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.