Familiar and exotic Familiar and exotic (December 10, 2004)

Rangoon's menu features Chinese and Burmese dishes

By Aimee M. Male

To understand the melting pot that is Burmese cuisine it may help to glance at a map.

The ancient country of Myanmar (formerly Burma) is surrounded by neighbors that have influenced its culture and food. Savory curries from India are a common spice for Burmese meat dishes and soups. Lots of dumplings and large bowls of rice noodles are a nod to Myanmar's Southeast Asian neighbors. Citrus-laced salads and coconut-infused soups evoke Thai specialties. Combined, it creates a cuisine that is at the same time familiar and exotic.

After more than 12 years on Palo Alto's Bryant Street, Chef Mike Wong is still serving his native dishes that are expertly prepared -- and always enticingly flavorful -- at Rangoon.

The restaurant offers inexpensive yet generous lunch specials, as well as a complete a la carte menu, in its cozy and informal dining room. The more than 25 special options on the lunch menu include soup, an appetizer, rice, tea and a fortune cookie for just under $6. Dishes arrive quickly from kitchen to table, making Rangoon a perfect lunch stop for local business people.

Raised in the capital of Rangoon, Wong came to this country as a boy and continued his culinary education by working in kitchens dedicated to French, Italian and Chinese cuisine. After the retirement of one of his mentors, Wong decided it was time to strike out on his own. Together with his wife Monica, Wong opened Rangoon in 1992. It was "my dream," he said.

Describing the menu as "35 percent Burmese, 65 percent Chinese," Wong prepares all the Burmese dishes himself. And though all the dishes at Rangoon were solid, I found myself gravitating toward the Burmese specials as favorites.

Special items such as moo-hin-ga ($6.25), a rich fish chowder with crunchy yellow pea cakes, or lap pat thok ($6.25), a unique salad made with tea leaves, should be sampled. Wong learned to conjure up both dishes while standing next to the family's stove with his father, who was also a chef.

Lap pat thok is a mix of bright beautiful yellow peas and lacy, pale green cabbage, freckled with fried garlic and peanuts. Burmese tea leaves, or laphet, are a deep seaweed green and taste smoky and slightly bitter.

This unique combination of flavors is a pure expression of Burmese hospitality, Wong said. Every household typically has a bowl of tea salad waiting for the unexpected visitor, and the dish is as much a staple for special occasions as it is for snacking on a lazy summer afternoon.

Tender shoots of tea plants are picked while still delicate and then smoked and packed in barrels to ferment over the course of a few months. Laphet is not produced outside Myanmar, and Wong often has to recruit traveling family members to bring him back a container or two for the restaurant.

Fermented leaves are never used for brewing tea, but are still loaded with caffeine. The astringent leaves are often eaten after dinner as a palate-cleanser in his native country, Wong said, or simply with rice as a protein-packed vegetarian dish.

Among other Burmese dishes, an appetizer plate of samusas ($3.25) was similar to the Indian snack of the same name. Deep-fried with a thin, crispy skin, the triangular samusas were stuffed with tender potatoes and vegetables, with a touch of curry spices. A dipping sauce added a bit of chili heat to the large, steaming cakes.

Chinese appetizers, such as pot stickers ($4.25), were filled with minced pork and loads of ginger, but the thick, doughy wrapper overwhelmed the tender filling. Other familiar options include crispy egg rolls ($2.95) as well as fried prawns ($5.50).

Wong marinates the tender cuts of meat in All Seasons Beef ($8.25) for a whole day before cooking them rapidly over high heat. The result is beef with a texture that is simply melting and utterly satisfying. Fresh, tender shrimp, crisp green beans and mushrooms are covered in the same savory marinade to complete the dish. Although the menu calls this item "hot and spicy," it is neither; if you prefer a bit more heat, the kitchen would surely oblige.

Burmese curry pork ($7.75) was tangy and gravy-rich, with generous meat cubes that fell apart at the touch of chopsticks or a fork. There was a little more spice in this dish, which offered a unique tang with the addition of pickled mango to the gravy.

After the curry, I tried a lighter entree of pazune thok ($9.50), a simple salad of bite-sized prawns dressed with citrus vinegar that was both sweet and sour. It made a refreshing partner to heavier curry dishes.

Vegetarians should take heed, as many of the items listed as a vegetable or bean curd dish often contain meat, such as hot bean curd Szechuan style ($5.95) or eggplant with spicy garlic sauce ($6.25). Be sure to double-check the menu or ask your server if you're concerned.

The bean curd with kung pao sauce ($5.95) included loads of red and green bell peppers, onions and generous chunks of firm tofu, but was missing the spicy kick of a kung pao sauce.

Dressed with a yellow pea sauce, kala hin ($6.25) had a touch of curry that perked up thinly sliced potatoes, carrots, string beans and stewed tomatoes. A side of coconut rice ($1.35 per person) was a cooling, sweet salve to mouthfuls of curry. Often found in Southeast Asian cooking, coconut rice is sweet enough to eat as a simple dessert with tea, if desired.

The staff greets customers as old friends, and devotees order their favorites without even glancing at the menu. It is not uncommon to hear a satisfied customer exclaim that their meal was "excellent ... as always."

With its unique offerings, it's no wonder that Rangoon has stood the test of time. Wong's creations are artfully prepared and overwhelmingly flavorful, and offer curious diners a fantastic opportunity to discover new combinations that are sure to become favorites.
Dining Notes

Rangoon Burmese and Chinese cuisine 565 Bryant St.,Palo Alto, 325-8146 Hours: Lunch Mon.-Sat: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner Mon.-Thurs. 5 to 9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5 to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Reservations: yes Credit Cards: yes Parking: Lot and street (metered) Beer and wine: yes Takeout: yes Highchairs: yes Wheelchair access: yes Banquet: no Catering: no Outdoor seating: no Noise level: Moderate Bathroom cleanliness: Moderate

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