264004 Wed Feb 11 23:33:59 -0800 2004 7 26 International 0 1394454 Someone queried about Myanmar a few months ago, hoping they (or anyone) have since been and returned and can offer some recent recommendations for Rangoon and beyond. Wed Feb 11 23:33:59 -0800 2004 0 foodfirst 1 1394463 In Yangon, there is an excellent Burmese restaurant called Green Elephant. I don't know the address, but your concierge should be able to help. Thu Feb 12 07:16:13 -0800 2004 1394454 0 Jennifer 2 1394511 Just returned from Myanmar (and other places). WILL be doing a write-up but too busy catching up, on less important things than food, to complete now. If you are going before end of Feb email me, otherwise I will post before then. Went to Green Elephant - good - but not the best in Rangoon (Yangon) - but IS the best in Bagan (same owner, different menu). Fri Feb 13 13:05:25 -0800 2004 1394463 0 estufarian 3 1394541 Trip's not till March or April, so I eagerly await your post, thanks. Mon Feb 16 02:06:02 -0800 2004 1394511 0 foodfirst 4 1394560 Foodfirst, knowing your love and knowledge of Thai food i expect you may be disappointed with the quality of food in Myanmar. In general, most of the food we ate in the 6 weeks we circled the country (Kyatiko, Yangon, Inle Lake, Bagan, Ngpali Beach) was average in quality and taste. The curries are much oiler than Thai cuisine and many dishes had a pool of oil across the surface. We decided that this could be as a preservative "aid" to help keep food "fresher" in a country with erratic electricity. Most of the meat we ate was terrible-tough, sometimes slightly rancid, and often fly covered on display in markets. There are not strong flavors in much of the cooking that we were able to try of the ethnic groups around the country-perhaps because of the serious difficulty in finding protein and fuel to cook with. There are two exceptions-a VERY good indian restaurant on a busy main road North of Shewadagon (sorry, no memory of restuarant or street name, and not in any guidebook we saw)in Yangon . Also, Ngapili Beach, on the coast North of Yangon, has a stretch of about 6 seafood roadside stands. We ate alternately at two of them for a week of breakfast lunch and dinner. The chef/owner would tell us at breakfast what his family had caught/bought that morning, ask us our preferences for preparation, then serve it for lunch or dinner. Excellently prepared seafood of every type in every style imaginable from rich curries to simply grilled. The best directions I can give is to walk out the only road from the cheapest bungalow establishment and you can't miss it. Good luck eating... Tue Feb 17 11:36:25 -0800 2004 1394541 0 Scuba Steve 5 1394567 Thanks Scuba Steve. Estufarian's report gives some hope and we had inklings on a 3-day trip to Yangon a couple yrs ago that there is some good stuff to be found. Remember especially some fiery cool egg noodles in a market (lots of flies, but we survived) and a little wrapped tidbit with lime, coconut, and ground pork-shrimp outside Yangon's main market. But you're right -- I try not to compare any place I travel with Thailand in terms of food ... bec it can never completely measure up! :-) Wed Feb 18 22:16:41 -0800 2004 1394560 0 foodfirst 6 1394609 I'm originally from Burma and I'm going back for a visit tommorow. It's a shame some folks went all the way over there and was dissapointed by the food (I applaude you for visiting a third world country). I wish I was there to show you folks around. There are some incredible foods in Rangoon, where I'm from, but I can't speak of other towns. I worked in the Restaurant industry here in the US for about 10 yrs and consider myself a foodie. Trust me, Rangoon has incredible foods (for tourists and locals alike) that you won't find anywhere else in the world. When I return I will post a guide for food in Rangoon (YANGON). Wed Nov 24 11:59:32 -0800 2004 1394567 0 Kmoe 4 1394563 Now posted separately Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/264031#1394717 Tue Feb 17 16:55:16 -0800 2004 1394541 0 estufarian