Yangon | Burmese in Burlingame

Two months ago we stopped at Yangon in Burlingame for a quick lunch. Most of the menu is "Mandarin" Chinese standards, sprinkled with Burmese dishes. With a table in the front by the vintage stained glass windows, I had a clear view of customers entering and many had a look of uncertainty and questions for the owner/hostess about what Burmese food might be.

Before deciding what to order, I asked whether the tea leaf salad included cabbage or lettuce. It normally includes lettuce but can be made without. This was the first dish to come out, and it seemed as though we got an extra measure of the mulchy fermented tea leaves. Mixed at the table, everything was crisp enough but mostly dry roasted. This would have benefited from some additional oil mixed into the tea leaves for more richness.

Palatha was too doughy in the middle, maybe not defrosted completely, yet managed to have a crisp, golden brown crust. The chicken curry dipping sauce was too sweet for me, tasting more of coconut milk than spices or chicken.

Mohinga looked good, topped with bright green cilantro, fried chow mein noodles and a hard-cooked egg, but had little flavor or focus. I would not have recognized this dish if served to me blind and we left it behind, uneaten.

So, in the early going, Yangon is a mixed bag. While not adverse to returning, I'd be hard pressed to skip over nearby Mingalaba. An ample lunch for two came to $26 with tax and tip.

Yangon Restaurant
1136 Broadway
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 348-8848
http://www.yangon-restaurant.com/