DESTINATION Argusphoto Riversof Flavours As Myanmar opens up, the world is learning to appreciate its exotic but misunderstood cuisine.

Text by Alisha Haridasani Argusphoto Argusphoto Argusphoto 68 DESTINATION

offers free WiFi), bringing a modern twist to the old British architecture and serving as a potent reminder that the country is developing fast. Thailand

Cambodia Myanmar’s cuisine, however, is misunderstood, underappreciated and

Malaysia relatively undiscovered compared with the cuisines of its neighbours, Thailand, India and China, whose food can be found across the globe. In British novelist George Orwell’s book, Burmese Days, the protagonist proclaims “almost the worst Myanmar thing in Burma [is] the filthy, monotonous (Burma) food”. To the uninitiated, it seems to consist of little more than greasy curries lacking a kick. But curries are only a fragment of a cuisine that reflects the flavours of its neighbours’ cuisines and Myanmar’s rich history. Clockwise from left: The winding walkways of Yangon’s main glimmering landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda; a colourful stall in Bagan selling traditional marionettes; a local favourite - the humble tea leaf salad. Bagan is a vast expanse of archaeologically significant temples and pagodas. On the streets of Yangon, stalls sell eccentric fusions of dishes typically associated with a mélange of flavours not found anywhere highlight of a food tour organised by a local omething about Myanmar inspires World War II, the Japanese occupied a buzzing commercial hub for people and other countries, such as samosa thote – Indian else in the region. agency. The cuisine was deconstructed into quiet contemplation. It’s not just the country, but post-war independence businesses from all over the world, many now samosas in tangy soup – or Chinese-style six flavour groups: spicy, sour, sweet, salty, the country’s thousands of pagodas turned into decades of harsh military rule, house good restaurants – more evidence the steamed buns filled with spicy-sweet curried S But to experience true Myanmar cuisine, bitter and bland. Dishes included a tea leaf with gilded spires reaching to the sky, the cutting off the country from the rest of country is once again open for business. pork. These hybrids came about during I had to travel a few hundred kilometres salad, tamarind paste with garlic and ginger stoic-eyed monks walking the streets in the world, squandering its potential and the colonial era, when Yangon was a major north of the city to Bagan. Lying on and milk curry with tomato, to name a few. fluttering saffron robes or the innumerable tarnishing its global standing. Today, regional trading hub. Satellite dishes mushrooming from old a bend of the Irrawaddy River, Bagan These rely on local ingredients and reflect Buddha statues, big and small, in every nook Myanmar is in transition once again, colonial buildings and wires zigzagging was the Burmese capital until the Moghuls Myanmar’s isolation over the past decades and cranny. Beyond all that, it’s the country’s crawling out from under the shadows of its of military rule. overhead are other signs of changing “The roads well-travelled by foreign seized it in the 13th century. It is an evolution that ignites a sense of wonder. past and into the light, head held high, eyes times. Satellite dishes were once banned merchants and tradesmen have always archaeological wonder – a tranquil, arid set forward. It’s a beautiful country finding in the country to prevent information from been populated with fusion-style foods, plain dotted with more than 2,000 brick “In many ways, the closed borders have itself again. Previously known as Burma, Myanmar has the outside world reaching the people of sourced here in Myanmar but prepared in pagodas and temples built by successive allowed Myanmar to develop its own identity changed hands many times. During the late Myanmar. That ban was lifted in 2011 and ways appealing to visitors,” explains ruling kings from the 11th century. On in the realm of food,” Hilgers says. “Visitors 19th and early 20th centuries, the British Reminders of the country’s past can be found today the dishes proliferate across the city. Shanna Hilgers, co-founder of Yangon the banks of the river, I discovered the often do not realise they are tasting what slowly conquered the country bit by bit in the crumbling colonial buildings scattered Mobile phone networks are expanding and Food Tours, which takes tourists to the city’s foundations of authentic Burmese cuisine half a century of quiet, protected culinary making it an extension of British India. During around Yangon. Relics of the city’s heyday as WiFi is spreading (almost every restaurant more daring street stalls to discover in the form of a 30-dish spread that was a development has to offer.” DINING HIGHLIGHTS

Text by Johannes Pong

Xanadu Restaurant Gekko House of Memories Khiri Bagan Food Tour LinkAge Monsoon At the edge of Bagan’s archeological zone, This hip new downtown watering hole offers Set within a listed colonial building, the House This new food tour run by a travel agency A social enterprise first and restaurant second, Airy and laidback, Monsoon is ideal for a Aureum Palace is the area’s largest and most Japanese and Korean favourites in the historic of Memories was the headquarters of General visits cottage industries producing black LinkAge is run by Forever Humanitarian and hearty, fuss-free meal. The restaurant exudes luxurious resort. Its main restaurant, Xanadu, Sofaer & Co Building, which dates back Aung San’s Burmese Independence Army. The soy paste and tamarind candy, as well as Development Projects to provide vocational old colonial charm with high ceilings, arched overlooks the hotel’s tree-lined swimming to the city’s heyday in the early 1900s. The antique furniture has been carefully preserved Bagan’s last pagoda, erected by a king who training, scholarships and revenue sources. Its windows, rattan furniture and a menu of pool with backdrop of pagodas. It serves contemporary two-storey restaurant offers and the rooms remain intact, including demanded 300 dishes at every meal. Inspired tiny restaurant is run entirely by street children in Southeast Asian dishes. It’s conveniently everything from local curries to pizzas and Japanese yakitori and noodles and Korean General Aung’s office with his original by the greedy king, the tour ends with a a rather dilapidated walk-up decorated with local located just off the bustling riverfront Strand classic cocktails. dishes such as bibimbap, plus cocktails, sake, typewriter and desk. There’s a ground-floor 30-dish feast featuring the flavours of real, art, but the children’s energy and determination Road, which is the city’s main artery and dotted Japanese whiskey and shochu. bar and upstairs dining room serving local and home-cooked Burmese cuisine. makes the experience heart-warming. with embassies and state buildings. international dishes.

Near Bagan Viewing Tower 535 Merchant Street 290 U Wizara Road Tel: +95 1 375 577 1/F 221 Maharbandoola Garden Street 85-87 Theinbyu Road Min Nanthu Village Kyautoda Township, 4th Quarter Kamaryut Township www.khiri.com Kyauktadar Township Botataung Township Nyaung Oo, Mandalay Division Yangon, Myanmar Yangon, Myanmar Yangon, Myanmar Yangon, Myanmar Bagan, Myanmar Tel: +95 1 386 986 Tel: +95 1 534 242 Tel: +95 1 389 893 Tel: +95 1 295 224 Tel: +95 1 399 341 20140328 Crave Ad.pdf 1 28/3/2014 11:45:21

70 DESTINATION Oh my, Myanmar After decades of isolation, the country is emerging from its time warp to reveal unique sights and experiences. ATTENTION? Text by Tiffany Chan amazingchildren.com.hk UP AND AWAY Balloons over Bagan A Chat with Thomas Henseler General manager, Belmond The Governor’s Residence

Why do you live in Myanmar?

I’ve lived in Myanmar for three years. What I like most about Myanmar is the people, they’re kind, unspoiled, curious and willing to learn. This is the

place where it’s all happening right now. Steven Gong

There’s no better way to see beautiful Bagan than from the sky. In the C warm golden glow of sunrise or sunset, hot-air balloons rise above the What did you have for dinner last night? M Irrawaddy River for inspiring views of the city and the stupa-studded plain. It’s not the cheapest ride in the world, but it’s most certainly one of Y the most memorable. Balloons over Bagan offers trips from mid-October Mango and pork curry with two glasses of Shan CM State Sauvignon Blanc from a vineyard in Myanmar. to March. Flights last an hour and prices start at US$320 a person. MY www.easternsafaris.com CY What is your favourite street? CMY

K Mahabandoola Road in Yangon, where there are many heritage buildings that I find interesting. A THING TO BRING HOME The most impressive colonial building on that road Tamarind sweets is The Secretariat, which was the home of the British Burma Parliament. One of the most addictive snacks in Bagan, citrusy tamarind sweets have a chewy, taffy-like texture. They are made from tamarind pulp What is your favourite time of the year? rolled out into fruit leather, cut out and dusted with light sugar. This local speciality is served at restaurants after a meal or wrapped in paper and Thingyan, or Myanman New Year, is in April. sold in piles of five or in bags in Bagan’s markets. It’s also known as the water festival and it’s a big Buy as much as possible because these delicious mess, but a lot of fun. sweets are hard to find outside the city, let alone Patrice_Muc8 in the rest of the world. What does Myanmar offer that can be found nowhere else? ESCAPE FROM THE CITY

Only in Myanmar will you find men in skirts and Phowintaung longyis. Myanmar also has cars with right-hand drive On a hill on the western bank of Chindwin and right-hand traffic. River, Phowintaung or “the mountain of isolated solitary meditation” is a cluster of 947 richly decorated caves and meditation spaces What’s the dining scene like? filled with art dating back to the 14th century. Ceilings and walls carved from the sandstone are painted with intricate murals depicting Myanmar is not known as a culinary destination. There Jataka stories and decorated with exquisite aren’t many restaurants, although a few foreign venues statues, many covered in gold leaf. Located 25 have sprung up and may develop into something, so kilometres from Monywa in northern Myanmar, there is some hope. Petit Doisneau the caves are reached via a bridge or by ferry.