Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ment for thousands of 'teaboys', cheeky pre-teen male service staff. And they're a
fun slice of Burmese life that all visitors should investigate.
When visiting a teashop in Myanmar, abandon any preconceived notions of a fra-
grant cuppa served in a dainty China cup; in Myanmar, tea means strong, often bit-
ter shots of black brew served in minuscule glass mugs with a dollop of sweetened
condensed milk and a splash of tinned milk. Depending on the size of your sweet
tooth and your caffeine tolerance, to order tea in Myanmar you'll need a short lan-
guage lesson:
»
lǎp'eq·ye- black tea served sweet with a dollop of condensed milk - the standard
»
cho bawq- a less sweet version of lǎp'eq·ye
»
kyauq padaung- very sweet; the phrase comes from a famous sugar-palm-grow-
ing region near Bagan
»
cho kya -strongest tea, also served with condensed milk
Teahouses are also your best bet for breakfast, a light snack or sweet. Ethnic
Burmese-run teahouses often emphasise noodles. Móun·hìn·gàis usually available
as a matter of course, but other more obscure noodle dishes include óun·nó
k'auq·swèh(thin wheat noodles in a mild coconut-milk-based broth), myì shay
(thick rice noodles served with chicken or pork and a dollop of sticky rice 'glue')
and nàngyì dhouq(a salad of wide rice noodles seasoned with chickpea flour). Tea-
houses that serve these dishes are also likely to serve fried rice and t'ămìn dhouq
(rice salad), also great for breakfast. Indian Muslim-owned teahouses often spe-
cialise in deep-fried dishes such as the ubiquitous samosas and poori(deep-fried
bread served with a light potato curry), as well as oil-free breads such as dosai
(southern Indian-style crepes) and nanbyá(nan bread), the latter often served with
a delicious pigeon pea-based dip. And Chinese-style teahouses often feature lots of
baked sweets as well as meaty steamed buns and yum-cha-like nibbles.
Vegetarians & Vegans
Vegetarians will be able to find at least a couple of meat-free options at most restaurants
in Myanmar. Many Burmese Buddhists abstain from eating the flesh of any four-legged
animal and, during the Buddhist rain retreat around the Waso full moon, may take up a
'fire-free' diet that includes only uncooked vegetables and fruit. Some Indian or Nepali
restaurants are vegan, and even meaty barbecues have a few skewered vegetables that
can be grilled up. The easiest way to convey your needs is saying '
ǎthà mǎsà nain bù'
(I
can't eat meat)
.
