A taste of burma

Sharing his passion for cooking, along with Burmese food and culture, was business owner Yan “James” Aung’s motivation for launching his food truck, Aloha Bur-ma. The new business can be found in the parking lot at Pearlridge Center three days a week — for now.

“This is the only Burmese food truck on Oahu,” Aung says. “My friend has a Burmese restaurant in Chinatown — Rangoon Burmese Kitchen — but I wanted to share some Burmese food with the West side (of Oahu).

“I’ll be at Pearlridge doing a trial run,” he adds. “I’ll be there Mondays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the other two days are to be determined, so follow us on Instagram (@alohaburma) for updates.”

The food truck’s menu features staples in Burmese cuisine, including Burmese tea salad ($8), samosas ($2 each) and beef masala curry ($14).

“The tea salad is a traditional dish from Burma,” Aung says. “It includes shredded cabbage, pickled tea, tomatoes, crunchy nuts and tea dressing. You need to mix it well to get the tea flavor.”

The business’s laksa noodles ($12) feature vegetarian noodles with chicken, coconut milk, lemongrass, chile, cilantro, mint, lime, bean sprouts and an egg.

“Pour the broth on top and mix it well,” Aung explains. “It won’t be soupy, but the noodles will be coated with it. You can squeeze the lime on top, and if you like it spicy, you can sprinkle chile flakes.”

Burma is known for its curry — “Burma is in between India, Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Laos, so it features a lot of fusion dishes,” Aung says — and Aung’s version is a curry masala with a little bit of coconut milk. Keep an eye out for specials like coconut pudding ($2) and samosas.

“I always wanted to have a small restaurant, but this is just something to start,” Aung says.

Aloha Burma

Various locations
Instagram: @alohaburma
How to order: In person only
How to pay: Cash and credit cards accepted