Myanmar has so much delicious food but ordering food at restaurants are nightmarishly-difficult. At least 90% of Myanmar people don’t speak a word of English and Google Translate doesn’t seem to work either. Most restaurant menus are written in Burmese language and I simply cannot decipher the curly-wiggly Burmese words.
The increase in tourists after Bagan became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 prompted some restaurants in Old Bagan to include English translations in their menus.
I have personally tried these two restaurants in Old Bagan. Not only does these two restaurants have English menus, but the food is very well cooked and the prices are reasonable.
Ancient Bagan Restaurant
This restaurants has both indoor and alfresco seating. The Myanmar puppets in the indoor seating area and the big red umbrellas shading the alfresco seats make for Instagramable shots.
We ordered three dishes to share between my Myanmar colleague, Su, and me. We had Seaweed Salad [K3000], Ancient Bagan Style Fried Rice [K7000] and Fried Chicken with Vegetable [K4000]. The food was tasty and the price was reasonable.
The Village House Restaurant
I like that the restaurant’s walls are made with weaves bamboo strips and decorated with pathein umbrellas. The tables and chairs are all made of wood and the restaurant is very clean.
I really wanted to try Myanmar curry so I ordered this Fried Fish Curry [K5000]. The curry is not spicy at all although it looks spicy. I can’t quite make out what are the spices that goes into it but it is very aromatic. The curry comes with a plate of steamed rice, a bowl of chin yay hin (Burmese sour soup) and a plate of fruits.
When I asked the staff for a drink recommendation, he told me that their Avocado Juice [K2000] is very nice. It is just plain avocado juice which is a little tasteless compared with the avocado milkshake I am used to have in Singapore.
If you are looking for restaurants in Bagan, Myanmar which has English menus and delicious food at affordable prices, Ancient Bagan Restaurant and The Village House Restaurant are good choices. ”