Fifty Viss

a collection of thoughts and writings on Burma

The best Burmese salad noodles in America

Hkauk hswe thoke

The best Burmese salad noodles (hkauk hswe thoke) in America come from one very talented woman. Daw May-yu, who is originally from Mergui (Myeik) Tavoy (Dawei) in Tenassarim Division (Tanintharyi), sells them from her home for $2.75 a box, fish soup included. Although she makes money through an illegal food establishment (for health safety reasons), she cooks some of the best Burmese food in America.

It’s no wonder that her hkauk hswe thoke is often sold out by 11 a.m. during the weekends (she’s also very popular for catering at Buddhist monasteries). Daw May-yu also sells mohinga, other Burmese specialties and some dishes from the Mergui region.

Hkauk hswe thoke is a mix of cilantro (coriander), fried fish paste (ngapi kyaw), chopped onions, cucumber and lettuce), some flour, noodles, and an oily sauce that gives the noodles flavor and fragrance.

A closeup of the scrumptious noodles:

Hkauk hswe thoke

6 Comments on “The best Burmese salad noodles in America

  1. Yangon Thu
    14 July 2007

    Hey, where is this lady selling it? Is this in LA?

  2. Aung Kyaw
    15 July 2007

    She lives and sells the food from her San Gabriel home, on the corner of Del Mar Avenue and Fairview Avenue. Her phone number is 626-287-7526, and if you want to buy some food, you should call her and ask if the food still available and most people go through the backyard so neighbors don’t get suspicious that she’s selling food. I’m not sure about the exact address, Daw May Yu’s house is a white house next to the two-storey house. Call her for more detailed directions, sorry!

  3. Hella Delicious
    18 July 2007

    Thanks so much for this info on the noodles. Oh and by the way thanks for the comment about my article on Turmeric.

  4. masa
    30 July 2007

    i love burmese food and would like to try making some of the things i’ve had at restaurants, but for some reason, i can’t find a burmese let alone an asian market that sells burmese food products. it’s all very odd….where in the LA area can one get burmese ingredients! like pickle tea leaves.

    Cheers

  5. Aung Kyaw
    30 July 2007

    masa: It is quite difficult to know where to get Burmese food. For me, I just wait for relatives coming back from Burma who bring back Burmese foodstuffs like pickled tea leaves but Daw May Yu also sells these items (her phone number is above.)

  6. SinoSoul
    8 December 2009

    mother of God.. this woman lives less than 5 miles away. Where the hell have I bin? LOVE monh-hin-ga (sp). Have you been to Yoma in Monterey Park? Why are there not more Burmese restaurants? And why does J Gold still think Golden Triangle is edible?

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This entry was posted on 14 July 2007 by in Burma, Culture, Food.

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