Kyain Kyain

Soleil Ho Finds Best Tea Salad in the Bay Area in Fremont | Eater SF

"On a deep dive into Fremont's Burmese restaurants I confronted my unfamiliarity with the cuisine and came away impressed: Kyain Kyain's lahpet thoke—the ubiquitous tea leaf salad—was, in my view, 'the best in the Bay Area,' a textured, unforgettable version I still stumble saying aloud but am willing to embarrass myself for. The chicken curry struck me as 'the oilest I’ve had yet,' but after speaking with Burmese expert MiMi Aye I learned about the see-pyan technique—cooking the curry down so the oil disappears into the sauce and then rises back up—which explains and justifies the oily, saucy curry that Burmese diners prefer and use as a condiment on vegetables, rice, and bread. It's a filling dish that will fill you up to a full KO; I would order it again and clear out my appointments for a few hours afterward. More broadly, the review was about letting go of diner insecurity: it's OK to mispronounce things, to ask questions, and to keep learning, because otherwise you miss out on versions as unforgettable as Kyain Kyain's." - Ellen Fort