MYANMORE Magazine #47

THE NIGHTINGALE MAN

The Nightingale Man: A sit-down with Zaw Paing

Zaw Paing is one of a few musicians that can stand the test of time. He rose to stardom in the early 2000s but is still relevant to the younger generation of today. Known for his rock ballads, country songs and sweet voice, he is also a family man. MYANMORE has a chance to talk with this timeless musician. Words by Nay Thiha.

Q Let'sstartwiththebeginning.

Sure. I was born and raised in Thet Kel Thaung Village, Ngapudaw Township, in Ayeyarwaddy Region. While attending the second year of the university in Pathein, I participated in the televised So Kya Mel Pyaw Kya Mel (Let's Sing and Have Fun) singing contest and won in 1997. Then I moved to Yangon and met Ko Chan Hein, the founder of Yadanar Myaing Music Production. He was looking for fresh talents. I got a record deal in 1998 and began my career.

Q Howmanyalbumshaveyou beeninsofar?

Seven solo albums and three duet

albums. I've been in many group albums, too. I also collaborated with the Iron Cross band. I wrote and produced for other musicians and their albums besides my own projects.

Q You'refamousforslowrock andcountrysongs.What're yourinspirations?

I grew up listening to Kenny Rogers and The Eagles. Bee Gees, Bon Jovi and Metallica are my inspirations, too. I also keep in touch with the current waves. What's interesting about today's music industry is that genres are mixed. You can fuse electro beats with country songs. The result is completely fresh. I love it. I welcome the change.

Q Speakingofchange.You'vebeen heresincetheageofphysical albums.Nowmusicisdigitised and broadcast online. How did youadapttothechanging trends?

Change is to be expected in any creative industry. Even when I was young, the trends used to change every two to three years. I have to find a balance between what I want to do and what the industry demands. How do I adapt? Learn, learn, learn. The creative industry is never short of learning. Besides, I love playing guitar. It's how I get inspired to write music and a way to unwind.

Q What'syourviewonthe currentindustry?Anyadvice fornewtalents?

Music has gone online and opened doors for youngsters. When I started, physical albums were the only medium to consume music. Now they're a thing of the past. People only buy CDs as a keepsake. On the bright side, online platforms make it easy for the youth to connect with the audience. My advice is to find your passion and follow it. Keep yourself fit. Fitness is vital for musicians. When you're preparing for a recording, give it plenty of time to understand the lyrics, to master the notes.

Q Yousangbothcoversongsand yourowntunes.Isthereany differencebetweenthetwo?

The effort is the same. The point is to let the melody take you over. Once this is successful, you can sing any song passionately.

Q Who'rethemusiciansyou've collaborated with the most?

When it comes to duet songs, audiences know me with Chaw Su the best. We collaborated on two albums and our voices are in sync. I've worked with many experienced vocalists. Ma May Kalar was good, too. The song choice plays a vital role in duets. No matter how good the singers are, if they choose a song that doesn't reflect their vocal colours, the result won't be good.

Q Who'syourdreamcollab?

A lot. But I will pick from contemporary bands... Dan + Shay would be nice to work with. I've been their fan for a while.

Q So,let'stalkaboutyourfamily life.Howdidthemarriageaffect yourcareer?

I had been friends with my wife before we fell in love and got married. My fans loved her, too. So the transition from a single life to a married life wasn't that different, career-wise. When I got my son Shwe Paing, my fans also love and support him. I'm very grateful for all this love.

Q Whatareyourdreamsforyour son?

He loves to sing, too. Now he's learning the piano. He's also interested in playing drums. He's still young and has a long way to go. Both my wife and I will be there to support his passion.

Q Anythingyou'dliketosayto yourfans?

I just want to say thank you. They've supported me from my early years to this day. I'm only here because of them. I have much respect for my fans.

Zaw Paing album list

• Chit Thu Ye Amaint (1999)

• Myoe Awin Nya (2000)

• Moe Kaung Kin Thit (2001)

• Amaw Pyay (2005)

• Shwe Yaung Nhit Thit (2006)

• Pin Lal Myoe Pya (2012)

• Pyu Thu Athit (2017)

ZawPang'smusiccanbefoundon YouTubechannel@yadanarmyaingmusicproduction

Photo credit: 12 INYA Fusion & Lounge

Snakes of Myanmar: The very bad and beautiful

It’s been a shocking month for two sisters from Na Htoe Gyi. On a grim afternoon, their brother arrived terrified after being bitten by a Viper, the world’s second most dangerous snake. He is among the 10,000 people bitten by snakes while 1,000 people lose their lives each year in Myanmar.

UAung was rushed to hospital and administered an antivenom then released.

At home U Aung condition deteriorated so in despair his sisters called on a traditional healer for advice.

It took an army of volunteers from Snakes of Myanmar to convince him that the appropriate free treatment, an antivenom for a viper and transport could be provided at a larger hospital in Mandalay.

He is man is lucky and is today in recovery.

The Russell’s Viper is a beautiful

solitary creature that blends into the soil waiting for unsuspecting craps or scorpions. Yet try picking it up or if it feels threatened, and the creature will let you know.

The vast majority of Myanmar’s 176 snake species are harmless. Without provocation these creatures go about their business ignoring humans, bar the viper.

In a nation filled with diverse habitats, snakes have adapted to living in mountains and deserts and developed unique survival attributes and skills. There’s the flying snake of the dry forests and crafty Cobra that has been witness raiding fishing traps.

Myanmar snakes are the intrigue the world, with wonderous colors from brightest blues, yellows to greens and beautiful patterns that camouflage them into the environment.

“Myanmar has a wonderful diversity of reptiles. There tiny eight inches long snakes and to others stretching over 20 feet,” said George Zug, Emeritus Research Zoologist.

While generally harmless there are few people who know how to respond when coming in contact with a snake.

“Most of the people in Myanmar are afraid of the snakes, and when they see one their instinct is to kill,” said Myint Kyaw Thura, Herpetologist and Myanmar Environment Sustainable Conservation.

Experts are adamant that snakes are less dangerous to us than we are to them.

“Leave the snake alone. Even inside a building if some windows and doors are left open a snake will generally leave of its own accord. Outdoors snakes will leave the area if disturbed,” said Williams. “All of my bites (four venomous) None of them were the

snakes' fault, all of them mine.”

The Myanmar Fire Services Department are commonly called on to remove snakes from backyards. Without killing the animal, will be removed to save ground, even the most venomous.

Of all Myanmar snakes a few have venom that is potentially fatal. The viper, cobras, kraits, and the stunning green pit viper are the most venomous, other snake bites will be painful.

In 2010, Kyi Soe Lwin, General Manager Education, Yangon Zoo was documenting every known species in the country. “My hand

got in the space of a green pit viper, the only snake to spit venom. Their bite usually isn’t fatal, but excruciatingly painful.”

Between his fingers is a slight scar, that’s the entry point for teeth of the snake’s bite. “As soon as I was bitten my hand began to swell. After a few hours, my arm had swollen like a balloon. For two weeks the pain was excruciating, and for another month only just manageable,” said Kyi Soe Lwin.

Snakes have always fascinated humans. It’s the way they move their bodies, beautiful, terrifying and powerful.

From a Love of Noodling

Many of Myanmar’s now-entrenched culinary delicacies began as humble local dishes and gathered momentum as more and more people voted with their stomachs. Mohinga may be the champion among the country’s teashop snacks, but Shwe Taung Khao Swe is a close runner-up.

This tasty noodle dish got its name from the town that launched it, Shwe Taung, located in Pyay District. It is made with egg noodles in a coconut milk curry soup, typically served with chicken or pork and garnished with various toppings such as crispy fried onions, lime wedges, and sliced chilies. The dish is flavoured with turmeric and other spices, giving it a rich and savoury flavour.

It is simple to make and quick to

prepare, thus its popularity in teashop culture. Each restaurant has its own take but the family behind the Osaka Noodles Restaurant is credited with inventing and putting this comfort food on the map.

It all happened some 50 years ago when the noodle dish was a littleknown snack sold by a restaurateur called Thein Shwe in Shwe Taung. His restaurant only sold Mohinga at first. Like many creative chefs, Thein Shwe played around with this

ubiquitous food. He replaced the thick fish broth with a light soup made from chicken and chickpeas. The rice noodles were replaced by wheat noodles. The cooked coconut milk is served separately.

In 1970, Thein Shwe travelled to Osaka, Japan, to participate in its first world fair, Expo '70. He showcased his noodle dish at the fair and won visitors' hearts and tongues. When he returned to his home country, people associated his

successful visit to Osaka with his noodles. Hence, the restaurant’s name.

His legacy has been passed down through two more generations. They opened the first restaurant in Yangon in 2000. These days, the family runs two branches in Pazuntaung and North Dagon townships, though variations of this iconic noodle dish are now served at almost every tea shop – Thein Shwe’s culinary legacy.

Le Cellier's Burmese Classics with a Twist

Text: Nay Thiha

When you hear “a lunch at a fine dining restaurant in a five-star hotel”, you might think about Wagyu beef, Norwegian salmon, foie gras, etc. But Chef Htun Htun disagrees that a dish needs premium items to be luxurious. He created a menu that is deeply rooted in the Burmese culinary tradition yet appealing to foreign palates.

The venue is Le Cellier, a topnotch dining experience in Novotel Yangon Max. The date is 30 April, a few weeks after the introduction of his new lunch menu. Equipped with 15 years of international kitchen experience and knowledge, Htun has mastered French-style cooking and is not a stranger to world-class ingredients and cooking methods. But today is about celebrating local delicacies particularly anyer, or central Myanmar, cuisine.

The lunch begins with a couple of Couple Snacks with quail egg and seafood. It is a beloved street food as well as a muse to tingle the senses. Over the snack, the chef recalls his formative years in a rural part of Myanmar.

Born and raised in a village in Pakokku, near Bagan, Htun never forgets his humble beginning. “I used to accompany my father on his fishing trips. We usually caught prawns and would pick some eggplants freshly from the field and return home. Then, we’d grill them over the charcoal stove, remove the

prawn shells, peel the eggplants and make a salad. It’s one of my favourite dishes from childhood,” Htun reminisces fondly.

Grilled prawn and eggplant salad is commonplace all over the country but its gourmet potential is usually overlooked. When it is brought to the table, the dish looks unrecognisable on the spotless ceramic plate at first glance. So posh and fancy-looking. But at the first bite, it releases the familiar tastes and smells - the smokiness, the juiciness, the tenderness - all is there!

When the undersigned confesses about this experience, the chef explains: “It’s important not to miss the authenticity of a dish when you elevate it. Yes, we use these fine plates and utensils in accordance with the establishment but the main message is intact. The eggplant was slowly and carefully smoked to retain the juice or it would be too dry. The prawns were sourced from our rivers, not lobsters from distant seas. The puree here is a mixture of tomato, onion and coriander we used in the salad.

We make it look presentable but the taste is unchanged. That’s why you still felt the familiarity although it looked different.”

After the appetising salad, cometh the tomato rice, an anyer breakfast: “Farmers like my dad get up very early. They’d fill up their stomachs

with the leftover rice and tomato curry. We grew many tomatoes and made a curry out of them. It’s a staple in every house. And, my mom prepared this meal for him every morning and this is an honour to this memory. Of course, we use freshly cooked rice here, not the leftovers (laughter).”

The rice is soft and creamy thanks to the slight addition of butter. It is paired with fried sea bass which is crispy on the outside and tender inside. The tanginess of tomato confit eases the rich texture of rice and fish. Just one suggestion: more rice please since it was so good.

When asked about the role of confidence in modifying traditional meals, Htun replies: “If someone asks me to elevate, say, Shan Noodle, I’d need a lot to contemplate. Shan Noodle is deeply rooted in the culture of Shan people. So, to modify such a dish with a long history, I need to know about it more than my customers do. Without a deep understanding of each ingredient and how they complement each other, any attempt to modify it would be futile. As I mentioned before, it’s important to keep the authenticity of the food - its taste and flavour profiles. Confidence comes from understanding. I’m confident in elevating anyer cuisine because I grew up with them.”

After a long talk, it becomes clear that Htun is not only a good chef but a storyteller. Each dish has a tale that resonates with the lifestyle of rural residents. This is best reflected in beef curry, one of the main courses.

According to Htun, villages do not have formal markets. The residents can buy meat such as beef or pork only when someone butchers the animal and sells it. Choosing the best cut is not an option, either.

Customers would buy in weight so they get meat as well as tendons and fats. They would all be put into a clay pot and cooked for hours.

This concept is used in his beef curry. Every part of a cow is cooked to perfection. Even the tendons are nice to chew. The beef is locally sourced. The curry tastes milder than usual since it is meant to be paired with potato terrine. The terrines are good but a typical Burmese person might long for rice. Soft bread makes a great pair, too! The whole meal is quite filling and could easily feed two people.

The final meal is chicken curry. Sounds so simple? Wait for the twist.

“So, we usually cook both chicken and gravy in the same pot. But I want to present the gravy in paste form separately. The paste contains most of the ingredients a normal gravy does. The only two additions are lemongrass and coconut juice. I avoided coconut milk because people with high blood pressure don’t like it. Coconut juice gives the same sweet aroma and is a safer option.”

The grilled chicken breast is tender enough but the thigh would be preferred. The paste is a scene stealer. The coconut flavour with the trace of lemongrass is a reminder of coconut chicken curry. But it is less cloying. After you have finished the chicken, do try the paste with a loaf of warm bread.

A meal without dessert is incom-

plete. The chef understands this and serves a cup of shaved ice mixed with lemon juice, mint and a sprinkle of sugar - a refreshing summer treat.

The lunch is a reminder that locally sourced products can be appealing in the right direction and the chef

agrees: “A dish doesn’t become elevated just by adding the most premium ingredients to it. It will just be expensive. Our rivers and land have a lot to offer. One of my key messages is to look within and be proud of local cuisine. If the customers learn this fact and find joy in the simplicity of traditional

food, my duty as a chef is fulfilled.”

Chef Htun Htun’s lunch menu can be enjoyed at US$15 net for two courses and $20 net for three, from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm daily. The chef welcomes all sorts of feedback. Photos are provided by Le Cellier.

? Le Cellier, 14th Floor, Novotel Yangon Max, 459, Pyay Road, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon

• +95 9 4440 8888 2

Six Great Business Lunch Sets in Yangon

Text: Nay Thiha

Whether you’re there to close a deal or simply catch up with colleagues, we’re confident you’ll find everything you need to make your experience worthwhile at these places.

1 Melia Yangon

Melia’s Olea and The Lantern restaurants offer a two-course menu at US$10++ and a three-course at $14++ per person. You can choose appetising starter, main course and dessert including coffee or tea. Add US$4++ to enjoy a glass of red (or) white wine. Available from 11:30 am – 2 pm on weekdays.

? No 192, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon

• 09 940 407 700, 01 934 5000

2 Seeds Restaurant & Lunch

When you visit Seeds, you are always up for an exquisite experience –flavours, colours, textures, spices. Food cooked using European traditional and innovative techniques with Asian products. 2 courses are at USD 19 and 3 courses at USD 25, including lots of extras (Canapes, Amuse-Bouche and Friandises offered by the house). The Lunch content changes daily according to the market situation.

? No.63 (A), U Htun Nyein Street, Ward (10), Mayangone Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar.

• 09 972784841

3 Le Cellier @ Novotel Yangon Max

Le Cellier’s set menu features elevated Burmese dishes, including curried beef and potato terrine, seafood Mont Lin Mayar, and chicken curry ravioli. Lunch is available daily from 11:30 am –2:30 pm. The prices are $15 net for two courses and $20 net for three.

? 14th Floor, Novotel Yangon Max, 459, Pyay Road, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon

• 09 4440 8888 2

4 Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake

Their three-course business set lunch offers a variety of dishes from Thai, Japanese, Indian, Western and many more and ends with delicious sweet desserts and a complimentary freshly-brewed coffee or tea. Each set is $15 per person. Available from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm on

weekdays at Lobby Lounge and The Emporia Restaurant.

? No 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon

• 01 9544 500

5 Babett Yangon

Enjoy French and Mediterraneaninspired flavours with a three-course set lunch for just Ks19,900++ including a starter, choice of main and café gourmand to get you fueled up for your day. Available during weekdays 11 am – 3 pm.

? No 5, Alan Pya Pagoda Street, Yangon • 01 824 3639

6 O'Thentic

Brasserie

When it comes to business lunches, O’Thentic gives more than you pay for. At only Ks12,000, savour three courses including a salad of the day, main course and dessert. Available weekdays from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm with a new menu of main dishes for April.

? No 45A, Yaw Min Gyi, Dagon, Yangon

• 09 449 529 557

Yangon: New Openings

Another month, another round of new establishments.

Burgundy Hills Cafe & Lounge

A fancy lounge with a focus on specialty coffee and pastries.

No 93/A, West Shwe Gone Daing Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon 09 256 815 663, 09 256 815 664

7 am - 8 pm

Marilyn Sky Lounge Bar

This rooftop bar draws inspiration from the timeless beauty of Marilyn Monroe, reflected in both its atmosphere and cocktail selection.

No A (21/22), Hotel Bo Bo Min Rooftop, Pinlon Road, 29 Quarter, North Dagon Tsp, Yangon 09 785 913 985

3 pm - 11 pm

O Sushi - Classic

This restaurant promises to take diners on a journey of traditional Japanese cuisine in a refined atmosphere.

No 10, Yadanar Road, 16/2 Quarter, Thingangyun Tsp, Yangon 09 505 7516

10 am - 10 pm

Haw BBQ & Beer

A grill bar in an indoor camping atmosphere. Booking is a must if you want to sit in the tents.

No 46 , Lan Thit Street, Lower block, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon 09 965 077115

11 am - 10 pm

Old Flame Steak House

It specialises in grills with local and Southeast Asian influences. At the helm of the kitchen is a famous masterchef contestant.

No 12, Myawaddy Street, Corner of Kyaung St and Shankone St, Myaenigone Tsp, Yangon 09 252 229 100

10 am - 10 pm

Sika Lounge & Restaurant

A classical piano bar on the spiraling 16th floor that serves Asian fusion dishes and fancy cocktails.

16th floor, RedHill Tower (275A, 265), Pyay Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon 09 7560 50 233

10 am - 11 pm

Society Bar & Lounge

A fine-dining experience with affordable price tags.

No 122A, Waizayandar Road, South Okkalapa Tsp, Yangon 09 79 11111 62~63~64 11 am - 11 pm

THOR Bar

The Heart of Rangoon, or THOR, goes big on music with thundering live performances that would even impress the Norse God of Thunder himself.

No 1, Kun Chan Road, Beside Yangon Central Station, Dagon Tsp, Yangon 09 252 571 460 6 pm - 11 pm

York Cafe

Located on the iconic York Street, York Cafe is a venue for people to share ideas and inspirations while enjoying a variety of coffee and fusion dishes.

No 5, Yaw Min Gyi (York) Street, Dagon Tsp, Yangon 09 881 416 817 9 am – 5 pm