mutton Biryani from Nilar.

Chicken Biryani from KSS.

Mohinga or Mok Hin Khar - This fish and lemongrass based soup with noodles was served with a side of fried onions, fried chickpeas, hard boiled egg slices, fried gourd and cilantro. These "sides" were supposed to top the soup. This dish was definitely filling.

Mohinga from Feel.

Monhinga and "toppings" from Feel.

Skewers - Chinatown's 19th street has a plethora of restaurants specializing in skewers. As we found out, the drill was to pick pre-cooked skewers from a covered table, and the staff re-grilled them and served them on our table. We had quail eggs, garlic, mushrooms, pork ribs, mutton, chicken wings, mushrooms and chicken ass (yes, the backside of a chicken). Some had a smoky flavor and all had a hint of cumin. The skewers were tasty especially when paired with cheap Myanmar beer. But, the whole fun part of the meal was hanging out with fellow diners overflowing on to the street.

Skewers from Win.

Skewers from Win.

If you have tried Burmese food, what is your favorite dish?