Myanmar Tea Garden--Fremont (Burmese cuisine)

Tucked away in a small strip mall next to an Indian market, one may not know that this South Asian oasis exists. Fantastically balanced and complex spice mixtures and savory infusions delight all the senses at this Burmese restaurant. Former Executive Chef from Burma Superstar and Rangoon Ruby decided to open his own place and now serves his take on Burmese food.

Located at 41063 Fremont Blvd., it's a bit of a trek for those living in the South Bay or San Francisco, but it's very much worth the distance.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.myanmarteagarden.com/


Tea Leaf Salad. With romaine lettuce, fried yellow lentils, fried garlic, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, dried shrimp powder and just a squeeze of lemon as the dressing. The beauty of this "simple" salad is in its complexity. The tea leaves were savory and sweet and imparted a delicate aroma to this entire dish.

Coconut Rice. Infused with coconut, slightly sweet and topped with fried onions, this was a delicious side that complemented all the entrées.

Monk Hingar. This super savory fish chowder had rice noodles, ground catfish, onions, cilantro, lemon, a bit of chili, egg and some crunchy lentils. Very thick but still soupy and so savory and satisfying.

Myanmar Special Noodle. This was a dish served at room temperature. Traditional Burmese noodles were tossed with fried tofu, cucumbers, potatoes, chili, cabbage, red onion, cilantro and a tangy, sweet, spicy sauce. This woke up my palate and was very refreshing.

Lamb Biryani. Braised lamb shank baked for hours in a clay pot with rice, spices, raisins and cashews. The aromas, flavors and all the different textures of this dish were mind blowing. The tender and moist lamb fell off the bone and absorbed all it's own juices as well as all the spices it was cooked in. Fabulous.

I was too full for dessert but I look forward to trying some the next time I visit. If in the area and in the mood for full flavors, do stop by.

Ken Ken Ramen--San Francisco (Japanese Ramen)

This popular former pop up now has a brick and mortar location at 3378 18th Street. Dolling out fantastic broth is key for a ramen place and they do it right. The short list of items on their menu lets you know they do a few things very well and that's okay with this ramen lover. With a price that doesn't break the bank, I would say this has become one of my top two spots in the Bay Area for top-notch ramen.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://eatkenkenramen.com/


Jitsuraku. Jun mai sake. Slightly fruity and medium bodied. Very light and crisp. It disappears on the palate after each sip, which makes you want to keep sipping and sipping and sipping.

Karaage. Fried chicken with a house-made aioli dipping sauce. Two must haves for fried chicken. 1) Crunchy on the outside. 2) Juicy on the inside. This had both.

Shoyu Ramen. This classic taste had a pork and chicken stock broth base with soy sauce. Noodles with an excellent chew were topped with tender chashu, marinated egg and fresh cilantro.

Spicy Miso (the day's special). A rich miso-based broth with chili oil and loaded with chewy noodles, tender bits of pork, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and that wonderful marinated egg. This warmed my heart and my soul through and through. Absolutely fantastic.

I was sad to see the Tonkotsu Ramen was only available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I guess that just means I'll have to go back for my favorite broth.