I did not have high hopes for Sule Square’s Casa Mia. I don’t like eating in shopping malls, and Casa Mia has a particularly bad location behind an escalator and adjacent to the entrance to Shangri La. The high-quality authentic Italian fare, however, did impress and I recommend Casa Mia for a Mediterranean meal if you’re in the area.
I began my evening sampling a Prosecco as part of their ‘aperitivo’ promotion. At 5,000 kyats for a glass of fine tasting fizz with a complimentary plate of bruschetta it’s one of the more generous downtown happy hours. The bruschetta was light and refreshing and I
enjoyed the taste of good-quality olive oil. (The glass of house red at 4,000 kyats lacked any real flavour or depth.)
I started with the chicken soup (6,000 kyats): A creamy mushroom base with a generous helping of succulent shredded chicken. It went beautifully with the ciabatta which was crispy on the outside, airy yet chewy on the inside. One of the day’s specials—a homemade tortellini stuffed with ricotta and spinach for 10,000 kyats—was one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in Yangon. The fresh pasta was delightfully eggy, chewy with a soft spinachy centre. It was served with sage, butter, and parmesan. Delicious.
I also ordered a plate of mixed grilled vegetables (4,500 kyats). None of the veggies were seasoned, the aubergine was undercooked and rubbery and the presentation was pretty poor. Due to carb loading on the free bread and breadsticks I was unable to fit in a dessert. Afterwards friends scolded me for this, as the restaurant is celebrated for its truffle ice
cream. On my next visit I’ll have to start with dessert.
The service was top notch, and, as I said, the food was in the upper tier of Italian cuisine in the city. The setting I do find hard to swallow. I’m not sure there is a seat in the house which doesn’t afford a view out onto the shopping mall floor. I wonder if Casa Mia would be better closing off their open plan entrance and creating a more private, and intimate,
Italian eatery.
Address: 221 Sule Pagoda Road, Sule Square #01-14, Kyauktada
Township
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 10pm
Telephone: 09 964 348881
MYANMORE restaurant reviews are done independently. Meals and drinks are paid for by
the publication.
