Archive for 2012

Le Nacha is a fairly new restaurant and is located just a little further down Shin Saw Pu Road from City Mart Myanigone. The place is particularly charming at night, with laterns hanging from the tree which stands at the entrance.

The interior is done in the classical style but with some Asian influences through some of the decorative fixtures and the table setting. This is probably deliberate as the restaurant serves Thai and French cuisine. The 2 distinct styles are presented not through fusion but as separate offerings. We were later explained by the waiter that the owner is from Chiang Mai.

We decided to try the restaurant's French offering as there are only 2 or 3 French restaurants in Yangon currently and it has been quite a while since we had that. There is an French extensive menu, ranging from raclette to steak.

Grilled Prawn Salad

We started with the Grilled Prawn Salad (Ks 9,000). The 3 prawns were nicely done, fresh, with a nice spring to it and coated with just enough mustard based sauce. The salad was good, except that we would have preferred a simpler vinaigrette over the thousand island dressing which was too heavy.

Snapper with Mango Sauce

L had Snapper with Mango Sauce (Ks, 13,000) while I had Lamb Chop with Mint Sauce (Ks 25,000). The fillet of snapper was well seared on the outside and was served with reduced mango sauce. The sauce was really delicious as the fragrance of the mango stood out.

Lamb Chops with mint sauce

My lamb chops came with the mint sauce in a tomato cup. The sauce was jelly like in consistency and tasted quite refreshing from a bit of acidity. The lamb chops were extremely tender and without the rubbery fat around the rinds. It was perfectly cooked and was indeed the highlight of the dinner.

We will definitely come again to try its Thai menu and their many other offerings. If you like lamb, we would like to recommend you their very tasty lamb chops.

Le Nacha
86A Shin Saw Pu Road,
Sanchaung Township,
Yangon

This is one of our favorite restaurant in Yangon and is very popular among locals and foreigners alike. We were here just a week ago and we are back for dinner again today. It has a great bustling vibe that reminds us a little bit of Newton Circus in Singapore.



The restaurant is well known for its Moh-Ti (Rice noodles in fish broth) and its fresh seafood from the Rakhine region. Some seafood items are even air-flown to ensure maximum freshness. Its prices are also very reasonable and are a great value for money. From a commercial perspective, the restaurant enjoys an all day business as Moh-Ti is also commonly consumed for breakfast. Also, while seafood is relatively expensive (though cheap compared to other restaurants), its basic dishes are very affordable and hence the restaurant is able to cater to a wide range of customers.

Moh-Ti in fish broth

First up, their specialty, the Moh-Ti (Ks 600). It is a Rakhine take on the national noodle soup, Mohinga, which is more pungent and has a thick gravy. You can either order the Moh-Ti in a soup or dry. Our preference is the soup as you can really appreciate the silky strands of the rice noodles which are made fresh on order. You can also add to your noodles its legendary green chili sauce which is made by pounding chilies, lime and fermented fish paste in a good old fashioned mortar and pestle. Please start with small amounts of the chili sauce if it is your first time or it could get real hot and sweaty real quick.

The legendary spicy green chili sauce

We like the Rakhine Style Rice Salad (Ks 900) a lot and never fail to order it. It is a salad made from rice, potatoes, sesame seed, peanuts, the same green chili sauce and given a good mix by hand. Topped with a fried egg with a runny bright orange yolk, the rice salad and the moh-ti is probably the best you can get for under a thousand Kyats in Yangon.

Rakhine Rice Salad

A visit here is never complete without ordering seafood. We had Bamboo Clinch Salad (Ks 4,000) and BBQ Crab (Ks 5,500). The bamboo clinch (while this is what it says in the menu, we do not think its a widely used term) is a shellfish that is similar to the bamboo/razor clam. However, it is meatier, more succulent and more tender than the bamboo clam. The salad was simply bamboo clinch tossed with the spicy green chili sauce. Each bite of the juicy shellfish brings about a delightful firework in the mouth.

Bamboo Clinch Salad

The BBQ crab dish was served with 2 medium sized crabs and was topped with a generous heap of fried garlic, ginger, onion and capsicum. The crab was fresh and while perfectly charred on the outside, the inside was moist and sweet. We think that the crab might have been flash fried with the medley of seasoning to lock in the aromatic flavours.

BBQ Crab

This is a highly recommended restaurant and please try it if you have not. You can also splurge here if you so wish to as it also offers live lobster and mantis prawns. Whether you are on a tight budget or are looking for top notch seafood, this place is able to accommodate you.



Minn Lane Monti & Seafood
16, Parami Road
Mayangone Township
(95-9) 5502459

We were at Taw Win Center when we decided to have a chocolate fix at this nicely furnished outlet. Chococity specialises in, as you may guess, chocolate. They also have chocolate confectionery in various forms, from chocolate bars to truffles.

We had initially wanted to go to another popular joint for dinner but it was fully booked that night, hence we proceeded to try this Korean restaurant, which is just a minute away. Nestled in a small lane off 7th mile Pyay Road, we were pleasantly surprised by the nice outdoor ambience at this restaurant. At the center is a pond with a big spinning water wheel.


Almost immediately we were served a spread of typical Korean appetizers such as Kimchi and various salads. As each table had a ring to hold a charcoal stove, it seemed that BBQ is the restaurant's specialty. With that in mind, we ordered BBQ Chicken (Ks 6,500) and Pork Belly (Ks 6,000).


We had a choice of having the meat grilled at the kitchen or at the table and naturally we chose to grill it ourselves. The meats were served with a generous side of fresh lettuce and green chili which R loves a lot. The chicken was well marinated in a sweet and tangy Korean sauce while the pork belly had a soy sauce based marinate. We particularly liked the pork as the grilling had rendered the fat to a crisp and was not too greasy.

BBQ Chicken

BBQ Pork Belly

We also had some carbs in the form of a Korean Seafood Pancake (Ks 9,000). The pancake was thick, had a nice bite and the seafood fresh. The carrots and leeks provided the delightful crunch.

Seafood Pancake

To top up an already full meal, we decided to try their Cold Noodles (Ks 7,500) because R saw it mentioned on their main signboard at the entrance. It was cold potato starch noodles served with an egg and bamboo shoot. The noodles were springy and unique but the sauce was something that we were not used to. It was a little too sweet for our taste but we are certain that this is how it is served in Korea.

Cold Noodles

We definitely recommend this restaurant for its grilled meat and lovely outdoor ambience. We will want to try their hot noodles for our next visit.

Han Kook Kwan
24(B), Pyithu Lane 7th Mile,
Mayangone Township, 
Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95-1) 662757

Today is a public holiday in Myanmar so R and I decided to spend our afternoon at Acacia Tea salon. We have been to this place many times and I have to say that it is one of the best places to have afternoon tea in Yangon.

Entering the compound, it is as if you were brought back to the colonial times. The building exudes an understated elegance and it brings out the lush and well-manicured landscaping that surrounds it. There is also a one-storey greenhouse-like building that you can get pastry, cakes and bread for take out or dine in.

Stepping into the building is a continuation of the colonial theme, with warm lighting and classical looking furniture and high-ceilings.

Our seating choice of the day

Carrot & Cream Cheese Cake

Iced Cafe Latte

Mini Chicken Burger

As day turned into night

http://www.acaciateasalon.com/

Sai's Tacos has been around for quite some time in Yangon but we have yet to try it. The Mexican restaurant is located at a quiet and prime residential district along Inya Myaing Road. We decided to try it for dinner on a lazy Sunday evening.

The Crispy Tacos had tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese and chicken in a crispy corn tortilla shell. The crunchiness of the taco is contrasted with the tomatoes and chicken. More sour cream would further accentuate this contrast and fuse the ingredients together.

We start our food journey on this blog with a first visit to Shabu Tei. We have been driving past Shabu Tei almost every day and finally we decided to pay a visit to this little Japanese restaurant on University Avenue Road for dinner.
Overall, although the beef BBQ was below expectations, we will definitely come back again to try their other offerings. 

Shabu-Tei
No. 20 University Avenue, Bahan Township,
Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95-1) 526655