Austin Bush

writer/photographer

Instagram

At a weekend market in Yangon, drinking champagne (!) and, naturally, coupling it w Karen-style noodle soup, Shan-style rice dishes, and Tai dishes from Kyaingtong, in Shan State. 🇲🇲

Missed u. #tealeafsalad 🇲🇲

The gosh darn beautyful set of northern Thai dishes we’re serving tonight at Union Bar & Grill in Yangon, Myanmar: northern Thai sausage, a pounded salad of pomelo, lemongrass and crab paste, a dip of minced pork simmered w tomatoes and fermented soy beans, and a laap of chicken w unique dried spices — all dishes from #thefoodofnorthernthailand!

BEIN MONT. Best sweet snack in SE Asia. A subtle honey sweetness. Pleasantly oily. Crunchy from poppy seeds and coconut meat. And look at that crumb! 🇲🇲

@_ladygoogoo_ took me to a market in Yangon’s ‘burbs, where we are a couple uniquely southern Burmese dishes: Rakhine monti, thin rice noodles served in a peppery broth w fish cakes and a spicy chili condiment — one of my fave Burmese noodle dishes — and a noodle salad from the southern city of Myeik, seasoned w a spicy, slightly sweet pickle of mixed vegetables (cauliflower, long bean, wing bean, shallots) and black sesame. 🇲🇲

A mild but resplendent and delicious bowl of ohn no hkauk hswe, noodles in a coconut milk broth. Thanks @_ladygoogoo_ for the heads up! 🇲🇲

Rich, curdy, barely sweet: love the ‘gurt at Shwe Bali. 🇲🇲

I’m not here in Yangon simply to post cool IG pics; this Saturday I’ll be hosting a #thefoodofnorthernthailand dinner at Union Bar & Grill! We’ll be doing a couple northern Thai snacks and a set meal that includes ingredients and dishes you’d be hard-pressed to find in Bangkok, let alone Yangon. To book, contact nikki@57below.com

One of SE Asia’s best breakfast dishes: mohinga, an herbal, fish-based broth served over thin rice noodles. At Myaung Mya Daw Cho, that broth is thick, salty and savory, studded w whole shallots (they’re carefully doled out) and crunchy strips of the stalk from the banana tree. If you like, you can get your bowl topped w fish cakes, lentil fritters or a hard-boiled egg. But get there before 8am or you’re not eating at all. 🇲🇲

Pok Pok on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

October 21, 2009 in blog

More Thai food-related a/v content: Portland, Oregon restaurant Pok Pok was recently featured on the US television programme, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Some brilliant recipes to be had, and I love how it's raining every time they step outside. I miss Oregon...