Mandalay Burmese Restaurant

I took my girlfriend on a night out at this restaurant and it was lovely. The service and the food were both top quality

This place looks like a cafe, which I loved as it reminded me of my favorite restaurants in south east asia which tend to serve great food in surroundings with a bit of character. I'd describe the food as a mixture of flavours, maybe closest to Thai or Chinese.

The service was very sweet, the waiters seemed to be foreign students only recently employed and they did there best.

For the price this was a great experience, different from a standard night out which is always welcome.

Slight better than Baan Thai around the corner, but you need to consider the price difference. I have a really most locals probably dont consider this, but Im a student so It comes into the picture

Don't be fooled by the plastic tablecloths and the gaudy decor. The food and service are really great at London's only burmese restaurant. You'll want to make a booking or arrive realy early in the evening, as this place fills up very quickly and tables are often reserved.

Loved this place! A friend recommended us to go there and as many other qypers we were a bit reluctant when we got there, location and deco are definitely not the best, but we completely forgot about that when we sat down and looked at the menu. Excellent food, not greasy at all, lots of vegetarian options, fresh and very tasty. Portions were big enough and we ate so much that didn´t have room for dessert (so no clue about the banana fritters!). Service was a bit slow, but the place was packed and they were really nice and trying to do their best. So overall, great food, good service and an even better bill, 15 quid per head. If only Edgware Road was nicer...

Top marks for being a great value-for-money restaurant. The location's a little iffy but that could just have been me as I made my way there from Warwick Avenue tube station on a cold evening. Service was generally good, but varied depending on whom we were speaking with. The food was generally decent, though I found most of the food okay, but perhaps I'm used to stronger flavoured Asian food. However, one definitely cannot argue with the prices. They're great!

On the downside, tables are a little cramped. The selection of wines, as you might expect, is limited, and what we chose turned out to be one of the worst whites anyone on the table had ever tasted. I know one doesn't come to a place like this for the alcohol, but I've been to other reasonably-priced Asian restaurants which managed to have decent tasting wines on the menu. Still, a small quibble.

In contrast to thelondonfoodie, I wouldn't recommend the banana fritter desserts if you're more used to the Singapore version of this dessert known as goreng pisang. I simply adore goreng pisang, and, as another member of my table said, the wrong kind of banana was used, and it's a thicker batter, rather than the crispy, light batter I'm used to. I was tempted to ask for more syrup to pour all over the fritters just to add more taste to it. Again, though, it's just a matter of personal preference, and, if you love bananas, you're probably going to like this dish.

Great little place close to Edgware Road station. The interior of the restaurant is very small but cosy and the staff are great at making you feel comfortable and welcome. Make sure to ask them for suggestions as they are more than happy to go through the menu with you and give recommendations.

It is hard to describe exactly what Burmese food is like, you can find influences from several different asian cuisines. Like one of the other reviewers I tried the chilli chicken, twice cooked fish curry and the aubergine and potato, which were all very good. The twice cooked fish curry is quite different in flavour but is definitely worth trying at least one.

Recommended.

Excellent Burmese restaurant, the only one I know in London! The food they serve is a cross between Indian and south east asian, and many of the dishes are quite spicy, although you can ask for a mild version.

The menu has quite a good range of dishes, and we found it amazing the different types of flavour in each of the dishes. Price-wise, this was one of the best value meals we have had in London!

I can reocmmend having the tamarind lamb, as well as the fish in coconut milk. The naan bread was very good too, a flatter thinner version of the traditional indian naan.

For dessert, definitely try the banana fritters and the last item on the menu which has rose flavour, milk, and ice cream.

Reviewed by The London Insider
http://www.london-insider.co.uk

Mandalay, a sweet and understated place which won the Time Out Top Cheap Eats award in 1996 (and rather adorably still boasts this accolade on the menu) is all about modest surroundings, charming service and big flavours.

I went with a bunch of friends and we had a big bunch of starters to share: Bazun Kaw-Pyant (Shrimp and Vegetable spring-rolls), Kyet-Oo & Ah-Loo Samusa (Egg and Potato Samosas), Boo-Thee-Kyaw (Kalabash), Tin-Baw-Thee Thoat (Raw Papaya and Cucumber), Prawn Crackers and Popadums. The Samosa especially was jaw-droppingly good. Juicy, moist spiced potato and crisp and hot pastry. The salad too took my breath away – crisp and tender vegetables and a hot and sour dressing complimented the soft sweetness of the papaya. We washed it down with cool beer and revelled in the Eastern flavours which combine China, India, Malaysia and Thailand.

For my main I wolfed down a Kyet-Tha Ohn-No Khauk-Swe (a beautiful bowl of noodles with coconut and chicken) which was fragrant and spicy and looked utterly beautiful. Despite, our trousers becoming undone, we shared a Faluda (Milk, Ice cream, Jelly and Rose Syrup), Ice-Cream Mandalay (With Asian Fruits) and Coconut Agar Agar Jelly or Kyauk-Kyaw as it is in Burmese. These desserts featured a lot of coconut and jelly and were brilliantly unusual.

The meal was a snip at £20 a head, including a tip, and the service was charming and gentle throughout. The décor of the place deserves a mention too. Cramped tables, plastic chairs, so like places I have loved eating in Asia. The toilets were an Alice-in-Wonderland adventure away down twisting corridors and the windows were decked in those jumping lights which look wonderfully jolly. For a Thursday night, Mandalay was pretty busy and I am not surprised at all.

Good, bold, honest food at a super price. I will definitely be going back.

Mandalay - Pics @ The London Foodie
(http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk)

Mandalay is a little institution in the London Food Scene – I remember going there 15 years ago and being rather intrigued at the time, so I felt another visit was overdue. Surrounded by the most traditional Levantine restaurants in the country, Mandalay is slightly at odds on the Edgware Road strip. Sadly, very little has changed in this restaurant’s decor and menu in the last 15 years; the food however, tasted as simple and good as I remembered it to be.

Burmese cuisine is a difficult one to pin down – it is primarily a fusion of Chinese and Indian flavours and also to a lesser degree of other South East Asian cuisines, particularly Thai. It is rich, complex and contains most of those familiar Asian ingredients such as coconut milk, coriander, tamarind, lemongrass, curry, and shrimp paste (belacan), among others.

We tried to order a selection of different dishes which we felt would give us a good overview of various cooking methods and flavours. We skipped the appetizers deciding to have an additional main course and accompanying vegetables instead. All dishes were served pretty much at once, by the very personable waiter and owner “Dwight”.

The Lamb in Tamarind £6.90 was tender, tangy and delicious. The sauce was rich and thick with hints of cinnamon and star anise – there was a lot going on in that sauce but the flavours integrated beautifully. I really enjoyed this dish with plain boiled rice £1.90 a portion.

The Chilli Chicken @ £5.90 was, as the name suggests, very hot to the point that it impaired the palate for any subsequent dishes. I love spicy food so was happy with the abundance of dry roasted chillies, and the heat that followed. This was a simple dish where the flavours of chicken and chillies were completely unadulterated by other spices. I would recommend this to those who like me, really enjoy hot foods.

I was intrigued by Mandalay’s Twice Cooked Fish Curry @ £6.90, and was informed by the owner Dwight that the fish was firstly fried and then baked in a rich tomato sauce. We were slightly underwhelmed by this dish at the time, but having tried it at home the following day, I was pleasantly surprised by the flavours of the tomato sauce and spices. It tasted much nicer than the previous evening, so this is possibly a good take-away option!

Aubergine with Potatoes @ £4.80 was one of the best dishes of the evening. The odd combination of these two vegetables, married with some exotic Asian flavours such as shrimp paste and soy sauce, was a real winner. I will certainly order this again.

The star of the evening however was Mandalay’s banana fritters with ice cream. The batter had been prepared with a combination of wheat and rice flours making it crispy and light, melting in the mouth with the hot banana and ice cream. Utterly scrumptious!

Mandalay’s beverage menu is quite limited and well priced: with house wines priced at £8.50 and other wines at £9.90, you are unlikely to break the bank at this eatery. We decided to go for Tsingtao beers at £2.20 per bottle, and felt that they partnered the food well.

We had a lovely chat with the owner Dwight who took great pride in his country’s heritage and cuisine and demonstrated a real passion to communicate that to all his customers. He explained the menu in detail, and made me promise to try one of his signature dishes namely Calabash (fritter appetizer) on my next visit. Our experience at Mandalay was greatly enhanced by Dwight’s care, knowledge and insights.

Verdict – Good, simple Burmese food at very reasonable prices. The location and decor are a little disappointing. Dwight’s love, knowledge and enthusiasm for his country and cuisine are an inspiration to those lucky enough to be served by him.

My brother said the food in this restaurant was too greasy. I think he’s mad. The Mandalay is a brilliant Burmese restaurant with really interesting food that you’re simply unlikely to find anywhere else in the UK, let alone in London. Okay, so the most popular starter is prawn crackers, but the main dishes with their delicately cooked prawns are delicious. The beer is Tsingtao (unremarkable, but tasty). You can get a table here on a Friday or Saturday night if you phone in advance. Don’t be put off by the location; Edgware Road tube station is not far away and therefore neither is the West End.

Mandalay is an absolutely awesome restaurant. The decor is basic and cute, but the food is just top notch. When you arrive, they bring over super tasty prawn crackers and dips. This is the only Burmese I’ve even been to, the food is similar to Thai and Indian. The lamb curry is especially good and everything is really bargainous - we always have to look at the bill twice because we can’t believe how cheap it is. The waiters are very helpful, and the owner is passionate about teaching people about Burmese Cuisine. I would go early and book in advance.

Mandalay is a brilliant restaurant for experimental eaters. its mainly burmese food but also includes a fusion of other cuisines, lots of chinese or indian spicy tastes too. the service is really good, if you get there quite early. otherwise it just gets really busy and you find yourself getting ignored quite a lot. definitely great food, i just recommend you book a table before you get there.

I wanted to try a new restaurant in Central London without breaking the bank and found this one recommended in a magazine. Since it’s near where my husband works, we decided to pop in after work one day. It took some finding on the dodgy end of Edgeware road and we were very sceptical when we saw the shabby exterior and sign from a few steps away. When we got to the restaurant though we found it half empty but when we asked for a table for two, we were asked if we had reservations. Since the restaurant is tiny and looks quite downmarket we hadn’t even thought of making reservations and were turned away by the waitress. That’s when the owner called us and said that if we were willing to sit at the table near the toilet, we were welcome to stay. We agreed reluctantly half disbelieving that they were really fully booked. In 10 minutes though, crowds of people arrived and the place was packed. When the food arrived we realised why. Burmese food is a cross between Indian, Chinese and Thai food with some unique twists of it’s own - like the deep fried shrimp that you are supposed to sprinkle over everything. It was unique and excellent and the management is so friendly and down to earth it’s extraordinary. We will be back - this time having made reservations!

I love this unpretentious Burmese restaurant which has been serving some very good dinners and lunches over the last decade or so. The owners of the establishment have refused to turn their small thriving family business into a chain,refusing to hike up prices or diluting their dishes for the sake of money a few extra pennies.
There are 28 covers in the restaurant on drab and dreary Edgware Road and there are wooden blinds in the establishment to protect the customers from the noisy heavy traffic. It does have its fair share of etchings and travel posters and some basic furnishings from MyanMar and Burma.

The food is all freshly cooked and consists of dishes like vegetable fitters,salads,refreshing soups all served in a bootle gourd. The main dishes are usually pickle style Lamb,admirably light omelette curries.