Most travellers remember the Bagan region in Myanmar for its 12th century temples and they are remarkable and beautiful and jam-packed with history. But in the small town of Nyaung U, off the main road, down a dark alley there’s a hidden delight; one I hope more tourists have discovered in the five months since I was there.
Take the plunge and follow the sign to Eaters’ Heaven, otherwise known as Mingalar Garden Restaurant
We followed the sign and walked into the ally, sidling past sleeping dogs and skirting a few large puddles. A torch would have been handy although it wasn’t essential.
The first time I walked down this track with John I did think we were taking the “off the beaten track” notion a little too far, that perhaps it was wiser to join everyone else in the pizza joints, that this time our hankering to get away from the usual tourist traps might lead us in to real danger.
It didn’t. Not at all, and our reward was three unforgettable, delicious meals. Three? Yes three. Once we discovered Mingalar Garden Restaurant we went back there the next night and the night after that. They cooked the sort of meals that your Mum might prepare (if she is Burmese) using fresh ingredients and tried and true recipes.
It was at the Mingalar Garden Restaurant that at last I came to understand and appreciate the layers upon layers of flavours and textures in traditional Burmese cooking.
From the simple light soup to the rich curries and refreshing salads each dish complements the other. It’s eaters’ heaven!
My favourite of all is the tamarind salad, a tangy peanutty deliciousness unlike any other.
Yummy tamarind salad
I could eat it on its own, but it is best as one of the multiple small dishes that make up a traditional Burmese meal. In addition to the tamarind salad, this meal consisted of a clear soup, fried morning-glory, stewed egg-plant, fried bitter gourd, and others I didn’t manage to identify. All delicious.
So much deliciousness
After the main part of the meal we were served a combination of fried nuts, tea leaves, and sweet ginger on a traditional lacquerware dish.
I’d seen this dish in Taungyyi but didn’t have a clue how to approach it. The owner of Mingalar Garden Restaurant took the time to show us.
Clean hands are essential. You take a small portion of each with your fingers and pop it in to your mouth all at once. The soft, crunchy and tangy taste and texture explosion had me going back for more long past what was strictly necessary. Sometimes the dish is served with jaggery but, as you can see from the photo, here it was served with chunks of apple. Both work perfectly.
A taste explosion waiting just for us
It’s a meal meant to linger over, and linger we did. The owner and his friend enjoyed practising their English with us and we learned a lot from them.
After dinner conversations.
Oh, writing this post is agony! How my mouth is watering at the remembered complexity of the flavours.
Mingalar Garden Restaurant had only been open eight months when we visited last November. And they’d had a rough start, there was a lot of flooding during the rainy season but they held on until the tourist season and I’m glad they did.
If you’re in Bagan and looking for a meal a little less touristy and a little more local, take the plunge and walk through the alley until you come to the road. You’ll see Mingalar Garden Restaurant immediately across the road. Be sure to say hello from Jill and John in New Zealand.
WP Photo Challenge: Dinnertime
Categories: Myanmar (Burma), Off-shore Adventures
Jill's Scene 
What does fried morning glory taste like (and have had a hard time posting comment – sorry if double)
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Hi Jill – had no idea Burmese food was so Delish! The ginger and fried nuts and tea leaves??? Never expected to read that you pop them in the mouth all at once / laughed – thought it would be formal layering – ha!
There was an episode of Monk (mr monk gets his badge) where he makes a house call and the crazy neighbor in the apartment was “from Burma” – but otherwise that I do not hear of anything about this obviously culture rich and good food place – can you please tell me what fried morning glories taste like??
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How great to find a restaurant like this. As I get ready to prepare a much less interesting dinner, I’m wishing I had a plate of that tamarind salad in front of me!
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Your descriptions and enthusiasm make me want to taste these delights. But lack of experience of them leaves me with no way to imagine them! So many delights in the world that we don’t know and can’t imagine! How sad. I presume the same is true of the spiritual world. The quote, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” came to mind when reflecting on this post. We really can’t imagine that without trying it either.
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Hi Eileen, Yes, indeed, “Taste and See”. Stepping out in faith …
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I frequently crave it myself, Barbara. It was truly delicious and unlike anything else I’ve had anywhere.
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Looks really mouth-watering. I’ve not had Burmese food but from your photos, I’m sure I would love it. 🙂
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I think you would, too. It’s my favourite of all the SE Asian cusines I’ve tried so far.
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Oh the joys of finding some where so unique. The experiences like this linger with you forever. How did you find it? Were you told of it by a local or find it on the internet?
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Hi Pauline, What a good question. Acutally we simply saw the sign on the maon street, and ventured down the alley to check it out.
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Way to go…
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That sounds (as well as delicious) quite vegetarian friendly – is it? Always a factor for me!
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Although they did serve meat dishes, Ananbel, the vegetarian dishes were delicous and full of layers of flavour, so yes, although I’m not vegetarian myself, I think you would find it vegetarian friendly.
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Good to know! Thanks.
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Yammi
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If you simply read me the ingredients, I probably wouldn’t think any of that would appear to me. Seeing the pictures, oh my, I can see why I would be wrong. Thanks for another great post Jill. Thanks for going off-path and sharing your experience.
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Hi Dan, If you ever come across a Burmese restaurant in your travels around the US check it out—the flavours are subtle, spicy but not too spicy, tangy, sweet but too sweet, sour but not too sour … I think it’s just just yummy.
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I will look for one as I travel, Jill. Thanks!
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Looks wonderful, Jill!
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Sue, it was, it was!
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I love that black and green dish with the lid.
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Me too! I didn’t have room in my bag for a dish like this but I did squeeze in a set of coasters with a very similar design.
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This was a great place to find. It was a real experience of Burmese food, prepared and presented in a truly family setting. I hope other visitors to Bagan have found it also.
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