Rangoon Restaurant
Where? Rangoon Restaurant (Chinatown, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) Map
When? Thursday October 9, 2025
Who? My parents
Food Style? Burmese
I'm taking my parents on a roadtrip around Algonquin, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal, and on this cold Canadian autumn night (cold to my parents, it's only 7C), we've found a Burmese restaurant in Ottawa's Chinatown by just randomly Googling places to eat. Rangoon is the Romanised pronunciation of Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. We don't normally get this kind of cuisine - certainly not in New Zealand, and to my knowledge, not that commonly in Toronto either, so we're keen to try. Most importantly, they have BYO and actively encourage it, so dad can bring some wine along to enjoy. There's parking available onsite, but I don't realise until it's too late. As we enter, the restaurant interior is a little bit chilly, but warm in atmosphere as the owner greets us. She seats us by the window and we begin reading a news article she’s printed out with her smiling face on it. We’re keen to try a wide selection of things, but she’s got some recommendations for us too.
Appetiser #1
Green tea leaf salad (laphet thoke): our signature dish, a delicious traditional salad. Romaine lettuce tossed with fermented tea leaves, tomatoes, roasted garlic, crunchy peanuts, sesame seeds, chickpeas and other dried beans
We start off with the green tea salad. It’s so appetising, strong savory and nutty flavours from the sesame and fermented green tea. The lettuce is crunchy and the fried chickpeas provide extra crunch and flavour. It’s such a good sign if the salad is this tasty - everything else is sure to be good. Would happily eat another plate of this.
Appetiser #2
Fish noodle soup (mohinga): traditional Burmese fish soup combined with rice noodles, red onions, cilantro and lemongrass
The soup arrives and it smells welcoming and comforting. The base is chickpeas so it’s got body and heartiness. The fish flavour isn’t too strong, and overall, it's got that wonderful homemade feel.
We ask for a pot of tea as well, and man, even that tastes amazing. It’s got pandan in it, we think. It’s so fragrant. I should try that at home.
Mains #1
Shrimp (bazun hinn): sauteed shrimp with tomato and seasoned with onions, ginger and garlic
The shrimp has a wonderful tangy tomatoey flavour. I find it a bit basic but tasty nevertheless. I have a penchant for eating really fast and I have to slow down so that my parents have a chance to try the food as well.
Mains #2
Chicken (shan khauk swel): a bowl of rice noodles served with pickled mustard leaves, chili peppers, coriander, topped with chunks of tender chicken and a crunchy mixture of peanuts and sesame seeds
This was another recommendation by the owner. It’s got an interesting flavour profile that I don’t really encounter much in south East Asian cuisine but the peanut flavour is lovely and strong. The chilli doesn’t have a lot of kick in it, but does add some zing to the meal. It feels somewhat similar to satay sauce but more acidic.
Dessert
Cassava and coconut cream cake
It wouldn't be a complete meal without dessert. We have to try it, it sounds like another of the owner's homemade delicacies. It’s a coconut cassava cake - a dense but well balanced, delicious way to end the night. It's not too sweet, but I really appreciate the crunch of the toasted coconut - it's very southeast Asian.
We tell the owner how impressed we are with the food and thank her for an amazing meal with such interesting flavours. Definitely a great place to try if you're in Ottawa.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:27pm on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments :: 
KL Kitchen
Where? KL Kitchen (Chinatown, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Map Menu
When? Thursday September 30, 2021
Who? Me
Food Style? Indo-Malay
It’s been a long time since I got to sit in a restaurant by myself and enjoy writing about food. 18 months of sadness much of which was spent in lockdown really took its toll on my food blog (and my mental health) but with the vaccine rollout largely a success in Ontario, we can finally enjoy dine in again.
I’m in Chinatown to try out an Indo-Malay restaurant called KL Kitchen. There’s a variety of Indonesian, Malay and Thai food available, as well as a Malaysian snack shelf full of delectables like keropok, instant noodles, durian biscuits and Penang white coffee. Most notably missing from the menu is Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia, but since I’m pretty good at making it myself, I’m not too fussed about its absence. Instead, I’ve ordered something that is difficult to make at home: CKT
Mains
Char Kuay Teow
Char kuay teow is delicious flat rice noodles, bean sprouts, onion, chives, eggs and meat (in my case, beef, but often chicken, Chinese sausage or seafood), fried together in a hot wok to impart that famous and absolutely important smokiness - wok hei. Here, they’ve hit all the notes correctly. It doesn’t sing of my favourite CKT from Penang’s auntie with the red hat, but it is very good and something I would order again.
I think it’s missing a bit of seasoning so I ask for a bit of sambal on the side. The waiter is surprised I know what sambal is and asks me if I’m Malaysian; I smugly grin and explain that I was born there but grew up in NZ. He gives me a knowing nod and fetches the sambal. It hits the spot.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:20am on Monday January 17, 2022 :: 0 comments ::
Hawker
Where? Hawker (Chinatown, Sydney, Australia) Map Menu
When? Wednesday November 9, 2016
Who? Me
Food Style? Malaysian Street Food
First stop in Sydney is Chinatown for the food of my people. I'm at Hawker, Malaysian street food, because I happened to be walking around the area, definitely not catching Pokemon.
I've ordered the rojak and satay, with an ice barley water to quench my thirst after walking so much. All these items are usually enjoyed outdoors, in the heat and humid weather, by the roadside where it's typically unhygienic but so tasty.
Penang Rojak
Salad of fresh yambean, fried tofu, cucumber, pineapple, guava and dough crisps, coated in a sweet sticky sauce chilli paste and topped with peanuts
The rojak arrives first and it's damn expensive for what it is, but it hits the spot. Lots of fruit and crunch, and the classic rojak sauce is sweet, sour and slightly spicy and tangy.
Satay Chicken
Grilled over flaming charcoal for that authentic Malaysian flavour. Served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce
The satay is next and though it's not dripping with oil and fat that I remember from the satay houses in Malaysia, the flavour is there - especially important is that smokey barbeque flavour that you only get with grilling over charcoal. I like that they've served this with cucumber and raw red onion - a sign of authenticity!
All in all, the food was good and delivered some authentic flavours, but very expensive for what it was.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:46am on Wednesday January 25, 2017 :: 0 comments ::