I can never forget the experience of sitting on a small little stool with below knee-height small table, sipping the Myanmar tea while eating the local pan cake and spring roll at the street of Yangon, Myanmar in January 2017.
It was a heavenly experience for me - better than sitting in an air-con 5-star hotel cozy lobby having English high-tea. :)
Welcome to the popular tea house tucked in one of the small streets of Bogyoke Aung San Market,Yangon, Myanmar!
Tea house near Bogyoke San Market (Scott's Market)
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| Bogyoke Aung San Market (Scott's Market) will be the landmark! |
Bogyoke Aung San Market, or better known as Scott's Market, was on my must-visit list in Yangon. Scott's Market is a major bazaar in Pabedan township in central Yangon close to Parkson Departmental Store, KFC and Shangri-la Hotel.
Known for its colonial architecture and inner cobblestone street, many tourists (including me! haha!) like to shop there for antique, Burmese handicraft, jewelries, art paintings and clothes.
I confess that I'm not a shopper by any definition. Walking through the countless stalls inside the Bogyoke Aung San Market was more for cultural experience with my deep curiosity about Burmese culture, people and life. I ended up not buying anything except few tee shirts with Myanmar alphabets on it.
As I was also looking for food to eat (not yet fully recovered from the full marathon!), I walked into a street next to Bogyoke Aung San Market with many people literally sitting on the cobblestone street drinking tea, eating, playing chess, chit-chatting and watching the world go by.
Let me correct myself here - no, the people there were not sitting on the cobblestone street but on small little stools and small little tables which are below knee-height.
I was so intrigued by what I saw!! Such a unique culture presented right in front of me!
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| Nice cobblestone street at the tea house next to Bogyoke Aung San Market, Yangon, Myanmar |
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| Locals play chess |
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| Snapping a selfie with all the tea lovers on this cool afternoon! |
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| Such a humble experience to be able to sit so low. The world seems much larger than ever before! |
Sipping Burmese tea with palata (Indian pan-cake) and fried pan rolls
I was given a menu with a list of food to choose from:
- Pork salad
- Lemon salad
- Noodle with steamed duck
- Fried fish
- Prawn curry
- Myanmar rice and curry
- Ice / hot tea
- Black coffee
- Samoosa - fried stuffed pastry
- Palata : pancake-like Indian food
- Fried pan rolls
- Noodle soup
- Thai soup
- Shan noodle soup
- Vermicelli soup
- Fried vegetable
- Wonton soup
Without much delay, I decided to blend into the local culture by ordering what seem to be the most popular food consumed by most: hot tea, palata and fried pan rolls. :)
The hot tea is very much like Malaysia's teh tarik but of course with tea leaves from Myanmar. And the palata is rather similar to roti chanai with eggs as well. And the fried pan rolls? Rather similar to our spring rolls.
I love the tea. If you ever visit Myanmar, you must drink the hot tea. Yeah - it tastes like teh tarik but it has its strong tea smell that's rather unique, making the tea very fragrant indeed.
I know that many travelers don't eat street food - either for hygienic reason or just don't like the idea of eating on the street.
But for me - eating street food in wherever I go is one of my best travel experiences!! In fact, I am a budget traveler. I hardly eat at restaurants during holidays.
Another key reason why I love to eat street food is that I get to soak myself within the local community - seeing how they live their lives, what they eat daily, what they do, how they talk, etc.
Isn't it wonderful to know another culture and their food? :)
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| look look look!! my tea break!! :) |
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| Cant' help myself but to take a photo at this angle - wanting to show how low the table is. :) |
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| Eating street food on the street! My favorite during travel! It's one of the best ways to explore local culture, people and food. |
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| hahaha!! A bit exaggerating! But I really love the crunchy palata with the tea! |
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| Can't stop myself from smiling with this wonderful experience! I feel so at home on the street! |
Ummmph!!! Burmese tea!
I hope when you visit Myanmar, don't forget to enjoy what I enjoy with a big smile here!! :)
I share the UMMMPH with you!! 😜
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| Another tourist being playful with me. Say peace! :) |
Written by Vincent Khor on Feb 4, 2017
