Mohinga is one of Myanmar’s national dishes. Photo: Myanmar Corner.
In my line of work, I’m often asked for restaurant recommendations. I’m always happy to oblige – it is my job, after all – but I like to go beyond the standard list of Canberra’s best-known restaurants and encourage people to explore the suburbs. One of my most frequent recommendations is Myanmar Corner in Casey.
Gungahlin locals will already have the scoop, but those who live in other parts of the city may not have heard of this unique Canberra restaurant.
Myanmar was formerly known as Burma, and its cuisine is still generally referred to as Burmese, although this title encompasses a wide range of ethnic groups with distinct regional specialities.
It’s still a relatively unknown food culture in Australia when compared to big hitters like Thai, Chinese or Indian. Myanmar shares a border with all three of these countries and, as a result, while Burmese food shares some similarities, its cuisine is unique.
I visited the restaurant recently with my (mostly vegetarian) family and there were plenty of dishes on the menu to keep us full.
To start, we shared the vegetable tempura, which is served with a tangy tamarind and chilli dipping sauce. The tempura is crisp, the vegetables perfectly cooked and the sauce so moreish you’ll want to drink it.
We also enjoyed a special entree of kidney bean fritters. Burmese cuisine uses pulses and legumes in various ways, like Shan tofu, which is often seen on the menu at Myanmar Corner. This regional speciality uses chickpeas instead of soybeans to create a versatile ingredient.
Pickled tea leaf salad is unique to Myanmar. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The must-order dish on the menu is the pickled tea leaf salad, a Myanmar specialty. Although pickled tea leaves are an unusual ingredient, when combined with crispy nuts, shredded cabbage and fresh tomatoes, the combination is stunning: multiple layers of crisp and crunch and an endlessly satisfying flavour. It is an excellent side dish for pretty much everything on the menu, and dried shrimp can be omitted to make it vegan-friendly.
The spicy, crispy zucchini was another absolute winner. Thick slices of zucchini are fried and tossed in a housemade chilli jam and finely shredded makrut lime leaves. The result is aromatic and sticky-sweet with just the right kick of chilli.
On previous visits with friends, I’ve devoured the prawn curry, which is fragrant with curry leaves, mustard seeds, and a killer housemade curry paste that’s perfect to mop up with rice.
The delicate tempura veggies are dipped in tamarind dipping sauce, which adds a nice sweet and sour flavour. Photo: Myanmar Corner.
The noodle section of the menu alone is worth the trip to Casey.
I’m firmly of the belief that a noodle soup can fix just about anything that ails you, and Mohinga (incidentally Myanmar’s national noodle dish) deserves a place among the ranks of laksa, pho and ramen. This slurpable dish comes with rice noodles in a heartily spiced healing fish soup, with a fantastically crunchy shard made from split peas.
Dessert is worth saving space for: the milk tea pannacotta is particularly good.
The hospitality of owners (and couple) Aye and Ko will make you feel at ease as soon as you enter the elegant, high-ceilinged space. It’s affordable enough to be an easy midweek meal (yes, they do takeaway), but the care given to service and presentation creates an elevated experience that is classy enough for a special occasion.
Myanmar Corner is well worth a trip to Casey from wherever you are in Canberra.
Myanmar Corner is located at Unit 38/68 Dalkin Cres, Casey. They are open for lunch from 11.30 am to 2 pm and for dinner from 5 pm to 9 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Follow Myanmar Corner on Instagram.
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