Myanmar Food Hunt: Cheap Eats

I was converting Kyats to Dollars on my mind as I check out our beer options. I couldn’t believe that everything was cheap so we grabbed more than we planned for at a mini mart somewhere in Mandalay. We had ten days in Myanmar, and each night it was beer night!

We’re really on a tight budget so we took advantage of the free breakfasts from our hotels in Myanmar and usually stuffed ourselves that lasted until afternoon. Late afternoon and dinnertime were usually for local Burmese cuisine food hunt (check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Bagan).

Choose your beer!
Around 500 to 600 Kyats (US$ 0.47 to 0.57) per can

From Yangon to Bagan to Mandalay. From train food to street food to festival food. We were there to experience it. And yes, we didn’t empty out our pockets during those times.

Yangon

Sule Shangri-La Hotel's breakfast buffet

Bagan

Myanmar Beer - Draught (draft)
with free nuts

Grilled quail eggs with spicy dip - yummy!

Fried Noodles

Omelette

Chicken Fingers

Mandalay

Strawberry Ice Cream
400 Kyats (US$ 0.38)

Local coffee at U Bein Bridge
200 Kyats each (US$ 0.19)

Sinigang-like soup and Adobo-like pork
So-so lunch for 3,500 Kyats (US$ 3.30)

We ordered just one dish and they served us all these...
Halal lunch for 3,400 Kyats (US$ 3.21)

Street food, literally.

Felt like I was on a carinderia in the Philippines
2,500 Kyats (US$ 2.36)

Thingyan Water Festival

Everything fried
500 Kyats (US$ 0.47) for 10 pieces of those fried happiness

Choose your skewers

Bagan's free food offering to guests

Plus this!

Myanmar Local Train

Again, very Pinoy...

Truly Pinoy
500 Kyats (US$ 0.47) for the yummy mangoes with spicy salt

I must say that Burmese cuisine is reminiscent of Filipino food. The typical rice plus viand was evident on our food trip. If we had much money, we would still opt for cheap thrills and experience it the local way. I cannot say that Burmese food was outstanding but generally, it was fine.