It’s Veganuary, a time when many people resolve to eat less meat. The current demand for healthier food options is growing with savvy chefs adapting their menus to include impressive plant-strong dishes. If you’re open to venturing outside your comfort zone, I have a hidden gem that may whet your appetite.
Rangoon Burmese Kitchen is an exotic treasure nestled in downtown Honolulu. Owner Khun Sai has created a peaceful ambiance with artwork and décor from Bur-ma scattered throughout to capture the mood. His other restaurant, Dagon on South King Street, has more of a casual vibe sharing the same menu. If you’ve never tried Burmese food, it’s heavily influenced by the neighboring cultures of India, China and Thailand using common spices and ingredients while maintaining its own unique flavors. Despite fish sauce and dried shrimp being prominent players in the spice profile, vibrant salads and veggies dominate the offerings, making this cuisine appealing to vegans and veg-curious alike.
A knockout dish is the Rangoon tea leaf salad ($14) made with fermented tea leaves. This zesty mixture of cabbage, fish sauce, garlic, red chile, garlic chips, beans, peanuts, yellow split peas, sesame seeds, sunflowers seeds, tomato, jalapeño and fresh lime balances all the five key tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and rich umami. Rangoon’s Burmese salads are bursting with complex flavors, the perfect complement to any of the dishes on the menu.
For the less adventurous, there are addictive appetizers including the Burmese samusa ($14), Myanmar’s take on the Indian samosa filled with potato and spices served alongside a garlic chile sauce; crispy tofu with salad ($14) stuffed with cabbage, sprouts, coriander, dried shrimp, sesame seeds and chile dressing; and Brussels sprouts ($15) with dried fish tossed in a crunchy minced peanut coating.
Gluten-free noodle dishes like Myeik pan-fried noodle, Shan noodle and nan gyi thoke ($18) can be ordered with tofu and veggies instead of meat. Caramelized basil and eggplant stir-fry with tofu, fresh Thai basil, garlic, onion, ginger and chile is a hearty entrée worth sampling. Burmese curries are mildly spiced and more akin to a stew. The pumpkin vegetable stew ($16) thickened with pumpkin puree and the coconut vegetable curry made with a special house sauce are local faves.
Swapping one plate a day for a veggie-based meal can improve your health. Small changes bring big rewards to your overall well-being, so next time you’re dining out, skip the meat and go for the green cuisine.
Rangoon Burmese Kitchen
1131 Nuuanu Ave., Honolulu
808-367-0645
rangoon-burmese-kitchen.business.site
Lillian Cumic is a vegan chef and author of Hawaii A Vegan Paradise and Tasting Hawaii Vegan Style. Her column is a guide for plant-based eating on Oahu. Follow Lillian’s journey at lillianvegan.com.
