Instead of grilling in the backyard or heading to the beach to celebrate the Fourth of July, The Astronomer and I spent our random Thursday off from work lunching at Monterey Park’s Daw Yee Myanmar Café. It somehow seemed fitting to celebrate America’s birthday over Burmese food. Mmm, freedom.
We first encountered Daw Yee Myanmar Café’s impressive cooking at the 626 Night Market and were stoked to finally visit the brick and mortar location. The restaurant, which is named after its owner Daw Yee, specializes in homey Burmese fare served in a bright and modern setting.
To start, we shared the lahpet thohk ($6.95). The beautifully plated Tea Leaf Salad was comprised of sesame seeds, shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes, chilies, crispy lentils, fried garlic, roasted peanuts, and of course, fermented tea leaves.
The salad was a veritable cornucopia of textures, flavors, and freshness. The fermented tea leaves brought a distinct funkiness to the table, while the legumes offered a punch of crunch. The salad was a touch too stinky for The Astronomer, but I wholly embraced it.
