Mandalay’s Most Enjoyable Restaurant

Back in February I received an alarming e-mail from a friend in Mandalay telling me that my favorite restaurant in town, Aye Myit Tar, was gone. Gone? What did he mean? Closed, moved, burned down, or what exactly? Well, my friend replied, it’s not in the old location any longer. In fact, the building where the restaurant had been located was just demolished!

 

The thought of Mandalay without Aye Myit Tar was too disturbing for words. I love this restaurant. It may not serve the finest meals in town, but they are perhaps the most filling. Plus, when you combine the tasty cuisine with the attentive service and friendly vibe, nothing else ranks higher on my list of places to eat in Mandalay. I like the food — oily curries and all — but the service is so attentive that it borders on the comical. It’s not uncommon to have three or four waiters waiting on my table … and I often dine there alone.

 

When I arrived in Mandalay I ran into another friend, Mr. Htoo, the first afternoon. Mr. Htoo is a driver for hire (take your pick: motorcycle or trishaw, he’ll even arrange to rent a car for you) and is a fountain of knowledge about all things Mandalay. So, one of my first questions to him was: What happened to Aye Myit Tar? Instead of replying, he whipped out a business card with the restaurant’s name and their new address printed on it: they are now located on 81st Street, between 29th and 30th Streets, only three blocks from my hotel!

 

There isn’t a whole lot of variety on the menu at Aye Myit Tar. It’s almost like something from a Monty Python show: you have your choice of curry, curry with chicken, curry with beef, curry with curry, curry with mutton, curry with prawn, or curry with curry spam and curry. But it’s the side dishes that really make the meal complete … and fill you up in the process. With each curry dish you get side orders of various vegetables, salads, and a soup of the day. And the waiters don’t hesitate to bring out second and third helpings if they notice I’m enjoying a particular dish. More beans, more soup, more tomato salad, some more rice? Sure! Once again, visions of a Monty Python skit come to mind; just one little wafer-thin mint (or in this case, a bite of tea leaf salad) is liable to tip me over the edge and dislodge the contents of my stomach all over the walls.

 

The waiters at Aye Myit Tar are a hard-working bunch, to put it mildly. Most of them come from very poor families and have had to drop out of school (some while still in their early teens) in order to earn extra money for their family. They all live on the premises, sleeping upstairs, and eating most of their meals there too. They are usually up at the crack of dawn, cleaning the restaurant, cutting up vegetables and doing other food prep. By late morning they are serving lunch and don’t stop work until evening diners have left around 10 pm. They work every day of the week, with only an occasional day or two off a few times each year when they return home (most come from a small town near Monywa, which is where the owner is from also) to visit their families. So if you happen to eat at Aye Myit Tar, don’t forget to tip these guys. They deserve it!

 

The waiters at Aye Myit Tar are extremely diligent and polite, but they also aren’t shy about asking me to take their photo. And one click invariably leads to a couple of dozen shots. I always tip my regular waiters well and make it a habit of bringing them small gifts from Bangkok each time I visit. As is the Myanmar way, they reciprocate with gifts for me; they might chip in and pay for my dinner, bring me free plates of fresh fruit or a cup of coffee, or give me a gift of a new longyi. I’m always tempted to leave town without telling them, just to avoid a final night of goodbye gifts, but I enjoy their company too much to do something sneaky like that.

 

On my first night in town, I invited Mr. Htoo to eat with me. When you order a bottle of Myanmar Beer they now have this “bonus” under each bottle cap. Sometimes it’s a discount off a meal, sometimes you get a free beer, but usually it’s just a note saying “Thank You” (“Che Zu Tin Ba De”). I got lucky the first night, winning a free bottle of beer, and before week was out, after another five visits, I claimed a second free bottle at Aye Myit Tar. Needless to say, I drank a lot of beer that week.

 

 

KL’s Little Burma

There has been a lot of excitement in the past year over various reforms in Myanmar, the most dramatic changes being the release of political prisoners, democratic elections, more freedom of the press, and opening the country to foreign investment. But one thing that hasn’t changed in the country is the dire employment situation and stagnant economy. Maybe all this “investment” and “development” will equate to better employment opportunities for locals at some point, but, to quote the great song by John Hiatt: “It hasn’t happened yet.”

 

Because finding a good paying job — hell, any sort of job — is so difficult, many natives of Myanmar are still seeking work in other Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Thailand and Malaysia. In Bangkok, it’s quite common to find people from Myanmar working in jobs in the construction industry, in bars and restaurants, or as maids. I’ve met two waiters just in the past month; one from Mawlamyine and the other from Chin State. When I was in Kuala Lumpur last month one of the young men working at my hotel was from Mandalay. He’s been working there for several years and I always enjoy chatting with him in Burmese when I stay there. Not far from the hotel, near KL’s Central Market, or Pasar Seni, is a street lined with several businesses either managed by people from Myanmar or catering to customers from that country. This “Little Burma” seems to get larger every time I’m in town.

 

When I’m in KL, I make sure to stop at the Gantawin Restaurant a few times for hearty bowls of monhinga for breakfast, or good meal and a bottle of Myanmar Beer at night. The waitresses always look a little apprehensive when they see a western customer enter the establishment, but once I smooth talk them with a bit of Burmese, the ice is broken. One more bottle, please!

 

 

 

Stumbling around Kuala Lumpur

When I wasn’t book shopping or rummaging through the CD stores in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, I was content to just stroll around town and soak up the local atmosphere. I stayed in a colorful area between Central Market and Masjid Jamek, conveniently close to the subway/train line and the Chinatown and Little India districts, plus there is noticeable Burmese presence on one street (more about that in a future post).

 

From either the Pasar Seni or Masjid Jamek LRT stations, I could take a train to nearly any part of town my heart desired. At nearby KL Sentral, there is also a link to the monorail, KL Kommuter trains, and the KLIA Airport Express. Very handy system they have. Once I arrived at my station of choice, I’d either head straight to a mall for more shopping or eating, or just walk around the neighborhood to kill time. There is not much in the way of historical sites to see in the city, but I do like looking at the modern architecture, street graffiti, mosques, Hindu temples, and shops.

 

The only thing that bothered me this time was all the Christmas decorations I saw, littering the local malls, restaurants, and department stores. And what is it with store employees gleefully wearing Santa Claus caps? Urrgghh! Yeah, I’m a seasonal Grinch, and proud of it. When I moved to Thailand 16 years ago, I thought I would be able to escape the Xmas idiocy, but no such luck. But even in a predominately Muslim country like Malaysia, the Christmas decorations are just out of control. Jingle Hell once again.

 

I was also disappointed that one of my favorite restaurants, Yut Kee (in Dang Wangi) was closed for some sort of multi-day break during the time I was in town. But there are plenty of good dining options in KL, so it wasn’t like I was going to go without eating for four days.  I found another nearby kopitiam for breakfast, dined a few times at a Burmese restaurant, went to the funky The Ship in Bukit Bintang, and of course made a pilgrimage to the mighty Coliseum (more about that legendary restaurant in a later post also) for a sizzling steak with fried tofu on the side. Really. Weird combination, but along with a couple of Tiger beers it made my night.

 

 

 

 

Eating KL

One of the great joys in visiting Kuala Lumpur for me is the food. I’m an unabashed foodie, so I delight in sampling the myriad choices of sumptuous cuisine available throughout the greater KL area. Of course there any many places for authentic Malay food, but there is also an abundance of wonderful Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern restaurants. If my carnivore side kicks in and I feel like a big juicy steak, which inevitably happens when I’m in town, there is always the famous Coliseum Café or the venerable Ship in Bukit Bintang. 

 

KL doesn’t have the everywhere-you-turn abundance of street food that’s so easily found in Bangkok, but there are parts of the inner city where there are street stalls serving up delectable dishes. The traditional local coffee shops, or kopitiams, are also great places to grab breakfast, or any meal, and some good strong coffee. These joints are usually very laid back and very inexpensive, but also very busy.

 

I made sure to make several trips to Yut Kee in Dang Wangi for some good hearty breakfasts, and another morning I went to my favorite local Burmese restaurant, Gandawin, for a big bowl of monhinga and a few cups of sweet hot tea. I also stopped by Gandawin one evening for dinner, and the place was packed with expat Burmese workers; eating, drinking, and watching music videos on the big TV screens. Surrounded by all that and speaking Burmese to my waitress — not to mention the betel nut stand out front — I felt like I was back in Mandalay!

 

 

Yangon Ladies

On Tuesday a woman walked into my bookshop and while scanning the shelves, told me that “a Burmese friend recommended your shop to me.” “Really? Who was that?” I asked. “Ma Thanegi” was her reply. That of course led to more conversation and introductions. She told me her name was Naomi, was from Canada, but spent a lot of time in Thailand each year. She had also been making frequent trips to Myanmar to do research for a Burmese cookbook she is writing. She ended up buying a bunch of books (including every title we had by Alan Furst) to take with her to Toronto the following day.

 

I wrote an e-mail to Ma Thanegi later that evening, telling her that I had met a very interesting friend of hers. Thanegi wrote back and said: “Google her name — Naomi Duguid. She’s a lovely person.” I took her advice and did an online search, revealing that Naomi Duguid is quite the traveler and also a highly regarded cookbook author. She has written several cookbooks with Jeffrey Alford, including Flatbreads and Flavors; Hot Sour Salty Sweet: a Culinary Journey through Southeast Asia; Flavors of Rice; Mangoes and Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels through the Great Subcontinent; and Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China.

 

From the reviews I’ve read, Naomi’s books appear to be much more than ordinary cookbooks or collections of recipes. Her books combine food, travel, and culture, immersing the reader in the lives and customs of the people of the country or region that she is visiting and writing about. In an interview she did with Artsmania, Naomi said:

“I try to work against our natural tendency to pigeonhole other people or other cultures … I see all these books as tools for helping make the “other” less “other.” The stories can do that for some people, and then if they make the recipe, maybe the story echoes with the recipe and gives them more dimensions. And so it’s no longer just a place they’re never heard of on a map, or a place they think is weird and foreign.”

 

The new book that she told me about is tentatively titled Rivers of Flavor: Recipes and Travel Tales from Burma. Publication is scheduled for September 2012 by Random House Canada and Artisan Books in the US. I can’t wait to read it!

http://naomiduguid.blogspot.com/

http://artsmania.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/interview-with-naomi-duguid-4/

 

Paula Helfrich, another resident of Yangon — and also a friend of Ma Thanegi — was in my shop the previous week for some book buying and conversation. Paula is American but has been living in Myanmar for several decades (in fact, she was born there!), teaching English to monks and children. Paula recently co-wrote a novel, Flying, with Rebecca Sprecher. It’s published by Author House in the USA. Described as “an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the airline world,” Flying traces the lives of two young women, one of whom (like Paula) was raised in Southeast Asia.

 

And I have to put in a plug for Ma Thanegi’s books while I’m at it. Last year, Things Asian Press published her travelogue Defiled on the Ayeyarwady, a fascinating and funny account of Thanegi’s trip down the famous river. In addition to being a detailed account of her trip, it serves as an excellent primer for those wanting to know more about Burmese culture and customs. Her conversations with fellow passengers, and observations of what’s happening around her, are marvelous. She is currently working on a new memoir of her life in Myanmar, and Things Asian also plans to reprint her excellent cookbook, An Introduction to Myanmar Cuisine later this year.  

http://www.thingsasianpress.com/books/detail_dota.htm

 

 

Kuala Lumpur Scenes

In any city I visit, I like to spend a lot time just walking around and absorbing the feel of the place. In addition to how it looks, each place has a different vibe, even its own unique smell. The scenery can also provide plenty of contrasts; modern buildings or run-down shacks, parks or ponds, museums or markets, mosques or pagodas, games of football or a single child playing marbles. It all interests my wandering eye.

Kuala Lumpur doesn’t boast much in the way of magnificent scenery and there aren’t many older, historic buildings to gawk at, but they do have plenty of impressive skyscrapers (the famous Petronas Twin Towers being the obvious highlight), a forest preserve that gives the city green space (the bird and orchid parks are quite nice), and some areas full of street food vendors. KL is also easy to navigate thanks to a very good — and affordable — commuter rail system, including an inner city monorail and several subway lines.

At my hotel one day I overheard two employees speaking Burmese. I surprised them by striking up a conversation in Burmese. The young man told me that he was from Yangon and the woman hailed from Mandalay. I told them I had visited Myanmar the previous month. In fact, I still had photos on the memory card in my camera, so I showed them some of the images; Pindaya Cave, monks amuck in Mandalay, pagoda ruins in Bagan, and other scenes. I asked if there were any Burmese restaurants in the area near our hotel, and they told me that indeed there were. They directed me to one large restaurant, just a block from Central Market. I found the restaurant easily enough, thanks to a sign written in Burmese. Stepping inside I felt like I was back in Yangon or Mandalay.  There were huge colorful wall murals of various natural and historic sites around Myanmar. Burmese pop music was played in the background. There was even Myanmar Beer on the menu! Pretty damn cool to find this little Burmese oasis in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

For breakfast that morning I ordered a hearty bowl of monhinga, along with a cup of Burmese style tea. The food was good and I enjoyed speaking with the waitress in Burmese. I don’t get many chances to speak the language when I’m in Thailand so it’s always nice to practice with someone before it’s time to go back to Myanmar. I returned to the restaurant the next night and before I had even ordered the same waitress told me that they were out of monhinga. I hadn’t planned on eating that for dinner anyway, so I had a hearty bowl of Shan kauk swe noodles. And outside the restaurant there was yet another touch of Myanmar: a guy rolling up packets of betel nut and selling them at a little wooden stand.