Sai's Tacos, Yangon, Myanmar

Mexican food in Yangon sounds like something that comes out from a science fiction movie, that's exactly my thoughts when a local friend told me about this little place hidden in Bahan, Yangon's equivalent of Bangsar in Malaysia. I have fallen in love with the local food in Yangon since I arrived little over 2 months ago and although I wouldn't mind having Burmese food for lunch everyday, the stomach was craving for something a little different. So one fine afternoon when work in the office was not too demanding, I decided to drop by this place, located in an old school bungalow among Yangon's elites.

The restaurant serves tex-mex favorites such as quesadillas, tacos and burritos in a modest setting among the pretty buildings around the area. Rattan chairs and wooden tables provide a simple yet comfortable among the hustle and bustle of the big city, among with a lot of greens in its garden. Air conditioning was not available due to the small generator they have, but I was not complaining as I enjoyed sitting outdoors anyways.

the interiors. picture courtesy of mmtimes

The menu here is quite interesting. You get to customize your own meals, from the type of meat (beef, pork, chicken) to the toppings (beans, salsa, rice etc). I decided to get a burrito (Ks3,000) with the works (mexican rice, cheese, black beans, mango salsa). Preparation took little more than 10 minutes and before I knew it, I was having one of the best burritos I had ever had washed down with their delightful American style iced tea (Ks500). The burritos was filled with generous portion of ingredients, the meat was well marinated and the combination of ingredients would give anyone a mouthful of orgasms. One portion was enough to fill one's stomach for a few hours but being the greedy pig I am, I decided to go for another order, this time a beef taco again with the works.

the burrito

The Taco (Ks2,200), despite smelling and looking really good, was a bit of a disappointment for me. The taco shell was crunchy but was obviously store-bought. The beef tasted really dry this time, probably because the ingredients were not wrapped together like the burrito. And they could be a little more generous with the sour cream, the cheddar cheese I ordered was missing as well.  I went back to Sai's a few days later however and ordered the soft taco instead, and the soft one tasted really good.

The taco, a slight disappointment

It was a decent surprise to find a decent Tex-Mex restaurant in Myanmar, even in KL I had trouble finding one. The restaurant is quite hidden and the small signage is the only clue on locating the place. Food quality and value wise, one of the best in Yangon. Best of all, home delivery is available for an extra Ks2,000!

Sai's Tacos, Yangon
32A Inya Myaing Road,
Bahan Township, Yangon

Tel: 01-514950

Operating Hours: 
Weekdays: 11am - 9pm
Weekends & Public Holidays: 8am - 9pm



doggyjames says...a decent surprise in Yangon, a break from local food at times.

See-Chat in Yangon

When I first arrived in Yangon, what I first noticed is the number of road side stalls here selling noodles, stir-fry food and other yummies. This is where the locals ate for the past few decades and from what I heard from colleagues, although hygiene maybe an issue, the food offered at these stalls are generally very tasty and cheap. Fits my bill just right so I've made a point to check out one of these stalls near my office during lunch time.

one of the road side set ups. image courtesy of myanmartimes

One of the most common food at these stalls are See-Chat or dried rice noodles, usually served with a simple sauce made from fish sauce, oil and a dash of soya sauce. Really good stuff this, simple yet delicious. The noodles are very light and springy, much like a very good kuey teow back home in Malaysia. And the pricing is very competitive as well, usually around Ks700 for a serving, or about USD1. The noodles usually comes with a bowl of hot chicken or pork broth knows as sup pyote and a side of cold cabbage salad.

yummt simple see-chat

sup pyote

cold salad comes with the noodles

Most locals are content with just the see chat, but not us Malaysians. A side order of kyat or fried chicken dish and hin dee hin ywet or fried vegetables were in order. The chicken dish was stirfried with onions, carrots and long beans with a little bit of soya sauce and the vegetables with a sauce made from soya sauce and tomatoes. The cost? less than Ks 1000 or USD1.50 for each.

very simple yet delicious chicken stir fry

stir fry veg

Like I said before, good food comes in run down, dodgy looking road side stalls. With see-chat at least, that's the case in Yangon!

doggyjames says...these stalls can be found all over the streets of Yangon, and you will never go wrong with the see chat here. I say try it while you are in Yangon and if you are lucky enough not to catch any stomach virus, this would be one of the most memorable meals of your life!