Myanmore Magazine - No.21/July 2018 by MYANMORE

No. 21 /July 2018 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free!

magazine

MADE IN MYANMAR

l i a c e p s d foo

No.21 / July 2018

magazine Managing Director Andreas Sigurdsson Managing Editor Lorcan Lovett Photography Angel Ko Ko Cover Angel Ko Ko In-house Writer Min Ye Kyaw Intern Suzin Lynn Contributors Sam Foot Edmond Sailland Susan Bailey Keith Lyons Illustration Ben Hopkins

32 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On 6 Cinema 8 The Tea Shop 10 Cover Story Made in Myanmar 12 Features Floating Kitchen 16 Sidewalk Dining 18 Culinary Cultures 20

Art & Production Kyaw Kyaw Tun Hein Htet

Travel Motorbiking Northern Chin State 30 Hidden Caves 32 Rangoon Rhythm 36

Advertorial Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye 38 Future of Finance 46 Tech Talk 40 Green Column / Mixologist Column 41 Myanmore Stars Awards 42 Card Deals 44

Printer For All Printing House Sales & Advertising sales@myanmore.com 0977 900 3701 / 3702 Disclaimer No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from Myanmore. All details are deemed correct at the time of print. The editor, employees and contributors cannot be held responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may occur.

Q&A Aung La N Sang 22 Eat & Drink Grand Library Restaurant 24 Four Tomatoes 25 Ethnic recipe 26 Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s column 27 New openings 28

Publisher MYANMORE Magazine Pyit Thiri Thaw Lychee Ventures (Myanmar) Limited Permit No. 01588

www.myanmore.com www.facebook.com/myanmore www.issuu.com/myanmore Follow us on Instagram and Viber.

About Myanmore Myanmore is a registered brand under Lychee Ventures (Myanmar) Limited providing digital and print publishing as well as creative services. Myanmore is managing the leading online city guide www.myanmore.com and printed publications Weekly Guide, EnjoyIt, KnowIt. We also work closely with the team of DRIVE, the first and only premium car magazine in Myanmar. Recently, we have launched application Sarmal (for finding restaurant & bars in Myanmar). The mission is to provide great content and experiences for residents in Myanmar.

What's on

Dining

Taste of Thai Gala 12 July

Art & Stage

Sports

The Art Of Living Happiness Program

Part Illusion: Thynn Lei Nwe

20th to 22nd July

7 to 18 July

As part of the 70th anniversary of relations between Thailand and Myanmar, Novotel and the Thai embassy are hosting a Thai food gala with chef McDang and his team Taste of Thai. Seats are limited. Tables for companies are US$85 net/per seat. | RSVP: 01 230 5858. Novotel Yangon Max - 459 Pyay Rd, Kamayut Township, Yangon | 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm

It all started from the time when Thynn Lei Nwe noticed that reality was not so fun to live in anymore. Her artworks are usually based on memories, dreams, imaginations and her mother’s bedtime stories. This exhibition is about a series of drawings mainly focusing on creating and recapturing the imaginary scenes of her memories in the past two years. Myanm/art - 98, Third Floor, Bogalay Zay St, Botahtaung Township, Yangon | All Day

to develop innovation. It is a usercentred approach to problem solving with ingredients such as ‘show don’t tell’ and ‘culture of prototyping.’ Speakers are U Sai Woone Seng, Head of Learning & Development, Yoma Bank and Daw Sandy Aung, Chief Learning Officer, Forté Global. Yoma Bank Performance Development Center - Myanmar Plaza, Office Tower 2, Level-5, Kabaraye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Township, Yangon | 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Nightlife

AYA NUAC Orchestra Bastille Day Music Showcase 13 July

14 July

In Partnership with lepetitjournal. com, Birmanie, CCI France Myanmar and BirmaFrog, The Penthouse celebrates this historic day Frenchstyle. | RSVP: 09 771 239924.

The 3rd annual European Food Festival 28 July

The Penthouse - 271-273, BarGaYar St, Park side one building 8th floor, Sanchaung Township, Yangon | From 7:00 pm

Bollywood Night 21st July

The Chaines des Rotisseurs Baillage du Myanmar hosts the third European Food festival at Yangon’s’ Rose Garden Hotel. Top European restaurants in Yangon will present a mouthwatering selection of the very best their countries have to offer. Tickets are 5,000 kyats and all monies will be donated to two local charities. Rose Garden Hotel - 171, Upper Pansodan St, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, Yangon | 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

AYA bank organize the monsoon orchestra music festival, directed by Diramore and with performances from R Zarni, Aung Htet, DJ Wine, Wine Su Khine Thein, Eaint Chit and Ni Ni Khin Zaw. Tickets are 10,00050,000 kyats. For more information contact 09 953 472 267. National Theatre - Myoma Kyaung St, Dagon Township, Yangon | From 7:00 pm

Educational

Design Thinking: An Introductory Workshop 14 July

A three-day workshop at The Tree House Garden by trainer Skumar Acy which will focus on breathing techniques, low impact yoga, meditation and Sudarshan Kriya. It is advised to enroll for at least a minimum of the first two days to get maximum benefits from this program. Price: two days at 40,000 kyats. Three days at 50,000 kyats (early bird offer 45,000 kyats before 15 July). The Tree House Garden - 12, Shwe Taung Kyar Yeik Thar St, Bahan Township, Yangon

Exhibition

Myanmar International Tourism Expo 2018 20 to 22 July

The Coriander Leaf is back with another edition of Bollywood Night. Enjoy a night of bollywood, hip hop and more with DJ Anirudh & DJ Deepzy. Entry charges of 8,000 Ks including one free beer. There’s also a buffet and dance floor. | RSVP: 09 431 85008. The Coriander Leaf Yangon - Building No 12, Yangon International Hotel Compound, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Township, Yangon | From 8:00 pm

Myanmar International Tourism aims to be the one-stop platform for you to sourcing all related travel and tourism services. This is a good opportunity for Myanmar travel agents to network with international travel agents to promote inbound tourism to the world. Tatmadaw Exhibition Center - U WISARA Rd, Dagon Township, Yangon

Design Thinking is the latest humancentered approach to innovation that integrates the needs of people and requirements for business success MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Maximise Your Potential.

in Retail Banking today.

Banker (CRB)

Payments Professional (CCPP)

Enrol With Us Today Phone 09 257 999 601 / 602 / 603 Email info@mfc.com.mm

Address Myanmar Financial Center (MFC) Urban Asia Center, 2nd Floor (Corner of Mahabandoola Rd. and 48th St.) Botahtaung Township Yangon, Myanmar

Branch Manager

Customer Service

The programmes outlined herein have been offered by MFC in partnership with the Retail Banking Academy in London, UK.

Cinema Cinemas

Now Showing

Coming

The Incredibles 2 Animation, Action, Adventure

The First Purge Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back, but this time Helen is in the spotlight, leaving Bob at home with Violet and Dash to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible.

To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the others, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.

Casts: Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, John Ratzenberger, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Vowell & more.

Casts: Y’lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Marisa Tomei, Joivan Wade, Lauren Vélez & more. Ant-Man and the Wasp Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads

to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy. Casts: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña & more. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy As they embark on a vacation on a luxury monster cruise ship, Drac can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. It’s smooth sailing for Drac’s Pack as the monsters indulge in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer, from monster volleyball to exotic excursions, and catching up on their moon tans. But the dream vacation turns into a nightmare when Mavis realizes Drac has fallen for the mysterious captain of the ship, Ericka, who hides a dangerous secret that could destroy all of monsterkind. Casts: Selena Gomez, Adam Sandler, Genndy Tartakovsky, Andy Samberg, Joe Jonas & more. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Skyscraper Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Yarzawin Yine Kae The Drama, Thriller

Former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Ford now assesses security for skyscrapers. He’s on assignment in China when he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it. A wanted man on the run, Will must find those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family, which is trapped inside the building, above the fire line.

A young model falls in love with his photographer who is also stringing along two women. Who will survive this game of love and lies?

Casts: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Pablo Schreiber, Ng Chin Han & more.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Casts: Zay Ye Htet, Aung Lay, Zin Zin Zaw Myint, Khin Zarchi Kyaw & more. Credits:IMDB

Cinemas in Yangon Mingalar Sanpya Cineplex 09 260 887 035 — 36, 01 230 3 165 Mingalar Cineplex (Gamone Pwint) 09 779 054 671 — 73 Mingalar Cinema 2(Dagon Centre (II) 09 732 54 091 — 92 Nay Pyi Daw 01 251 277, 01 251 288 Shae Saung Cinema 01 252 113, 01 388 034 Thamada Cinema 01 246 962, 01 246 963 Thwin 01 372 594, 01 388 033 Mingalar 01 243057

Tea Shop

THE TEA SHOP

Illustration by Ben Hopkins

Burmese Python Wins Classic Bout In a monumental ONE Championship fight that will live long in the memory, Myanmar’s double-weight class

champion Aung La N Sang “The Burmese Python” successfully defended his middleweight belt on June 29. A classic bout with all the drama of a Hollywood epic, ONE Championship’s social media channels

were quick to herald “the best bout in ONE history,” while MMAJunkie blog hailed the fight “the greatest we have ever seen.” The five-round slobber knocker ended when Aung La landed a sickening left uppercut to the already

sleeping Ken Hasegawa.

Taste of Europe The third European Food Festival returns to the Rose Garden Hotel MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Boys Soccer Team Found Alive in Cave The world let out a sigh of relief after rescue teams found all 12 boys and their soccer coach alive in a northern Thailand cave 10 days after they went missing in mid-June. Relatives embraced and rescuers celebrated outside Chiang Rai as it emerged that British divers had made contact with the boys deep within the cave complex. The Thai Navy released a video on Facebook apparently showing the moment the group were found. In the almost 5-minute clip, the boys are illuminated by torchlight while a diver can be heard speaking to them. Now comes the difficult task of getting them out of the cave, with rising waters and mud hindering access and the trapped group’s health a major concern. The Thai army says the group might have to wait in the cave for up to four months for floods to recede.

Court to Rule on Whether to Charge Journalists

in Yangon on Saturday, July 28. Presented by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Bailliage du Myanmar, the festival showcases dishes from some of the best European restaurants in Yangon, with over 20 countries MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

represented. Entry tickets are 5,000 kyats and include free-flow beer and soft drinks, while individual dishes, wines and cocktails may be purchased from 3,000 kyats upward. As with the previous two years, all proceeds

from sponsorship and entry tickets will be donated to a selection of local charities.

A court will rule this month on whether to charge two Reuters reporters accused of obtaining secret documents, according to the news wire. The Yangon court has been holding hearings since January to decide whether Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, and Wa Lone, 32, should be charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. At the time of their arrest in December, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 men and boys in a village in Rakhine state. Defense lawyers asked the judge to throw out the case, arguing the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the charges. They said the reporters were arrested in a sting operation by the police that was aimed at blocking their reporting.

Feature

MADE IN MYANMAR

A brave new band of entrepreneurial foodies has emerged, stepping up to create world-class products from the bounty of Myanmar. Words by Sam Foot. Photos by Angel Ko Ko.

yanmar’s artisan food story begins in Golden Valley, circa 1995. Ye Htut Win had just returned to his home country after making a killing in Geneva’s banker bar scene. Fresh from the Alps where he had been learning the ancient art of cheese production, he began selling what to this day are still the best—and only— Myanmar-made European-style cheeses. Expanding his operations to bread, then charcuterie, he eventually moved from the porch of his mother’s teak house to Dhammazedi Road. Sharky’s now sells over 300 obsessively developed products, almost all of which are sourced and produced in Myanmar. In the years that followed, few have been brave, dedicated or mad enough to follow in the imposing footsteps of Mr. Sharky. However, visitors to Yangon Zay or the new Yangon Farmer’s Market will be aware that, in the past year, things have begun to change: the rise of the Myanmar food artisan is upon us.

showcases some of Myanmar’s finest ingredients. Like many of those developing gourmet products in the country, her multicultural heritage and her distinct life experiences merge in her craft. “When my father fell sick with Parkinson’s, the pills that he was prescribed appeared to accelerate his condition,” remembers Wolf, whose mother began using honey and Himalayan salt to treat the disease. Six months later, “there was an observable effect on both his health and his demeanor,” she said. “At this point, we saw that there could be an opportunity to enter the untapped market in food and health.”

Straight From The Sauce

Wolf Kitchen’s other products reflect both the abundance of Myanmar’s natural heritage and also the increasing demand for healthy produce and for more contemporary flavors from abroad. Lynn notes that Wolf Kitchen’s tea leaf paste sells extremely well among expats, yet her Peri Peri sauce (which uses everyday Myanmar ingredients such as bean and coconut powders), increasingly a staple of Western condiment trays, is also being “gobbled up” by locals. “This shows that flavor and taste can never be predicted—giving customers something different is always a surprise!”

Myanmar-German former model Lynn Yang Wolf is fast becoming the most recognizable face in Myanmar’s vibrant new foodie scene. The slick Facebook star has, for years, been perfecting the art of the sauce and cultivating her own line of condiments. Lynn’s journey in the food industry began during her time at university. While acting as brand ambassador for Marketplace, she began using her position as an influencer to share home cooking tips and recipes. Capitalizing on Lynn’s talent and reach, Wolf Kitchen

Now, a year a half later, and after breaking into CityMart, Wolf Kitchen sells over 2,000 jars of pink-tinted Himalayan rock salt each month. As with much of Myanmar’s natural bounty, not many people are aware that such sought after produce is available internally, mined near Myanmar’s northern border.

Hive of Activity Another food in which Lynn Wolf is developing a line is proving to be a sweet business for socially responsible food enterprises: honey. A relatively undervalued resource until recently, a number of companies are beginning to take advantage of the country’s diversity of raw natural honeys. Remarkably, the world’s oldest bee species has been discovered in Myanmar. Leading the way are Plan Bee and Haven Honey. As with a range of new producers—from coffee and chocolate, to sesame, macadamias and mangoes—these companies have observed, in the words of Plan Bee’s Nicola Amoroso, “direct opportunities for income generation across the value chain… [with] significant opportunities for international and local premium retail.”

“I make indulgent cakes. Cakes you should feel bad about eating.” June Thein of Dirty Little Secret

An emphasis on social responsibility— the provision of training, equipment, and avenues of social inclusion for farmers—is a thread connecting the new wave of food producers. Plan Bee support 100 beekeepers in southern Shan state, and train 65 prospects each year. As well as retailing internally, they export fine honeycomb directly to China, Hong Kong, and Japan. The social enterprise foresees a bright future for Myanmar produce which is better value, less polluted, and is considered an ‘exotic’ luxury in many countries. And changes are coming. According to Calvin Pun, director of Haven MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Lynn Yang Wolf holds a bowl containing rocks of Himalayan salt mined in Kachin State. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Feature

Honey, “globally, farmers typically pay beekeepers to bring their hives to farms in order to improve crop yields. In Myanmar, beekeepers typically pay farmers to rent land for hives due to a false belief that bees take from the land. December 2017 was the first time that farmers began to pay beekeepers for their hives—a vast improvement and something that the beekeeping industry has attempted to achieve for the past 40 years.”

varied and nuanced the world of honey can be.

Haven, working with leading beekeeper U Soe Thu, has managed to combine Myanmar’s innate capacity for producing remarkable foods with international standard processing techniques, elevating the staple product into something for the connoisseur. From classic jujube and niger honeys, to rare coriander and lychee varieties, all Haven products are mono-floral (from one variety of flower) and free of additives. Line up a number of Haven’s natural, unprocessed honeys in a tasting session and get an insight into how

Tree Food is perhaps the brand that has most firmly captured the imagination of New Myanmar’s sweettoothed citizens. Playing on nostalgic cravings of the Burmese for jaggery, founder Cho Lei Aung began crafting her modern take on the snack after eating a homemade variant among the toddy trees of Bagan. “I wondered why no farmers had taken the initiative to create small pieces of jaggery which are more suited to today’s lifestyle,” she says. After hearing of the farmers’ difficulties with making the jaggery, she began forming a snack with the

Just Desserts Myanmar has long suffered under a monopoly of foamy, airy, oversugared, artificially-everythinged, and vacuum-packaged baked goods. With the country’s interest in decadent desserts growing at fantastical rates, this travesty is ripe for change.

right size and taste. The company now retails four varieties of jaggery in CityMart; ginger, yoghurt, tamarind, and plum masala (in Cho Lei’s words, the most authentic taste.) Arguably the most decadent new bakers in town go by the name of Dirty Little Secret. Repats Hazel Zaw and June Thein sculpt all varieties of baked goods, instilling them with pure Myanmar extravagance. From fantastical layer cakes, to oozing cookies, protein bars, and dangerously iced cupcakes, Thein (who is, sagely, also opening a gym to support Yangon’s future Dirty Little Secret-inspired obesity crisis) pulls no punches when stating: “I make indulgent cakes. Cakes you should feel bad about eating. Cakes you want to bury your face in and make babies with.” In With The Old

Myanmar tea business veteran Paline has recently released a line of classic bites, elevating the humble tea leaf salad to something of a delicacy. Offering an organic sesame tea and artisan fried beans, it will not be long before companies such as Paline begin representing Myanmar abroad. Another foodie devising culinary reinventions is Father’s Office founder Hnin Yee Htun. A favorite which has appeared in Father’s Office (and will soon be hitting the shelves) comes straight out of Hnin’s mother’s pantry: Ma Aye’s Kitchen’s pork belachaung. Reflecting the view of many concerning traditional snacks, Hnin says: “There is plenty of room for growth in Myanmar for food products made using modern culinary techniques. We intend to offer a wider range of products made to a high standard and quality—products that introduce Myanmar food to the world.”

Jaggery is not the only traditional snack getting a 21st century upgrade:

June Thein (left) and Hazel Zaw (right) make indulgent cakes in Yangon.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Cho Lei Aung has crafted a modern take of the Myanmar classic jaggery.

Myanmar’s Delicious Future Myanmar’s new wave of producers are breaking the mold, using smaller plots from which to cultivate a wider and more varied range of foods, importing innovative systems, and focusing on sustainable, value-added qualities such as organic production, social responsibility, and all-natural ingredients. Branding is improving across the board, as Shwe Taung Nyi MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

demonstrates with its pampered, cardboard-protected eggs. Wolf Kitchen produces its condiments in an FDA-approved factory; Sharky’s 25-acre Bagan farm is a ‘Myanmar Mediterranean’ growing a range of non-native varieties of crop, including herbs, vegetables and fruits which have never before been grown in Myanmar. Similarly, ‘urban farmers’ such as Kokkoya Organics are delivering a spectacular range of fresh

products to the city’s dining tables. With all of this in mind, Myanmar food’s appearance on the global stage is imminent. Internally, Sharky’s and Rangoon Tea House have long discussed how and when they can begin spreading their considerable influence as market leaders overseas, acting as foodie ambassadors for the nation. Haven’s Calvin Pun captures the prevailing zeitgeist when saying:

“We have some of the best produce in the world—we just need to work on creating avenues to export it. I would like to one day walk into a store in the EU, USA, Japan or Hong Kong and see my products on the shelves with, most importantly, ‘Product of Myanmar,’ being synonymous with a high quality brand.”

Feature

World Chefs Without Borders members stir chicken stew on a ferry down Twante Canal.

FLOATING KITCHEN

Chefs from across the globe come together to take part in an ambitious humanitarian tour of the Ayeyarwady Delta. Words and photos by Lorcan Lovett.

inutes after leaving the jetty, some 65 chefs are getting a taste of the “disaster cooking” that Oliver E. Soe Thet has promised. Monsoon rains whip against the weathered ferry, gales beat against its ripped tarpaulin, the sky concedes its pre-dawn darkness to a miserable grey.

By 6.30am the old boat is an open kitchen wafting hearty aromas down a silty colonial-era canal: a kitchen floating between the Yangon and Ayeyarwady rivers that in one go has taken 8,000 orders. As soy sauce is squeezed by the bottle-load on the lower deck, flags of about 25 nations flutter on the tier above.

Oliver, a tireless 57-year-old German chef who has lived in Myanmar for over two decades, swerves between three teams dressed in black Mandarin collar shirts and carrot-colored pants. Expectedly rumpled, Oliver speaks with urgency to the chefs, who chop carrots, tear basil, scoop onions into big metal pots, and stir stew with wooden paddles.

Malaysia; Iceland; China; Germany; USA; Hong Kong; Norway; Taiwan; all and more are represented in World Chefs Without Borders (WCWB) Humanitarian Myanmar Tour 2018, a whirlwind cook-a-thon that fed 4,000 people outside Yangon’s landmark Shwedagon Pagoda on June 10 and now, a day later, is heading for the Ayeyarwady Delta.

Children line the pier at Napyaw Su village to welcome the chefs. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Ten years ago Myanmar’s worst natural disaster on record, Cyclone Nargis, tore through the region, destroying crops, animals, and bamboo and thatch homes. Nearly 140,000 people were killed and 2.4 million were severely affected. Within days Oliver, president of the Myanmar Chefs Association, was delivering aid and cash to the survivors, fusing the relationships that eventually led to this trip. He looks to the river banks, the rusty hulls giving way to a stretch of lush green interrupted by the odd golden stupa, and reflects that much development has taken place since the cyclone—medical clinics established, shelters built, homes rebuilt. But the delta is still poor and relatively isolated. Sold on the idea of helping, the chefs each donated 1,000 euros and paid their own travel expenses for the tour; now they are about to discover how much the villages appreciate the visit. Nepalese chef Kumar Chalise, 39, sticks his head through a black bin bag, a hip trend on the boat since the heavens opened. “I saved up my salary for five months to represent Nepal,” he laughs. “I am happy and excited to be involved with world chefs.” Nearby, his comrades sing cheerfully and pin red noses on each other in the downpour.

About 20 of the 150 orphans living at a local monastery wait at Twante, a delta town known for its pottery, ancient pagoda, and association with George Orwell, who served here as a colonial police officer. The monastery’s head monk rescued many of the boys as he combed the aftermath of Nargis. One of them, shy 14-year-old Myat Phone Nady, survived the storm surge by clinging onto two corpses. He was four years old. “Now I want to be a doctor,” he says. “I want to look after our people.” The boys receive colorful Shan cotton bags filled with stationery and toothbrushes before the chefs jump aboard to tie up 4,000 bags of meals for the next village. Norwegian ambassador for WCWB, Kristine Ovrebo, who trains cooking apprentices in the Norwegian Navy, is one of two female chefs on the tour. Many of her colleagues are at a fancy food conference in Italy, “and I am here,” she says, sipping an energy drink. “They’re two opposites. The contrast is something to think about.” Kristine helped judge a Myanmar food contest at an exhibition on June 6-8. She had time to soak in Yangon culture, see people sharing laphet thote and paratha in the teashops. “They are also around food on the streets. That brings people here together, and I really like that.”

The stew has brought a motorboat to the ferry, with its crew reaching out to transfer the meals and chefs back to Napyaw Su village. Slicing through the choppy waters, the boat reaches a small pier lined either side by school children all the way down to a pagoda hall where a band plays to a sitting audience. Everyone, though, has their backs to the musicians, facing two tables of world chefs, ostensibly the real rock stars. Some cooks are speechless, others beaming, but when the formalities are over their instincts kick in: time to feed people. They man a frontline of rice sacks and begin serving rice and stew along with a green bag of essentials: 1 kilogram salt; 120 grams green tea; two kilograms rice; toothpaste and brush; soap; fish paste. The crowd cheers and claps and the whole giveaway flits close to chaos. In theory, feeding 4,000 people is a commendable action perhaps done in a few swift dollops. In reality it is a messy, Herculean task—rice is missing from some boxes, bags leak, but, supported by a bobbing trail of boxes carried up the pier, the chefs pull it off.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Chef Kumar Chalise sports a bin bag.

Taiwanese chef Jimmy Chang Chen Ming, 68, is taking a breather next to a bucket brigade passing portions of rice to the entrance. Would it be more practical to transport the food and supplies—or perhaps even just cash— via a group of low-key volunteers? Why the fanfare? “Because we are World Chef Association members, we have a community that wants to donate to humanity,” answers Jimmy. “We are chefs; we want to cook for the people. The money is a different way of thinking.” What is important is not the food but the fact there are “chefs from 25 countries who want to come to Myanmar and cook for the Myanmar people.” Pots and barrels used to cook the food are donated to this final village, and a veteran dentist who is traveling aboard takes some supplies to the local hospital.

“Donations like this have happened in the past, but never on this scale,” says 70-year-old local Daw Min Sein, whose farm and home were razed by Nargis. “We are very thankful and happy.” Zayar Myon Zim, 25, a primary school teacher, jokes that WCWB should come more often.

On the way back to Yangon, Oliver encourages each chef to help release 50,000 native fish from a local farm into the river. Beyond the silvery school sliding down the tarpaulin is a boat carrying women and children smiling gleefully as they point at their green bags.

With the tour one year in the making and the team chugging energy drinks like the elixir of life, Zayar Myon Zim may have to wait some time. Kayin Kyaung village, on the other hand, is an hour or so away.

Oliver sits down, finally. The folks waiting for him at the pier included a young boy with large, sad eyes who his family supported with books and clothes over the years. Another was a mango farmer whose ripe crop was ruined by the cyclone, almost costing him a livelihood until Oliver and MCA gave him an interest-free micro loan and other support.

Among the thousands of people greeting the party here are a few faces familiar to Oliver, who lingers by the pier. The crowds began gathering at 9am and the school students rushed to the jetty when the bell rang.

Cyclone Nargis survivor Myat Phone Nady.

meals and embrace, their hard work almost over. Outside, the heavens open again, triggering the crowd to open their umbrellas in tortoise formation like a Roman battalion.

Once past the jam and into a community center on the river bank, a pair of Icelandic and American chefs look down at the remaining 4,000

“He was waiting there with sheets of dried mango as a reminder of this,” croaks Oliver. “I didn’t know that he would come. Emotions.” His bulky shoulders shake and he cries. All the chefs agree: it’s about more than food.

Feature

SIDEWALK DINING

Much of the best food in Yangon can be tasted on the streets. Vendors who tout unctuous curries and crispy sweet pancakes have spent years perfecting their recipes. Over six months, we have been on culinary dispatches to try the very best. Mohinga Tin Tin Aye sells one thing and one thing only: mohinga. About 200300 bowls of the breakfast favorite are dished out to customers every morning from 5-9am at the popular joint in Sanchaung. The rich fishy broth poured over rice noodles costs a mere 500 kyats—or 900 kyats with split bean fritter and quail egg. But the real steal is the unique, flavorful taste, a gathering of fried gourd, onion, crushed peanuts, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and more coupled with diced snake beans and coriander. Tin Tin Aye was named after the woman who started the operation from a street cart on Tamwe junction about 50 years ago. From there she moved to a market shop in Lanmadaw, eventually closing that to open in Sanchaung. Now at the age of 76, she has built a legacy of four Tin Tin Aye diners scattered across the city. Her eldest son has run the Sanchaung spot for 30 years, while her other three children each run their own Tin Tin Aye. Her daughter-in-law, Daw Khin Than Win, 58, said Daw Tin Tin Aye “tried her best to make the mohinga taste different from others,” adding, “she is very smart.” Khin Than Win has run the place with her husband on the bustling Sanchaung Street for 30 years. They have two daughters and a son—the generation to continue Tin Tin Aye. Surprisingly, the mohinga is not made on site but instead all cooked at Tin Tin Aye’s home in Mayangone every morning and delivered to each eatery. Unsurprisingly, they usually sell every last bowl. Address: Sanchaung Street Hours: 5am-9am

Daw Khin Than Win and her daughter Ma Aye Su Yin of mohinga joint Tin Tin Aye. (Duncan Hines)

Pork Sticks Skewered pig offal dunked into a communal cauldron of bubbling murky broth may not be to everyone’s taste, but Yangon sure seems to love it. U Win Swe took advantage of the city’s appetite for wat that dote htoe (or pork sticks) in 1993 when he scrapped trishaw driving and selling vegetables from a cart to set up a stall on Sanchaung Street. “It’s a better business,” considered the 53-year-old grandfather. “You can get more profit compared to the other jobs.” Any profit is still modest, however, with broken sticks costing 50 kyats and unbroken sticks 100 kyats. Each one has a special porky treat at the

end: intestines; cartilage; eye; liver; kidney; esophagus; tongue; heart; lung; fried blood; or just a plain old cut of meat. U Win Swe buys it wholesale from a supplier in Sanchaung Market at 6am every day besides Sunday, his day off. Then he thoroughly cleans the offal at his house and brings it to his spot, unfolding a table leaned against a G & G convenience store. Of course, it wasn’t always a G & G. The building opposite wasn’t always a teashop, either. Over the 25 years U Win Swe has sat there, cutting offal, he has seen the whole place transform.

There is so much more demand. I’m very happy about it.” His stall stays open until the meat runs out, usually about 8pm. Seldom are the little plastic seats empty—a hygienic stall is a busy stall—and customers also help themselves to slices of boiled egg, bowls of garlic and chili, and chili sauce poured from a jerry can. U Win Swe will be open for a while to come, or “until my body gives up,” he added. Like blindly grabbing a pork stick, “health is unpredictable.” Address: Corner of U San Nyunt and Sanchaung Street, Sanchaung Township Hours: 3pm-8pm

“Before the road was bad and narrow,” he said. “Now it is concreted over. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

In the little pans she pours a white batter of rice and mung beans and then sprinkles ginger, peas, beans, coriander and onion to the mix before lobbing a bucket of coal over each stove. The result is a golden, airy mote pyar ta la. “We sell almost 50,000 kyats’ worth per day but during the school season we sell a lot more,” she said, smiling at a continous stream of customers. The think pancake cost 200 kyats and the other two cost 250 kyats. Address: Bo Yar Nyunt Street, on the road in front of Potato Break, Dagon Township Hours: 6am-10.30am

U Win Swe serves customers wat thar dote htoe on Sanchaung Street. (Duncan Hines)

Couple’s Snack A cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, U Hla Tun, 50, ladles a white batter into bite size moulds dented into a large pan. He cracks a quail’s egg and sprinkles chickpeas from a pink plastic tray into each bubbling mix—heated by charcoal underneath—and then lets the sides crunch up into a crispy brown before flipping them over. Finally he combines the two halves into a saucer-shaped snack—now it’s officially mote lin ma yar or “couple’s snack,” the two elements representing a husband and wife. As they cool off in a bamboo basket, U Hla Tun divulges some of the ingredients: sticky rice flour, ginger, salt, along with the egg and chickpeas. But he stops short of disclosing the full list. His recipe is “different,” he says, enigmatically, which is perhaps why his stall is so popular. U Hla Tun has been at this spot in the shade of a blossoming tree in Yaw Min Gyi Ward for eight years, but has been

making mote lin ma yar for double that period. His father and grandfather did the same, he says, scooping 10 pieces for 500 kyats in a plastic bag and finishing them with a pinch of sesame and salt. They have a spongy, oily texture that goes well with the crispy edges. A tasty mid-afternoon treat, preferably shared between two. Address: Corner of Bo Yar Nyunt Road and Nawaday Street, Yaw Min Gyi Ward, Dagon Township Hours: 2.30pm-7-8pm Pancake Breakfast Where Nawaday Street meets Bo Yar Nyunt Road is quite the hub for street food. Amid the fruit stalls and fancy cafes selling overpriced macchiatos are vendors serving paratha, samosas, spring rolls, e kya kway (Burmese churros), fish curries and more. But perhaps the most popular snack in the gastromonic hotspot is the mote pyar ta lat, rice pancakes made by Daw Thandar Oo, 42, and her husband U

Mote Lin Ma Yar are a tasty mid-afternoon treat. (Duncan Hines) MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Mote pyar ta lat is a favorite Yangon street food. (Duncan Hines)

Kyaw San, 46. The couple has been selling the pancakes every morning in the Yaw Min Gyi area for eight years; only illness or urgent business stops them from working. They wake up at 3.30am, prepare the ingredients and utensils, and then travel about 40 minutes in a cab from their home in Tharkayta Township to the spot. “I came to this place and tried some food, but it wasn’t really tasty, so I thought why not make better snacks for the people here,” said Daw Thandar Oo, who previously ran a curry stall. Her husband was formerly a construction worker but has since swapped his shovel for a pair of tongs, stacking and bagging the pancakes on two large plates lined with newspaper. Their mote pyar ta lat comes in two forms: thick and crispy thin. Daw Thandar Oo sits behind three stoves, which she uses to heat thin and thick mote pyar ta lat, and bane mote, a sweet pancake that has white poppy seeds, jaggery and almond shavings. It’s also delicious.

Honorable Mentions Daw Aye Kyaing, 60, has been selling sticky steamed rice throughout the day at the busy junction of Sanchaung and A Shae Gone streets in Sanchaung township for 15 years. Her carefully crafted treats have gained popularity in the area and sell the most during Myanmar festivals such as Pyatho, Tabodwe, and Tabaung. On middle block 40th Street U Maung Kyan, 35, makes quality tempura dipped in tasty batter from Monday to Saturday. Customers can buy as many tempura pieces as they like although the usual purchase is 10 pieces for 700 kyats—with that comes dipping sauce and lettuce.

Feature

Kachin food at Chin Ngan San restaurant on Kandawgyi Lake.

CULINARY CULTURES

Ethnic food of Myanmar conjures up a cornucopia of flavors and traditions that are now becoming easier to try in Yangon thanks to people of the different states and regions establishing eateries in the city. With the help of Myanmar Ethnic Restaurant Group and its founder, owner of Padonmar Restaurant Sonny Aung Khin, we handed over the mic to four advocates of various ethnic cuisines. Photos by Lorcan Lovett. Khin Khin San, founder of Rakhine restaurant Min Lan Seafood

Khin Khin San of Min Lan Seafood.

Rakhine is surrounded by seas full of fish. The fish are really fresh, eaten on the day and mostly just with mont di or Rakhine-style rice, because basically that’s all we have. Rakhine has a simple but delicious cuisine with quality fish paste and not a lot of cooking oil. We grind up shrimp into fish paste and eat it with vegetables and salads. Also a lot of a local type of chilli; after you taste the spice, you don’t feel too much heat. We sell it here in Yangon, and it’s the same chilli used by most people in

Rakhine. They go to the market before breakfast, lunch, and dinner because it’s important to get fresh food. If I summed Rakhine food up with core ingredients it would be chilli, fish paste, and fresh fish. Maybe turmeric. Looking back to my childhood, I ate mont di and rice three times per day, every day. There were some Chinese people who sold fried noodles, and also Rakhine mohinga, which uses saltwater fish unlike in Yangon where they use freshwater fish. I’m from the middle part of Rakhine in a township called Myay Pone, where the broth in the mont di is a bit thicker than that of Sitwe’s further north. The quality of

rice noodle in Myay Pone is also much better. Myo Min Thet, manager of Myanmar restaurant Taing Yin Thar Burmese food is mainly eaten for breakfast, with most people eating classic dishes like mohinga or mong di. Dishes differ according to the combination of spices used in them, but in general all the dishes tend to use flour and rice powder. The food can be a bit oily for foreigners so it’s better to eat at places that do not cook it so oily. Sometimes MSG is MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Myo Min Thet of Taing Yin Thar.

used, too, which foreigners don’t like, so it’s better to look for kitchens that don’t use it. Mandalay and Yangon have similar snacks and meals but they taste quite different because of the local ingredients and spices. In Yangon you’ll find coconut noodles, samosas, Burmese doughnuts, paratha. There’s plenty of influences that have been tweaked to Myanmar’s appetite and culture. Most Burmese food is not too spicy or pungent, and tends to be on the sweeter side. Look at paratha: in India they like to eat it with bean curry, but here people like it with sugar.

Other cuisine, like Kachin food, tastes familiar to people in Yangon so they are more likely to enjoy it, but only local Mon people seem to enjoy the strong, pungent taste of Mon food. That’s why I make adjustments to some dishes, though when Mon customers walk in, I cook in the authentic style, which I picked up from my Mon grandmother. My father and grandparents were from Mawlamyine and though I was raised in Yangon I was brought up on the food. During religious and town celebrations when I was younger we enjoyed a dish that

mixed different types of vegetable curries with a main pork curry. I also loved the fish cakes: first the fish was seasoned with turmeric, then we cooked fresh coconut to get oil that we put afterwards on the fish. Finally, we cut the fish cake into pieces and garnished it with fried onions. This is the way real Mon food is made. One of the most popular desserts, arguably a necessity, is sticky rice with ground shrimp and coconut. There’s also bread and coconut curry with durian. As you can probably guess by now, coconut is a key ingredient in Mon food! Now with people becoming more aware of healthy living it’s important I cook healthy Mon food without compromising the taste. Hnin Swe, owner of Kachin restaurant Chin Ngan San In Kachin state we use less cooking oil than the rest of the country. Villagers use herbs from the nature around them, cooking with wood and charcoal in clay pots. Most of the food is spicy because it warms up our bodies in the chilly weather. We usually use Kachin curry powder, basil, and coriander. Fish is also a staple since we live by the river. Other go-to ingredients include

taro, bamboo shoots, sweet potato, and beans. Apart from its spiciness, the fare is sweet and sour. As well as main dishes, we have lots of soups, salads, and pounded meats and fish. I love it all because we have good soil that produces organic produce with good smells and flavors. If I had to choose one dish to treat a guest, it would be steamed fish and chicken soup, done in a special Kachin way and only available in the state and at my restaurant. I’m from Kachin capital Myitkyina, but I want to promote Kachin food in Yangon. We have a delicious Kachin fermented rice dessert which we make into a milky dish with rice balls and dried milk on top, served hot or cold. Since Kachin food is very popular in Yangon now, I would like to introduce more dishes from Myitkyina. I’ve been running my restaurant for two years—first a small place in Myaynigone and then here next to Kandawgyi Lake. I love cooking Kachin food and I’m happy I’ve made it a family business.

Daw Theint, chef of Mon restaurant For U Mon food mainly consists of steamed fish wrapped in banana leaves, a variety of salads, and of course the Mawlamyine mohinga. The essence of Mon food is created by different tropical ingredients such as banana leaves, bamboo shoots, and gourd to add a sweet flavour. These ingredients are the core of most Mon dishes.

Daw Theint of For U. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Dishes at Taing Yin Tharrestaurant.

Q&A

AUNG LA N SANG

Days before Kachin star Aung La N Sang “The Burmese Python” knocked out Japan’s Ken Hasegawa in a gruelling five-round bout, the two-division ONE champion sat down with Min Ye Kyaw to discuss the fight and his development as a martial artist.

Aung La N Sang strikes Ken Hasegawa at the ONE Championship: Spirit of a Warrior event. (Supplied)

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Q When and where did you get your start in mixed martial arts (MMA)?

Q What is your favorite strike or submission?

I started MMA in 2004 and I made my first debut in 2005 so I have been competing in MMA for 13 years.

Probably the roundhouse kick. I have a lot of favorite strikes, but one of them is the roundhouse kick. I do like to throw my kicks a lot. My favorite submission is probably the arm triangle.

Q Where did the nickname “The Burmese Python” come from? The “Burmese Python” nickname actually came from one of my promoters in the Midwest [United States]. I told them I was from the country of Myanmar and they didn’t know where Myanmar was. And I told them where it was, and then because in the Midwest they catch snakes, they said it’s like the snake Burmese Python and ever since then they give me the name.

Q How important is the fight on June 29 to you?

Q When you started your MMA career, did you ever think you would get to where you are now?

With Ken Hasegawa his strength is in his judo and his power in his strikes, but I do see a lot of weaknesses as well. The weakness would be in his speed and his ability to throw combinations. I feel like I have reach on him and I have overall better skill than he does.

When I first started, I actually did it as a hobby for fun. I would never in my imagination be competing at this level. For me, it’s a dream come true. Q Do you have any tips for people who want to become stronger and fitter? My tip for people who want to become stronger and better at anything is just stick with it. You will have failures in life, but if you stick with it and if you work hard and if you set goals you will eventually get to where you want to be. And understand that the competition is within yourself; you’re trying to get better. The competition is not against other people, it is against yourself. Keep that kind of mentality and work hard and you will get stronger and stronger every day.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

June 29 is a very important fight for me. It is my first chance to defend my title. Becoming a world champion is one thing, but to be able to defend it is a big deal to me. Q What weaknesses and strengths do you see in your opponent’s game?

Q What part of your fighting skillset has improved the most over the years? This year, I would say my wrestling has improved the most. I am not satisfied but I am very happy with my progress. And I know that I am going to keep getting better with the team that I am working with right now. Q Who would you like to fight next? I would like to fight the number one contender in the middleweight division. They offered me Leandro Ataides and I hope he takes the bout after this one.

Review

GRAND LIBRARY RESTAURANT

pened in May, the Grand Library on downtown’s Bo Aung Kyaw Street serves up standard Burmese and regional fare in a light two-storey restaurant, writes Edmond Sailland. Unfortunately, after a lunch at the Grand Library, I failed to see what new the restaurant brought to the table. The service was enthusiastic, but the setting was not worth paying over the odds for what you could find in a simple local eatery. I will not be back. With big windows overlooking the recently repainted Secretariat and high ceilings, Grand Library would be a good setting for a funky new venue in the heart of historic downtown. The proprietor seems to have half-

Myanmar classics in historic downtown heartedly styled the interiors. There’s some colonial-style wall art, original wooding floorings, and some cute alcove ceilings upstairs, but there’s also bland furniture, a lot of white light, and cheap plastic flowers. The menu includes a good array of Myanmar classics including curries, salads, stir-fries, and grilled meats for around 5,000 to 10,000 kyats. I started with the chicken salad (4,500 kyats) which included a generous helping of chicken breast, crunchy onions, juicy tomatoes, and punchy flavours of kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and citrus. It had a powerful chili hit which I enjoyed but may put some people off. A good helping of spinach (2,000 kyats) was fresh and

served with big pieces of garlic and dried shrimps. The Masala chicken (6,500 kyats) had good rich flavours of herbs and spices but was a little too oily. One piece of chicken looked a little undercooked on the inside and although it was served with some vegetable sticks and a spicy salsa, rice was extra (800 kyats). The dessert menu looked interesting: a coconut cream rice ball and a durian sticky rice, but everything except the mixed fruit and yoghurt (3,000 kyats) was unavailable. The fruit and yoghurt was fine.

staff are friendly and engaging, but I can’t see what it offers in comparison to other nearby eateries: neither the food nor the setting would be worth a second visit for me. The restaurant does stock a good variety of beer and Magners cider and the “beer bites” menu looked promising. If they can replace the bright white lights, it may be better as a downtown drinking den. Address: No. 277, Bo Aung Kyaw Street (Middle Block) Phone: 09 564 0777 Hours: 7am-10pm, every day

I don’t enjoy discouraging readers from visiting a restaurant, especially places like Grand Library where the

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Review

FOUR TOMATOES Gastronomic delights in a bustling bistro

n evening at Four Tomatoes is a warm evening of good food, friendly service in a cosy environment, writes Edmond Sailland. It feels like a welcoming family-run neighborhood restaurant. One that you would be happy to visit when you don’t want to cook but want something reliably-tasty. Four Tomatoes’ dinner menu offers hearty Italian fare in a casual intimate restaurant of less than 20 seats. The food was up to standard and reasonably-priced for decent Western fare. That, combined with the staff’s warm reception, has made me add it to a list downtown regular haunts. I visited on a Friday night, when the no-frills wooden tables were packed with families, couples, and groups of friends imbibing in good food and wine. It should be noted that Four Tomatoes serves a different, more Burmese, menu during the day. The noise levels were perhaps at the upper end of pleasurable, but enthusiastic and attentive service from staff put me at my ease. We ordered a variety of dishes from a menu of pastas, pizzas, soups, bakes, and steaks to share and I can confirm that, for the most part, they hit the spot. The spinach and ricotta ravioli (8,000 kyats) was a brilliant blend of creamy cheese, chewy fresh home-made pasta and a tart lemon butter sauce. With only seven ravioli on the plate, however, it’s not a good choice for those of you looking to get full up. The eggplant parmigiana (7,000 kyats) was more like a vegetable lasagne, with pasta sheets among the herby tomato sauce and giant pieces of eggplant. I would not order the risotto with prawns (9,000) again, the consistency was more like rice pudding. The pizzas (12,000 kyats) were all-round crowd pleasers—good doughy base, a liberal mount of cheese and topping

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

although the tomato sauce was a little too sweet for this gourmand. A very pleasant evening of relaxed conversation and gastronomic delights was rounded off with a fantastic crème brulee (6,000 kyats) which was creamy, vanillary sumptuousness on the inside and sweet and crunchy on the top. I will be back, regularly.

Address: Maha Bandula Street, opposite of 48th Street Phone : 09 42582 2513 Hours : 9am–2pm and 5pm-10pm

MYANMORE restaurant reviews are done independently. Meals and drinks are paid for by the publication.

Ethnic recipe c recipe

KAREN TARLAPAW SOUP

rom the herby fare of the north to the fresh and spicy seafood along the western coastline, Myanmar has an endless choice of tasty ethnic cuisine. To try your hand at cooking a classic, Padonmar Restaurant offers the following recipe.

Garlic - 20 grams Pounded rice - 2 dinner spoons Bamboo shoots - 50 grams Fresh basil leaves - 1 small bunch Fish sauce - 1 tablespoon Sugar - 1 tablespoon Pepper - Half teaspoon Instructions

Ingredients (for three people) - Snakehead fish - 80 gm Onion - 1

Pan-heated pounded rice is mixed with water and boiled. Thinly sliced bamboo shoots

- -

boiled in water separately are kept aside. Fish pieces are slightly grilled and added to boiling soup. Sliced onion, garlic, boiled bamboo shoots, fish sauce, sugar and pepper are added to the boiling soup. Sprinkle fresh basil leaves on top. The soup is now ready to be served.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Chef’s Column

TIME FOR A ROAST MYANMORE Chef of the Year 2018 award winner Chef Orng writes about a new recruit to the team and introducing one of his favorite dishes to customers.

t the beginning of June our kitchen welcomed a young deaf man who we hired as part of a program run by the Myanmar Chefs Association. We began training him on pastries and it’s going really well: among other stuff we can now leave him to make his own bread. Many deaf people in Myanmar don’t even finish basic education because the system doesn’t help them, but sometimes qualifications aren’t hugely important. Everyone should be given an opportunity and be trained so they can fulfill their full potential. From a psychological perspective it’s very important we make sure he feels like one of us—not a deaf student or deaf chef, but one of the Orng kitchen team. Everyone in the team is learning more about their role and surroundings, and being kept busy by a stream of customers. In recent days we’ve turned down bookings, especially on the popular seafood nights, which started as a one-off but have now become a regular feature: next one’s on Friday, June 20. Another regularin-the-making is one of my favorite meals—a Sunday roast. My first job in a kitchen was with The Sun Inn, a pub in Scotland’s capital Edinburgh. They did a standard Sunday roast but with everything done the proper way, with care and attention. It was the first dish I started to enjoy in the UK. You get the Yorkshire pudding and fold it over meat and gravy then squeeze it like a sandwich. MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Chef Orng cooks in his restaurant kitchen. (Leo Jackson)

Ours will be traditional, with potatoes cooked in goose fat. We’ll serve the beef, pork or chicken separately and then bring out all the trimmings (mash, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire, jug of gravy etc…). More meat will be brought out if you’re still hungry. We won’t be changing the shape of the Yorkshire pudding but expect it to be a bit fancy. Roasts are more about bringing the family together than boozey brunches.

We’ve got a huge space with a garden and a lake with ducks that the kids can explore. It will run from 11.30am2.30pm and you can also catch us at the European Food Festival at the Rose Garden Hotel on Saturday, July 28. We’re showcasing three of my signature dishes. My regular customers may know what they are but I won’t let on here: you’ll have to come see!

Orng Kitchen Green Acres Residence Compound, 1 U Sein Maung Lane, Kone Myint Yeik That Street, (Off Highland Avenue) 7 miles, Mayangone Township 09771195020 12pm-3pm / 6pm–10pm (Closed Monday)

New Openings

What’s new this month? DAO Hot Pot • Chinese DAO Hotpot is the recent addition to Yangon’s current taste for hotpots. Experience the mala spice melting in the hot pot soup. 51 C&D Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin Township, Yangon 09 955 447888 11 am - 11 pm

AKA Myanmar • Japanese Well-known Japanese-style BBQ from Bangkok AKA has come to Yangon. The buffet joint has good prices and quality fare. 33 Kyaik Waing Pagoda Road, 1st Floor, Mayangone Township, Yangon 09 7808 88800 10 am - 10 pm

Find out more at sarmal.com.mm

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Hush-Hush • Bar & Grill

Grand Library Restaurant • Burmese The Grand Library on downtown’s Bo Aung Kyaw Street serves up standard Burmese and regional fare in a light two-storey restaurant. The restaurant does stock a good variety of beer and Magners cider and the “beer bites” menu looked promising. If they can replace the bright white lights, it may be better as a downtown drinking den.

This highly-anticipated bar gives a chilled vibe and is a relaxed spot to hang out with friends on a weekend. With the university nearby, Hush-Hush might well become a student favorite. 35/B, New University Avenue Street, Bahan Township, Yangon 09 45453 3008 5 pm - 12:30 am

277 Bo Aung Kyaw Street (middle block), Kyauktada Township, Yangon 09 967 607207 7 am - 11 pm

Buthee & Mr.Wok Bogalay Zay • Myanmar Inspired by one thing that many Asian street foods have in common (the flaming wok), this collaboration with Buthee is an affordable place to enjoy traditional Burmese cooking with fresh and bold flavors. 116/118 Bogalay Zay Street, Botahtaung Township, Yangon 09 894 120277 10 am - 10 pm

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Travel

MOTORBIKING NORTHERN CHIN STATE Susan Bailey embarks on a breath-taking route across one of the most remote regions in Myanmar. Photos by B. Ozkal.

Many winding roads across Chin state are almost devoid of traffic.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

yanmar’s secondary roads are not for the faint of heart. The bone-jarring bumps and breathtaking swerves are but a small price to pay for the stunning views, fresh air and authentic towns you experience along the way. I’ve done more than my fair share of road trips in Myanmar over the past dozen years but a recent motorbike trip to northern Chin state exceeded all expectations of what an ‘overland adventure’ should be. While you could easily spend a week or more in the region, we were limited by work schedules so planned a fournight loop from Mandalay. We packed up our motorbikes on a Friday—I was on my Bajaj Boxer X-150 and my traveling companion on his 200-cc TVS Apache. Both bikes have proven to be reliable on previous adventures, so were hoping the same as we rolled out of Mandalay. After an easy post-work drive from Mandalay to Monywa the first day, the real adventure began on day two as we revved up for the journey to Kalay. The morning started on good roads but as we reached the edge of Alaung Kapatha National Park that all changed. Mammoth-sized potholes, deep pits of loose gravel and some steep climbs on mixed terrain brought our travel speed down to a painfully slow 25 km/hour most of the time. And, being April, the park wasn’t at its most beautiful—not that we had a lot of time to look up from the handlebars of the bikes! Exiting the park, we soon found ourselves back on good roads, getting speeds up to where we could finally feel a breeze. The final stretch of the day’s ride took us to Kalaywa and then on to Kalay, a beautiful winding road that finally gave the feeling of being in the mountains. The next morning, after filling up our bellies with an Indian-inspired breakfast and our bikes with fuel, we crossed into Chin and made our MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

way toward Tedim. The winding roads were almost void of traffic and in decent condition, making for a pleasant drive. We paused at Kennedy Peak, the second highest peak in Chin State at 2,700 meters, and cruised into Tedim for a look around. Set on a hillside, the town had a nice feel to it but we decided to carry on and come back later when we had time to continue up to Rih Lake a couple hours north of there. We turned back past Kennedy Peak, carrying on to Falam. The roads were far from perfect but a relief from the previous day’s terror. Twists and turns took us around spectacular peaks with views of lush forested highlands and the occasional village. Falam came in to view as the sun was setting over the mountainside town. The hilltop gilded pagoda stood out, but we soon came to learn that the town has more than 300 churches. A simple dinner at the only restaurant in town consisted of Chinese dishes and warm beer, but was more than satisfying after a day on the bikes. On our third day, we woke to the sounds of hymns reminding us it was a Sunday. And even at 7am the churches were buzzing. Sadly, nothing else was buzzing—not even a shop open for a cup of tea—so we packed up and hit the road to Hakha. The short journey to the capital of Chin State was uneventful, if a bit chilly. The site of a ‘city’ brought promises of hot coffee and breakfast, but again, all doors were shuttered, as the entire population seemed to be at church. We lingered around until the end of services but could only find a holein-the-wall café for a caffeine fix and sugary-sweet cake. Despite this rough start, the day proved to be our favorite. Leaving Hakha we found the roads were once again empty. It felt as if we were at the top of Myanmar on this stretch of road, riding high above mountain ranges and valleys below. The scenery

The road from Hakha to Gantgaw.

was breath-taking and multiple stops were made to enjoy the views. We arrived in Gantgaw, a non-descript town, in time for cold sunset drinks at one of the only beer stations in town. The last leg of our road trip took us from Gantgaw back to Mandalay. From Gantgaw to Pale, the road was the best we had seen in days. Nearly 100 percent sealed and gently rolling hills, crossing the southern end of Alaung Kapatha National Park and descending to the flatlands near the town of Pale. After several days of remote travel, entering Pale proved to be an unwelcome return to civilization with the roads suddenly occupied by trucks and other motorbikes. For the rest of the journey to Mandalay, we were on rather boring roads compared to our days in the Chin hills, but it was a small price to pay for the brilliant adventure. Exhausted and with dirty motorbikes and sore bums, we rolled into Mandalay. Stepping off the bikes at home, the boredom of the last three hours of driving was quickly forgotten as we flicked through our photos of the beautiful Chin Hills.

When: Due to heavy rains, landslides occur from June to October. It is best to travel during the dry months. How: An off-road bike is good but not necessary—a solid 150-cc bike will do the job. Mandalay Motorbikes and Myanmar Bike Rental are both reputable shops with a range of bikes for hire. They can also arrange a local guide to accompany you if you wish. If you prefer four wheels, Yoma Car Share has 4-wheel drive vehicles available for pick up at the Mandalay Airport. Stay: Kalay, Hakha, Tedim and Gantgaw all have good quality guesthouses and hotels with en suite bathrooms, hot water, etc. In Falam, the options are more simple. There is no need to make hotel reservations in advance. Hints: Always have drinking water on the bike and carry a spare tube and hand pump as there are long stretches of road with no shops. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge and fill up whenever you have a chance as, again, petrol stations are few and far between in the highlands. Please make sure you have insurance—if you get in an accident up there, it will be costly to get you to a hospital for treatment!

Travel

HIDDEN CAVES Somewhere deep in the wild jungles of southern Myanmar, Keith Lyons discovers a cave system that is literally off-thebeaten-track. Photos by David Van Driessche.

n a recent destination scouting trip in southern Myanmar, two things were unclear: the location of the un-named cave, and even how long it would take. I’d been led to believe it involved just a short boat trip from an Andaman Sea coastal town bordering the Gulf of Martaban, with a few steps into the cave. I thought that in less than an hour or so, myself, travel veteran Bjorn Burchard, and remote place photographer David Van Driessche would be back in the air-con comforts of the Toyota Alphard, having—how I dislike that phrase—‘ticked that off our bucket-list’ on our busman’s holiday from Kawthaung north to Yangon. So when we finally finished the excursion, we had every reason to be disgruntled. My hiking trousers were torn, one gaping, irreparable rip from the crotch down to my ankle. My hands were scratched from the unforgiving rock, and I had a nasty splinter still embedded in my foot. I was dehydrated, starving and fatigued. I had not signed up for this.

A cave entrance in southern Myanmar.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Travel

Little explored caves in the region are distinct with their smooth water-sculptured limestone where black-stem lianas and dimpled chalky white stone intertwine.

Did I complain? Nope. Was I a happy camper? Yep. How come? I’d just explored a cave that is so unknown, that even though many karst systems around Hpa-An and Mawlamyine had been documented since 1827, nearby residents don’t even know about its existence. As far as we know, we were the first foreigners to go inside. The day started with an uncomfortable journey in a leaky longtail boat ride. Wearing peasant bamboo coolie hats, and SPF 30+ ‘white man’s thanka,’ we sweated in the May heat, squinting at the water’s glare. I went into a Zen-like dozemeditation state, trying to rise above the excruciating pain in my hips. I imagined I was traveling with Huckleberry Finn down the Mississippi River, but, instead the ‘Duelling Banjo’ theme music from Deliverance played in my head. As we motored up the

meandering olive-green river, the beguiling landscape won me over, and the soundtrack switched to the slow dirge Be Still, My Soul. Instead of worrying about what lay ahead, I focused on the river flat topography, beyond rice, cane and corn fields rugged jungled limestone hills rose, some—if you squinted and cocked your head to one side—looked like reclining ladies, or the profiles of bearded poets exhaling clouds into the arching blue sky. The occasional fisherman on wooden skiffs attending to fishing nets, and woven lattice traps, were the only inhabitants seen.

We skirted around the massive karst outcrop, ducking under smooth water-sculptured limestone where black-stem lianas and dimpled chalky white stone were intertwined. “During the rainy season,” said the guide, gesturing with a sweep of his hand, “all this is underwater.” The previous week, torrential rain had flooded some caves.

After what seemed like hours, we landed, and walked through fallow fields to a towering limestone cliffface, where swallows gracefully looped around preparing their sought-after nests, and giant butterflies flitted this way and that, a ballet of ADHD.

Our inadequate supply of headlamps and torches scanned the interior, unable to illuminate the extent of the cave, but unsettling enough to disturb the hundreds of bats hanging upside down high above us, their eyes glowing angrily, the flap of wings beating the still, stagnant air of the cave. As we

With a machete, one of the youngsters at the front hacked clear sharp grass and springy spiked vines, until we reached a narrow, steep, slippery drop into darkness.

watched the flustered silhouettes and the menacing shadows on the distant walls, I felt a bat fly past my head, and let out a short “Aagh” which echoed further into the cave. After walking over rounded, eroded dripstone mounds, we found more columns formed from ceiling stalactites joining floor stalagmites, and even delicate frozen draperies of calcium deposits, crystallised and moist, some hollow and one forming a natural xylophone—but we were careful just to look and not to touch. The cave twisted and turned, and as I swivelled around to look back on where we have been, one formation seemed like a crouching tiger. I went to mention this to my fellow spelunkers, but they had already disappeared into another chamber, leaving me with the bats.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

The cave twisted and turned, and as I swivelled around to look back on where we have been, one formation seemed like a crouching tiger.

It was hard to get a sense of the scale of the labyrinth, as we entered open areas where the ceiling had collapsed, and climbed out of potholes, scrambling over rough, uneven rocks to enter new tunnels with river silt linings and the acrid smell of bat guano. Our flashlights illuminated side caves, and thin fissures where perhaps Harry Houdini could squeeze through. At one cave junction, we came across a surprise—a nat icon and a discarded net—probably from bat catchers, speculated our guide. Close by, two snakes coiled around each other, but on closer inspection, it was just one very long snake. “Pretty

harmless,” was the verdict of the assembled Burmese. In the next chamber we encountered a trouser-snake, the tall penis-like stalactite, a ‘phallactite,’ and further on natural arches and middens of spiral shells beneath our feet, which one day, will be reduced to limestone to start the cycle again: testament to the truth that given water—and time—anything solid can change. You can visit the cave, but only with a guide, on a planned trip, with Moby Dick Tours (myanmartravel.cc), outside of the rainy season—you need to be fit and agile, and have an adventurous spirit.

Keith Lyons (keithlyons. net ) is a New Zealand travel writer with a decade-long obsession with Myanmar. He edited and co-authored ‘Opening Up Hidden Burma’, and is currently working on a coffee table book and travel guide for Mergui archipelago ‘The Last Untouched Paradise’ with photographer David Van Driessche.

In the soft shapes of eroded limestone, there is a testament to the truth that given water—and time—anything solid can change.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Music

RANGOON RHYTHM

Soul music consolidates components of African-American gospel music, musicality and blues and jazz. Although not widely popular in Myanmar, the genre is gradually finding its way into Yangon bars. Min Ye Kyaw talks to one of the most popular jazz and soul artists in town. Photo by Ninetysix photography.

Gabriel performs at Mingalabar Festival. (Nintysix Photography)

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

In the Charts

Gabriel “Gabriel was born in 2014,” says Phway Nu Moe of her stage moniker. The 22-year-old medical student has become a top Yangon vocalist, performing her own songs with band Gabriel & The Jets at events such as Mingalabar Festival, Open Mic Night, and JAM IT. Writing songs runs in the family: her father is singer and songwriter Saw Khu Sel, who has released five albums. “I had to learn piano in the summer holidays when I was a child, but I was lazy and didn’t practice much,” recalls Phway Nu Moe. “Then I learned about music theory from my teacher Ko Sai after high school and started writing lyrics. My other hobby is drawing.” Studying medicine and performing music is a time squeeze though it means she doesn’t need to rely on music for income. “It’s more than a hobby though,” she says, adding that the two pursuits could be combined such as the use of music as a therapy for psychiatric patients. “My idea is that I could get involved in both fields.” Phway Nu Moe counts American punk rock singer-songwriter Patti Smith as one of her biggest influences, hinting to an openness toward musical genres. If I ever get a chance to perform together on the stage with my idol artist, that would be Patti Smith and her hot single “People Have The Power.” “Life is unpredictable, but I always try to be positive,” she says. When she first began performing Phway Nu Moe suffered bad anxiety. “I couldn’t eat, couldn’t do anything the whole day before the show. But when I started getting into the mood, it got smooth.” Her most memorable shows have been Mingalabar Festival and Open Mic Night. “In my very first shows, I forgot lyrics on the stage, the excitement eats me in the moment,” she adds. As Gabriel, Phway Nu Moe will release her second record before the end of MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Top Myanmar Albums

Top Worldwide Albums

Sai Sai is Sai Sai Sai Sai Kham Hlaing

Youngblood 5 Seconds Of Summer

SOA_Nation SOA

EVERYTHING IS LOVE The Carters

1st mini album Key

the year, available on iTunes, Spotify, and Apple Music. Follow her Facebook @gabrielphwaynm.

Three Nightlife Spots LEVEL 2 Opened in April, this clubs provides an immersive experience of sound, light, music, and good vibes for those who love to party till dawn. The place holds mainly house and techno events every weekend. Drink prices are a little bit high (e.g. one Myanmar beer for 4,000 kyats) but the venues atmosphere and international DJs make up for it. Yangon Intl Hotel compound, downstair Roof Alchemy, Ahlone Road, Dagon Township Opens from 10 pm. Contact: 09 502 0073

Beerbongs & Bentleys Post Malone

and bottle services are accepted by advance phone calls. It has a big parking space and often holds events on weekdays. 37 Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Inya Lake Hotel compound, Bahan Township, Yangon Opens from 10 pm Contact: 09 258 835 885 The Penthouse Not only a great nightclub, but a good spot for lunch. The place regurarly draws a crowd who enjoy the cityscape and Shwedagon views. Drinks are okay-priced and the menu is mostly Mediterranean. 271/273 Bargayar Road, Park Side One building, 8th floor, Sanchaung Township, Yangon Opens from 11 am Contact: 09 771 239924

Club Pyrite One of Yangon’s most popular clubs among young locals and expats, Club Pyrite is the resident club for LGBT parties called FAB. Drinks are reasonably priced, table reservation

Advertorial

MiCasa Restaurant and Bar serves international and Southeast Asian dishes.

MERCURE YANGON KABA AYE T

he newly renovated Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye has all the trappings of a world-class hotel: warm hospitality, state-of-theart facilities, scenic vistas, and more. But within its remodeled, stylish setting, the hotel goes even further, expanding its service from guests to the locality with function spaces that can accommodate up to 210 guests, and a co-working station named ‘Ready to Work.’

A bedroom at the Mecure Yangon.

Managed by AccorHotels, the sevenstorey property opposite the banks of Inya Lake on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road features 183 spacious rooms and suites ideal for families and longstaying guests. In fact, some guests have stayed at the property for years, enjoying its livable accommodation

and convenient location—just 10 kilometers from Yangon International Airport and a short drive from the University of Yangon. Amid its high ceilings and ample floor spaces are traditional Myanmar art and lacquerware, fused seamlessly with an array of pleasant wall colors. The rooms offer views of the swimming pool or landscaped gardens, while suites on the higher floors offer panoramic views of the city’s lush greenery. The suites also come with a fully equipped kitchenette and a separate lounge and dining room. On the ground floor is the ‘Ready to Work’ space, a friendly co-working environment where you can get on with day-to-day business, hold MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

breakfast buffet to evening cocktails and an à la carte selection with delectable local and international flavors. Business lunch buffets run from Monday to Friday, 11.30am-2pm, and brunch on Sunday is 11.30am-3pm. It includes pastas, a carving station, pizza, desserts, and pool access, but also look out for special nights such as flavors of Malaysia, and the seafood bonanza.

Then the Sweat Club is an advanced fitness facility and aerobics center that overlooks the 21-meter pool, with an adjacent pool bar offering a selection of light bites and cocktails. Onsite babysitting services are also available for families with young children. “We are extremely proud to be the first Mercure Hotel in Myanmar. Under a globally recognised brand, the hotel offers guests that are travelling to the city a local and authentic hospitality

experience synonymous to the brand’s purpose and ambition,” said Richard Tin Tun, General Manager of Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye. “Mercure will set a new standard for hospitality, service and facilities in Yangon. Whether travelling for business or leisure, guests staying at Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye will have the opportunity to enjoy a range of service offerings at the property,” he added.

Some rooms offer views of the swimming pool.

meetings, or just catch up with the daily newspapers. Business travelers or local residents can take anything from single seats on an hourly basis to monthly office rentals for up to six people. Mac computers, LCD displays and office equipment are available for use, while workers can also enjoy unlimited Wi-Fi, unlimited coffee, a work alone room, meeting room, and a host at your service.

Mecure Yangon’s gym overlooking the hotel swimming pool.

Also on the lobby level is the vast Federation Ballroom that houses up to 200 people for any special events, including conferences, presentations, seminars, and wedding ceremonies. Within walking distance of Myanmar Investment Commission, Myanmar Centre, and Myanmar International School Yangon, the federation ballroom has a full-service dining option and cocktail parties can spill out to the nearby pool area. Served in the slick interior of new MiCasa Restaurant and Bar are international and Southeast Asian dishes. The restaurant offers guests all-day dining options from generous MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Scan the below QR code and download the AccorHotels app to take advantage of exclusive services at Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye and other AccorHotels.

The hotel’s ‘Ready to Work’ space.

Apps

TECH TALK Our roundup of some of the best tech to enhance your life in Myanmar. Sarmal

Your go-to for homemade meals. Yummly has recipes for all sorts of different cuisines and includes an alert for when you need to start cooking based on when you start preparations. Time track for Instagram

Looking for a place to lunch? How about dinner tonight? This app allows you to search for the best restaurants near you. Users can post reviews of their experience and make table bookings. Myanmar Food Recipes & Restaurants Guide

Learn how to make all kinds of Burmese dishes, from snacks and desserts to main staples such as mohinga. This app also provides good descriptions of each dish as well as how each one is made. Yummly Recipes & Shopping List

Instagram will soon launch its feature that allows users to track their time on the app. With users spending increasingly more time browsing through the app, Instagram has deemed it necessary to provide its users with a way to measure and limit their time on the platform. The idea is that with more features like this introduced into other apps, users will be able to better balance their time between social media and real life. Mytel casts its net wider Myanmar’s newest mobile service provider MyTel announced it has reached 70 percent coverage of the Myanmar population. The joint venture comprises Vietnam state-run firm Viettel, a consortium of 11 local firms, and a subsidiary of military-run Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) called Star High Public Company. U Zaw Min Oo, chief external relations officer, told the Myanmar Times there are currently 100,000 Mytel users with three million SIM cards distributed to shops and distribution retailers. New food delivery service City Mall, the firm behind Yangon’s latest shopping mall City Mall St John, has recently released an online delivery order system through its websites. Yangonites will now be able to have their groceries and products delivered the next day for a flat fee of 2,000 kyats. Right now, they’re offering promotions so it might be a good time to give the service a go.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Green Column / Mixologist Column

PRESERVING PARADISE

s we sail away from Kawthaung pier, my phone signal disappearing, a lively discussion about compostable toilets takes place on board. Among the guests heading toward Boulder Bay Eco-resort are a permaculture specialist and an architect specializing in sustainable eco-resort management. One of four operational resorts located within the 400-kilometer stretch of Andaman Sea southwest of Myanmar, Boulder Bay is a beach and jungle paradise in the far western reaches of the Mergui Archipelago, and a destination I have been eyeing for a yoga retreat. Hidden by a canopy of palm trees, the first signs of the resort are two kayaks idling in the sand. With no island jetty, our boat approaches a barge serving as a research and field training center for marine biologists from Myeik University. An impatient guest dives into the turquoise waters as a motorized dinghy carries the rest of us to shore. Over the next four days, we trek past solar panels and creeks into the island’s lush interior, scrambling over rocky outcrops and through bamboo groves to hidden beaches in search of the perfect location for a yoga shala. We snorkel with octopuses and turtles and observe two marine biologists working on coral restoration, with the intention of establishing the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the region. We learn that eco-tourism is much more than reusing your towels and water bottles. Not only is Boulder Bay fulfilling its promise of an eco-resort by minimizing its human footprint, owner Bjorn Burchard is taking it one step further with initiatives focused on building sustainable practices with local people. One afternoon, permaculture consultant Greg Knibb demonstrated how to build a mandala garden. This circular plot technique captures water and creates different microclimates, allowing for an assortment of vegetation while using space efficiently. “You can grow on concrete, and a small garden can feed a family yearround,” explains Greg. Visiting the Mergui is still expensive because of its remoteness, though we saw on Boulder Bay how those dollars help form sustainable tourism that protects the environment and people in this fragile ecosystem. Join me this October on Boulder Bay for a week of yoga in paradise! Myanmore readers receive 10 percent off when signing up before July 31 (mention this column on the registration form). Visit our retreat page at yangonyogahouse.com/ islandyogaretreat Jojo Yang is the co-founder of MYANMORE Green Award winner Nourish Café and Yangon Yoga House, where she is also the main yoga instructor. Address: 36/38 Alan Pya Pagoda Road (Down a small spooky alley, opposite Park Royal Hotel), Dagon Township. Phone: 09 973 802714 Website: yangonyogahouse.com/nourish | Email: nourishyangon@gmail.com Hours: Mon-Thurs (10am-9pm), Fri-Sat (10am-3pm), Sun (10am-7pm)

SEARCHING FOR THE BEST TIPPLES

couple of weeks ago, I was lucky to attend a collaboration dinner with Chef Le Roi from Mu Ai Kachin at Rangoon Tea House. The two teams took us on a journey more special than I’ve experienced at either of their restaurants alone. Which says a lot, as Mu Ai is one of my favorite flavor experiences of all time (thanks to @ladygoogoo, whom you should follow on Instagram if you want to find the best local eateries), and RTH often gets a visit from me twice weekly. I am familiar and comfortable with their food, and RTH is what I craved during my last visit back home. I was so excited to see them come together; what they did was really special. It took me to a different place, and inspired me. To be honest, there were several courses that surprised me—the dessert of fermented rice over sweet, sticky rice was a new experience for my palate. Though it wasn’t the highlight of my dinner, I loved the dessert for showing me a different flavor that was challenging and distinct. I’ve been working in restaurants for 20 years, and Chef Le Roi managed to serve something completely new to me. For that I am in equal parts curious and thankful. It is exactly the reason that I continue to love what I do; finding interesting and delicious combinations to make your tipple the most enjoyable. When people ask, “How do you come up with all these cocktails?” I always have a different answer. Everything I eat, smell, see, or hear, may eventually become a drink. Sometimes my recipes tell stories that others will never know, sometimes they are in honor of a person, or music, or art. At times they come to be in a supporting roll for a chef’s menu or a themed event. The best ones are born in nerdy conversations with other bartenders whose minds combined with my own are capable of increased creativity. For that reason, I’ll continue encouraging our team to make friends with other teams, and I will always make time to join in support of those who have the heart to collaborate. I recognize that this is our art. Sharing ideas keeps pushing our creative boundaries, and in turn, empowers us to share with you the best of what inspires us. I am excited to see the community embracing collaboration, and I can’t wait to enjoy the amazing experiences yet to come! MYANMORE Awards Winner and Spirits Ambassador of the Year 2018 Jen Queen is the bar manager for restaurant and bar group 57-BELOW, and mixes the cocktails at Union Bar and Grill. She is an expert in her field and the only Master Mescalier in Yangon and quite possibly the only one in Southeast Asia.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Myanmore Stars Awards and modern, and the menu is comprehensive and innovative with some familiar favorites from North Indian and South India. 63 Taw Win Road, Dagon Township , 7:30am 2:30pm, 6:00pm - 10:15pm, 09 970 550055

Acacia Tea Salon Acacia is located in a beautifully renovated old colonial building, with light airy spaces, and a peaceful and quiet ambiance. They serve a high quality food and beverage offering with smart and unobtrusive service. 52, Sayar San Road, Bahan Township, 8:00am to 10:00pm, 09 731 13812 Ext 554739 The Yangon Restaurant

Le Planteur Located in a beautiful 1930s colonial mansion overlooking Inya Lake, you can dine in the restaurant, in the garden area, or on the veranda. The wine bar serves interesting and unusual tapas and offers one of the most extensive wine lists in Southeast Asia. 80 University Road, Bahan Township, 11:30am - 11:30pm, 01 514 230

Atlas Rooftop Bar

L’Opera With its decadent interior and splendid dining garden setting on the banks of Inya lake, L’Opera long ago established itself as the discerning diners’ favourite Italian restaurant in Yangon. Famous for its consistently outstanding food and famously attentive service L’Opera isn’t the cheapest option in Yangon, but you get what you pay for and there really is nothing that quite compares with the peaceful ambience at sunset in the garden as you peruse the extensive menu. 62/D, U Htun Nyein Street, Kan Yeik Thar, Next to Inya Lake Hotel, Mayangone Township, 11:00am - 2:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:30pm, 01665516, 01660976, 0973030755

ORNG Kitchen Seeds

Seeds Located on the edge of Inya Lake, the indoor dining 102 restaurant is light, airy and beautifully decorated, the dinning garden is a wonderful space to relax in a lush and green environment that stretches right up to the water. The service is warm and welcoming, the staff exude a knowledge and passion for their product that is infectious. 63A U Tun Nyein Street, Mayangone Township 11:30am - 1:30pm, 6:00pm - 9:30pm, 01 655 900

The Yangon Restaurant Situated in a quiet leafy corner of People’s Park near the Planetarium, The Yangon restaurant oozes understated opulence with a relaxed semi-formal vibe and sumptuous décor. The restaurant is light and airy with high ceilings, soft wood finishings and large windows that offer splendid views of the goings-on in the parklands outside. People’s park Compound, Near Planetarium Museum, Ahlone Road, Dagon Township, 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 11:00pm, 01 370 177

The food served at ORNG Kitchen is generous in portion size, exquisite in its presentation and attention to detail. Standards are on par with a Michelin star restaurant. One thing that is really exceptional about Chef Orng is his desire to provide high quality food at an accessible price. Green Acres Residence, 1 U Sein Maung Lane, Kone Myint Yeik Tha Street (Off Highland Avenue), 7 miles, Mayangone Township, 12:00pm – 2:30pm, 6:00pm – 9:30pm (closed Mondays), 09 7711 95020

Summer Palace @ Sule Shangri-La

ATLAS Rooftop Bar & Lounge is one of the best spots in town to go for sunset drinks. With views covering the extent of the city, from the Shwedagon Pagoda to the east and rice paddies beyond the Ayeyarwady River to the west, it really is a cracking place to escape the noise and traffic of Sanchaung and take a look at the world.

Mugunghwa Korean Restaurant @ LOTTE Hotel Mugunghwa is a fine-dining Korean restaurant located on the north side of Inya Lake at the Lotte Hotel. The décor is modern and stylish with a touch of oriental elegance; the views of the lake are wonderful, especially from the outside terrace. 1st Floor, Lotte Yangon, 82 Sin Phyu Shin Avenue, Pyay Road, 61⁄2 Mile, Hlaing Township, 11:30am - 2:30pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm, 01 9351000 Ext : 1523

Shan Yoe Yar

Level 12, Uniteam Marine Tower, 84 Pan Hlaing Street, Sanchaung Township, 5:00pm – 11:00pm (Closed now for monsoon season), 09 767 419413

Cask 81

169, War Dan Street, Lanmadaw Township, 6:00am - 22:00pm, 09 250 566 695

Cask 81 is hidden away behind a restaurant across from Pearl Condominium on Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, but it is well worth seeking out. The bar is spacious and luxurious with soft lighting, tan leather couches and the faint smell of expensive cigars in the air. 81 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, (Opposite Pearl Condo), Bahan Township, 8:00am - 1:00am, 09 254 083 981

Ietsu Sushi & Soba

Sharky’s Sharky needs no introduction. All Sharky venues serve high quality and locally sourced food, and have an excellent wine offering. They’ve recently introduced a range of gluten-free pizzas. 117, Dhamazedi Road, Kamayut Township, 8:00am - 10:00pm, 09253511032 81, Upper Pansodan Road, Kyauktada Township, 11:30am – 10:00pm, 0264589615

Ietsu provides a quiet and intimate space that is perfect for an escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Yangon. The curtained booths suggest that this is a prime spot for business lunches, but the restaurant also feels intimate and private. 57, 37th Street, (Corner of Merchant Rd) Lower Block, Kyauktada Township, 11:00am - 10:30pm, 01377212

Khaing Khaing Kyaw Khaing Khaing Kyaw has several restaurants across Yangon, each one serving up of huge selection of exceptional and traditional Myanmar cuisine, with something to suit everyone’s tastes.

Level 2, Sule Shangri-La Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Township, 11:00am - 2:30pm, 5:30pm - 10:00pm, 01242 828 ext: 6480

Gandamar Wholesale Shopping Centre Corner of Waizayandar Road and Gandamar Road, South Okkalapa Township, 6:00am - 8:30pm

Through its sophisticated menu of imaginative and authentic dishes The Marina sets itself above and beyond most Indian restaurants in Yangon. The interior of the restaurant is stylish

19/A, Unit-15, Bo Yar Nyunt Street, Yaw Min Gyi, Dagon Township, 11:00am - 2:00pm, 5:30pm 10:00pm, 01 1122 0052

Shan Yoe Yar claims to be the first Shan-style fine dining restaurant in Myanmar. Located in a beautiful teak mansion in Lanmadaw, they serve an outstanding selection of quality Shan foods, including all the Shan favourites but also many lesser-known dishes.

Named after an Imperial Garden in Beijing set next to Kunming Lake, Summer Palace restaurant located on the second floor of the Sule ShangriLa Hotel serves top quality authentic Cantonese food in a fine dining environment.

The Marina Indian Restaurant

their Yakitori, and have over 20 different types of Japanese-style grilled skewer available, all perfectly prepared by their Japanese chef who has over 20 years experience at the grill.

Acacia

Menzo Tonkotsu Ramen If you’ve never ventured into Menzo Tonkotsu Ramen, you can be forgiven as it is quite difficult to find, hidden away down a little side street off Bo Yar Nyunt in Yaw Min Gyi. They are famous for MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

MYANMORE Card

BEST DEALS OF THE MONTH Food & Wellbeing

Park Royal Yangon Hotel - 15% discount for all hotel restaurants, bars and spa (Shiki-Tei, Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, Spice Brasserie, Club 5, The Lobby Bar, Park Royal Fitness & Spa) - Valid everyday (except happy hours and promotion days)

Healthy Me salad & Coffee Bar Yangon - 10% off total bill - Valid everyday. Easy Cafe & Restaurant - 10% off (minimum billing of 8000 Ks & above for a max of 4 pax). Not valid on retail products - Valid everyday.

Marcoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cellar - 10% discount off all wines - Valid from Monday to Friday.

Activities Princess Yoga Studio - 20% discount for monthly package, 1 session free for the 1st time customer

Urban Cue - 10% off on table fee (game fee). No combination of offers or other promotions. Not applicable on food, drinks and accessories. - Valid everyday.

Bee Choo Origin - 10% discount on herbal hair & scalp treatment & products. - Valid from Monday to Friday. Hotels Amata Resort & Spa, Ngapali Beach (Amata Hotel Group) - 20% discount for accomodation, 20% discount at Nibbara Spa,10% discount on food & beverges at restaurant of Amata). Advance booking required.

Inya Day Spa - 10% off all services. 1 pax per card. - Valid everyday. Advance booking recommended.

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

EXPLORE OVER 2000+ RESTAURANTS, CAFES AND BARS

NO.

I N M FOOD YA N A M A PP R

Find restaurants nearby, by type or check what other people recommend ------Check out the Collections, a specially curated list for various occasions ------Book a table or share your experience with a review and have chance to win prizes and discounts.

www.sarmal.com.mm MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

Advertorial

FUTURE OF FINANCE

eaders of Myanmar’s financial sector took a unique working trip to the United Arab Emirates and Germany last month in an education visit organized by the Myanmar Financial Center (MFC) to Europe’s top-ranked business school, the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.

The Future of Finance Myanmar Fellowship to Dubai, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich was attended by 11 fellows, including Dr. Maung Maung Thein, the former Deputy Minister of Finance, to explore international finance, banking trends, hot industry topics and new opportunities in Europe.

“We want to inspire and empower the participants to contribute to the strengthening of Myanmar’s financial sector and find opportunities for change,” said MFC founder Pyit Thiri Thaw, who led the trip. The 10-day trip took in industry meetings across the four cities,

education sessions covering global economics and strategic finance and visits to vineyards, luxury shopping and an exclusive day with Mercedes in Stuttgart test driving AMG models. In Dubai, the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, fellows met with Dubai

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

International Finance Centre and learnt the advantages the body offers financial institutions through its tax free status and english law system and unparalleled location. During five days in Frankfurt, fellows attended seminars at the Frankfurt School, visited banks including Helaba, Commerzbank, and Deutsche Rentenbank (Agricultural Bank) as well as Frankfurt’s Stock Exchange Deutsche Börse. There was also time for supping on local delicacies, sipping on local wine, and partaking in a gala dinner river cruise. In Stuttgart, fellows were treated to an exclusive Mercedes experience, driving ten Mercedes AMG Models through Germany’s most famous and beautiful landscapes and visiting the Mercedes-Benz Museum. In Munich, attendees visited financial services firm Allianz, took a VIP tour of Allianz Stadium with its 75,000 seating capacity and met with consultant firm Roland Berger. Fellows also included Daw Kyi Kyi Than, Chairwoman of Myanmar Oriental Bank (MOB), Dr. Thaung Han, CEO of Myanmar Citizen Bank, Dr. Zeyar Nyunt, CEO of SMID Bank,

MYANMORE magazine #21 July 2018

U Zeya Thura Mon, shareholder of Myanmar Citizens Bank and CEO of RGK+Z&A Group, U Win Lwin, Managing Director for International Banking Division at KBZ Bank, Mr Rona Rakhit, Managing Director of CB Bank, U Kun Naung Myint Wai, Founder and Director of CHDB, U Phyo Hla Wai, Director of First Private Bank and Managing Director of Myat Min Co, U Htate Kun Naung Myint Wai, Director at Waminn Group of Companies and CHDB, and Daw Theingi Nyein, Deputy General Manager of Myanmar Oriental Bank. At Frankfurt School, U Khin Maung Aye, Chairman of CB Bank, was awarded the Future of Finance Myanmar 2018 Honorary Fellowship Award in recognition for his achievements and contribution to the banking and Finance industry. The trip was just the beginning of the Future of Finance Myanmar Fellowship, with trips planned to the United States of America in 2019 and China in 2020, according to Pyit Thiri Thaw. MFC also plans to launch the Future of Finance think tank within the next few months, the first of its kind in Myanmar.