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 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

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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-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.

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

Hours: 7am-10pm, every day

Phone: 09 564 0777

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Marco’s wine list is vast. With bottles from around the world you’re likely to find some old favourites as well as something new to try. There’s only a handful available by the glass (around 7,000 kyats) so best to get a group of friends together if you want to try a couple of bottles. I started with the Cape Dreams Sauvignon Blanc—a crisp clear white wine that was perfectly refreshing for a sultry Yangon evening. The Huma Four Seasons Pinot Noir was rich and full bodied. I also sampled the Chateau Chapron Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which was lighter than the pinot, but also scrumptious.

The cheese plate made for a decent accompaniment. At 8,000 kyats, it’s reasonable for Yangon and had some tasty strong cheddar and blue cheese. The mozzarella and brie were, however, fairly tasteless. The bruschetta (3,500 kyats) was reassuringly standard – ripe juicy tomatoes atop a crispy crunchy baguette slice. It could have done with more garlic, good quality olive oil, and perhaps a little more fresh herbs. The truffle fries (3,500 kyats) were a bit cardboard-tasting but the punchy garlic mayo made up for that.

For mains, the the baked fish fillet (9,000 kyats) was not overly fresh tasting but came with a good tomato and cheese topping. The oven roasted chicken (11,000 kyats) was served with a punchy wine sauce and herby roasted vegetables. The penne al funghi (8,500 kyats) was deliciously creamy.

Marco’s should become a downtown go-to for wine lovers. The sophisticated environment,
with a lot of the wine bottles on display, natural wooden tables and good lighting, is the
perfect place to peruse the impressive wine list and indulge in a tipple. The food is reasonably priced and reasonably-flavoured—perhaps not a reason to visit in itself but good enough to turn an aperitif into a supper into a postprandial.

Bar

Merchant Road Yangon Yangon Region MMR013D003 MM

09 789 49977709 789 499777

http://www.marcoscellar.com.mm

Touted as Yangon’s first “No Frills” wine bar, Marco’s Cellar serves quality drinks and food at a reasonable price. It has a selection of close too 100 wines varieties, be it single estate wines or luxurious wines.

Opening Hours

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Price Range

$$

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MYANMORE restaurant reviews are done independently. Meals and drinks are paid for by
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Adobo, from which the restaurant takes its names, is a classic Filipino dish in which various
meats and vegetables are cooked in a sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, and
aromatic herbs. The restaurant does a selection of chicken, pork, chicken feet, squid, and
water cress in its signature sauce. I ordered the Manok chicken (4,500 kyats) which looked a little bit barbecued on the photo on the menu but was actually more saucy. Still, I enjoyed the Adobo sauce; rich, sweet, and fragrant.

The Bulalo—a beef shank soup for 6,500 kyats—was equally hearty and rich and I loved the
melt-in- your-mouth bone marrow. Though I enjoyed the different vegetables and meat, I
couldn’t help feel there should’ve been more unique flavors. The morning glory with prawns
(2,000 kyats) was overly and worryingly fishy. The deep-fried tofu and pork (2,500 kyats)
tasted like a deep fat fryer and little else.

My-Adobo Plus nearly saved the meal with its deep fried banana (2,000 kyats)—a very
pleasant mix of gooey banana, crunchy batter, and tart mango sauce. The restaurant has a
number of little intricacies: Its booth style, presumably left over from its previous
incarnation as a Japanese restaurant, offers karaoke, and you can summon service via a bell on each table.

The fact that it is possibly Yangon’s only Filipino restaurant and its relatively low price may
compel you to visit, but its location in Yaw Min Gyi means there are plenty of other options
within a stone’s throw sure to deliver a satisfying meal.

Address: Bo Yar Nyunt St, Yaw Man Gyi Qtr, Dagon Tsp
Phone: +95 9 44122 2441

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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.

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The two-level restaurant is located in Urban Asia Center on Maha Bandoola. The décor is
simple, yet refined and the seats are well-spaced, making the restaurant seem buzzing, but
not crowded. The downstairs features a large open kitchen where you can spy on chefs
pulling handmade noodles or wrapping up dumplings. Upstairs (where it can get a little
stuffy) is extra seating including large banquet style tables.

The menu features a number of classic dishes from Shanghai, Sichuan, and northern regions of China—expect noodles (in soups and out), dumplings, baozi, stir fried meats and
vegetables and a smattering of fried rice.

The restaurant’s xiao long bao (six for 4,000 kyats), those tricky Chinese soup dumplings, are certainly among the city’s finest and are routinely delicious with fragrant, succulent pork, a fragrant broth and chewy yet delicate skin. They also come in cheese and crab flavours. The hand-pulled noodles are the freshest I’ve tasted in Myanmar, with a beautiful wheat flavour and a good bite. On this occasion I tried them with minced meat (4,000 kyats) and cucumber—the East’s (fragrant) version of spaghetti Bolognese.

The Shanghai pork buns are (3,000 kyats) are a good blend of soft, sweet steamed bread,
meaty, juicy pork with a crunchy fried bottom. The stir-fried asparagus (5,000 kyats) comes with chili and onion. Good flavours but perhaps not worth the price tag. I also tried the crispy pork chop (7,000 kyats) which was not as crispy or porky as I remember and is not as good value as the noodle and dumpling dishes.

800 Bowls offers cheapish, authentic, reliably-tasty Chinese food in the heart of downtown,
I suggest you visit.

Address: Asia Business Centre, Corner of Maha Bandoola and 48 th Street, Yangon.
Phone: 09 964 588875
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm

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Mexican restaurants sprung up across the city a few years ago but have since been in dire decline with both Gringo Chilangos and Tin Tin vacating downtown Yangon. Mañana—a eatery serving up authentic Oaxaca dishes and ranking highly on Trip Advisor—managed to survive this downturn and I was thrilled last week to see it was opening a new location downtown.

Mañana has chosen a fantastic spot on Maha Bandoola and adds itself as another option to the growing nebulas of restaurants and bars around Bo Myat Htun Tower and the Urban Asia Center. I went to try its offerings on its first week of opening to see if it would worm its way into my list of downtown staples.

The restaurant is compact but brightly dressed with greens, yellows and reds and the walls are adorned with Mexican photos and works of art. This branch bills itself as Mañana “Express”—the setting and menu are tailored to delivering a speedy business lunch for nearby office workers. As I myself was on a lunch break, I put this promise to the test by ordering six varieties of tacos (2,000 kyats each) and a burrito (6,500 kyats). They did come remarkably quickly.

The menu is fairly simple once you grasp the concept: on the front choose one of ten fillings to have in a burrito, quesadilla, tacos etc and on the back are set dishes: rice bowls, nachos, guacamole, and a crème caramel dessert. Everything I ordered was fine, but a few dishes lacked the flavor punch I was expecting from a Mexican meal.

The chicken tinga burrito lacked enthusiasm. The texture of the pulled tomato-ey chicken was great, as was the squidgy rice and the chewy tortilla, but the flavor void left me slathering it in tomato salsa and still yearning for more.

Of the tacos, three stood out: The Myanmex Meda (brilliant bold flavours of garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric with juicy beef and crunchy onion), Myeik style vegetables (finely chopped cauliflower, green beans, cabbage, and onions in spices and black sesame), and chorizo (simple spicy smoky sausage).

The spicy curry mutton delivered on large chunks of mutton but lacked any curry heat. The Viva Veggie was a great healthy option but wasn’t packed with flavour. The onion in the Yucatan pork swamped what was supposed to be an orange and achiote flavoured pork.

I will definitely return to sate my Mexican cravings and check if the restaurant’s misses have been transformed in to hits. Particularly since the manager promised us a 3pm to 6pm happy hour on tacos and margaritas starting soon.

Address: Bo Myat Htun Tower, Maha Bandoola Road, Yangon

Phone: +95 9 255 833 706

Hours: 11am to 10pm

Photos by Edmond Sailland. 

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The high-ceilinged interior with brushed concrete, black metal, and reclaimed wood gives the venue a relaxed, urban vibe. The classic Burmese green blue on one wall is the icing on the Yangon hipster cake. The menu takes influences from Thailand, Myanmar, the West, and the Middle East and marries them cheekily, yet tastily, together.

I started with the Rakhine chicken salad (4,500 kyats). A generous helping of moist shredded chicken was teamed with a citrus tang from lime juice and kaffir lime lives, a crunchy punch from onion and garlic, and a heat from black pepper and chili. The perfect healthy dish for me but, due to the onion and garlic, perhaps not one to wolf down before an important meeting or a hot date.

The hummus with Burmese tea leaf pesto and vegetable sticks (4,000 kyats) was a surprising find on the menu, but another perfect healthy snack that is often absent from Yangon living. The hummus was well-flavoured but perhaps a little too chunky and stiff for easy dipping. The fusion twist of the Myanmar-inspired pesto on top was enchanting.

A somewhat brave fusion dish that ultimately won my heart was the English muffin topped with RaMon shredded pepper chicken and a tamarind and sesame sauce (5,000 kyats). The chicken itself tasted remarkably similar, to me at least, to the Rakhine chicken I had earlier but was well teamed with the soft muffin, sweet and sticky tamarind sauce and crunchy sesame seeds.

The Mon-style Khao Soi with chicken (5,800 kyats) was a very pleasing variation on the oh-no khao swe served up throughout Myanmar. The thick and creamy coconut soup had a spicy heat from chili and turmeric. The serving of chicken was generous but a little dry and chewy.

We ended the meal with a mango smoothie bowl in celebration of the oncoming of Myanmar’s mango season. A semi-frozen mango and banana smoothie was topped with banana and nuts and seeds, including chia—a hipster staple still relatively elusive in Yangon. A beautifully light and healthy end to the meal.

I will be back to Bodhi Nava. In fact, before I even finished the meal I was already thinking how to incorporate a long lingering lunch there into a Saturday or Sunday wonder around Kandawgyi Lake and the parks near Shwedagon.  

Address: 17 Bahan 2nd Street, Yangon

Phone: 09781265517

Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm

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Located on the lower block of Yangon’s Bo Myat Htun, it’s a prime location to begin a night before heading off to Beat Bar, Seventh Joint, or Jazz in Time. The décor is fabulous: Tables cleaved out of large pieces of tree, brightly-colored fabric, and walls adorned with pieces of animal and musical instruments. It’s a cavernous space, and with large tables and reasonably-priced drinks it can get a little raucous.

The cocktails were some of the best I have tasted in Yangon. The Farmer’s Tea had a fantastic bitterness and tea flavor while the Bliss was packed with real strawberry and had a nice a tang of Thai Basil.

The food will excite even the most seasoned gastronome. The smoked beef moik (4,500 kyats) is Wa’s answer to risotto. A wet rice dish with a fantastic earthy meaty flavor. The mashed potato (4,000 kyats) is far more flavorsome than the West’s equivalent—with liberal amounts of garlic, chili, and herbs.

The salads (2,000 kyats) were also winners. In the green bean salad, sesame and ginger, complimented the crisp and fresh green beans while the egg plant salad had a wonderful slippery smokiness. The highlight of the night for me was the grilled pork neck (6,500 kyats for a large portion); it was beautifully spiced with a tart charred flavor, with the meat left tremendously juicy and tender. The only criticism I have is that the chicken wings were nothing to write home about. Nor was the bok choy, and at 4,000 kyats it was nowhere near a good value as the salads.

All in all, however, I estimate an evening of sumptuous food and cocktails at Root is likely to come in at quite a bit less than your average meal in a restaurant of that quality. It’s fulsome, flavor-packed, and just a little bit frenetic. Perhaps the flavor combinations are not for everyone, but for me, its one of the best places for local food in the city.

Address: Bo Myat Htun Street | Bo Myat Tun Tower, Yangon (Rangoon) 11062, Myanmar

Hours: 11am-11pm

Phone:  +95 9 45669 6695

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I was immediately presented with a small salad: crisp lettuce, tomato, pepper with a sweet and creamy yet light and delightful sesame dressing. I opted for their sushi and soba lunch set, which comprised five nigiri, plain soba, miso soup for a very reasonable US$15.

I first tackled the zaru soba. I was a little disheartened to find the buckwheat noodles served on a plate rather than a bamboo rack. Visually, the noodles were a little lighter than I expected and I was told they were made fresh here in Myanmar. I too would opt for fresh, locally made noodles over imported dried ones. Although the flavor was on point, they were just a little chewier than I’d hoped for. The tsuyu dipping sauce was delicious as were the slices of spring onion. I inhaled the whole plate.

I moved onto the nigiri. I started with the fatty tuna and as soon as it touched my tongue I knew it was one of the best pieces of sushi I’d had in Yangon. The fish melted in my mouth. The freshness of the tuna was perfectly complemented by subtly salty sweet sticky sushi rice, the heat of wasabi, and the deep richness of soy. The other nigiri—salmon, bream, kohada, flat fish—were equally tasty, though the prawn was a little rubbery.

The miso soup was a real delight. It was not as rich or salty as miso can be, and had few large pieces of daikon, which had imparted their flavor to the broth. A piece of pork belly was an unexpected, but welcome addition.

Yhet’s wins a lot of points for attention to detail: the sushi was served at room temperature, the fish is flown in fresh, not frozen and the sake selection is impressive. If it wants to secure its place as the best sushi place in town, the only suggestion I have is to grate fresh wasabi root on site rather than use the stuff from a tube.

Address: No.52 GF 37th St(Lower Block) Between Merchant Rd & Strand Rd Tsp, Yangon

Hours: 11am- 10:30pm

Phone:  01 377 212

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