Page 39 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Food and drink BASICS 37
International food and homes will have large earthenware jars
outside, which are provided – along with a
While people in Myanmar take great pride in their common cup – for thirsty passers-by as a way of
cuisine, if you ask someone for a restaurant accruing good karma. The water ranges from clean,
recommendation then there’s a good chance that UV-treated water to stuff straight from the village
they will suggest a place serving Chinese food. well – it might be useful in a pinch, but drink it at
This is partly because they worry that foreign your own risk.
stomachs can’t cope with local cuisine, but also
because most people rarely go to more formal Tea and coffee
restaurants, so when they do they eat Chinese as in many restaurants, free jugs of green tea (lahpet-
a treat. Most towns will have at least a couple of ye-gyàn or ye-nwè-gyàn) and cups are left on each
Chinese restaurants, typically with large menus table, with customers often rinsing their cups out
covering unadventurous basics such as sweet and with a little of the tea before drinking from them.
sour chicken; dishes start at around k1500 for Black tea (lahpet-ye) is served with lavish quantities
vegetables or k2000 for meat. Indian restaurants of condensed milk. Burmese tea-drinkers are often
are also popular in larger urban areas, particularly quite specific about how they take their tea,
in Yangon, which had a very large indian popula- ordering it paw kya (strong and not too sweet), cho
tion during the British colonial era. in many such hseint (milky and sweet) or paw hseint (milky and
restaurants, indian curries and dhal are served not too sweet) – drinking black tea without sugar is
Burmese-style, accompanied by side dishes and not an option.
fresh vegetables. a request for coffee (kaw-p’í) will get you a cup of
in the far south and in tourist hotspots across the hot water and a packet of coffee mix (pre-mixed
country, you’ll find that Thai dishes make an instant coffee, creamer and sugar) for you to stir in
appearance on many menus, thanks to the availa- yourself – keep in mind that almost all Western
bility of similar ingredients in both countries, and visitors find it utterly vile. if you want to try the
the thousands of Burmese people who have good home-grown coffee or are just desperate for a
brought a taste for Thai flavours home with them change from coffee mix, ask for Burmese coffee
from living abroad. Western food of wildly varying (Bamar kaw-p’í), which will get you a cup of black
quality is available in the main tourist destinations, coffee, served with sugar and lime on the side –
with italian cuisine being particularly popular. unusual, but delicious.
a hot drink in a teahouse will cost around k300,
Drink far less than it would set you back in one of the
Western-style coffee shops that are popping up in
Tap water isn’t safe to drink in Myanmar; bottled Myanmar’s larger cities and the main tourist
water is available throughout the country for hotspots, where an espresso will typically cost
around k300 for a small bottle. Many businesses around k800–1000.
TEAHOUSES
Wherever you are in the country, a trip to a Burmese teahouse is a great way to experience
local life. These institutions are hugely popular places to meet friends, family and business
acquaintances, with tables and low plastic chairs often spilling out onto the pavements.
Most open early in the morning and serve up hot drinks and inexpensive meals all day
– only closing when the last customers ebb away in the evening. The busiest times are
usually early mornings and later in the evening, when many show live Premier League
football matches.
Each teahouse has its own specialities and, given the rarity of English menus, your best
bet is often to point and order. Common dishes include mohinga, Shan noodles, and
deep-fried snacks, with prices starting at just k100–200 for a snack or k500 for a bowl of
noodles.
When you sit down in a teahouse a tea-boy will bring a selection of snacks to your table
unasked. When you come to leave – air kissing for your waiter’s attention (see box, p.44)
– you will only pay for what you’ve eaten. noodle dishes and salads are generally only
made to order.

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