Burmese Food Expedition

Yesterday, my half-Burmese friend, Victoria, texted me that she might be able to drive me to Asian Bowl. I ventured out there a few weeks ago and it was great; I wanted to go back there with someone who knows the cuisine well, and I was willing to settle for half Burmese. This morning, my wife, my daughter, and her daughter (both go to the same middle school), all jumped on her bandwagon (a brand new Land Rover with seats that heat and cool, and other high-tech features that she didn’t know how to use) and headed to Rego Park, Queens. It felt like a school trip.

For some reason, Google Maps wasn’t working well, and I’m a terrible navigator because I don’t drive. So, Victoria and I bickered in the front seats like an Asian-Jewish couple. It took about 45 minutes to get there because of the traffic, but the time we spend in transit is part of the fun of a school trip.

At the restaurant, we let Victoria order. She explained to the owner that she is half Burmese and he looked half impressed. She ordered seven dishes. The beef curry was so good that we had to order two, and she ordered two more to take home. She also ordered two mohingas because she wanted one for herself. She liked it and vouched for its authenticity. Now, I feel half-confident that I know what real mohinga is like. We all agreed that Gin Thoke (ginger salad) was another standout. After we cleared all the plates, Victoria ordered two different kinds of dessert. I thought I couldn’t eat anymore but I kept eating them, and we cleared that plate too.

With full stomachs, we decided to go to the mall in Flushing where a Japanese 99-cent shop recently opened. We got lost a few times and took twice as long as it should have taken. It’s odd to see so much excitement over a 99-cent store. A few weeks ago, it opened with great fanfare, and even today, there was a long line to get in. But when we are on a school trip, we don’t mind waiting in line; it’s just more time to chat with our friends.

On the way back, we got lost a few more times, and we were happy to see the Manhattan skyline, like a bunch of school children.