Little Rangoon Taste of Burma

Closed. Out of business, at least when trying to check the place out on July 14, 2010.

Been meaning to try this place for a while and swung by for lunch while running some errands. Delish. I won’t write a whole review as I’ve only been once and had a lunch special. The menu seems to be very pan-​Asian influenced, with bold flavors. If you like heat, ask for the side chile sauces, which you can mix in and increase to your desired level of pow. The owners were incredibly nice and I’m afraid their lease is up, so it remains to be seen if they stay put. If you like Asian food, give them some business… I think it would be a great place to take friends and share a bunch of dishes.

Popped in for a late lunch Saturday.
I like almost everything about this place, except possibly the location, which prevents most of us from finding it. (next to «Sushi on Shea»). First off they offer an extensive wine list, the place is well decorated, and certainly worthy of a budget date night. Anyway, the food was great as was the service. I recommend you give this place a try and specifically request the Burmese dishes.

Little Rangoon features novel cuisine, well executed dishes and quite reasonable prices (thx to the 30% discount). Seven of us shared a unique family style dinner in a pleasant atmosphere, for under $ 100 before tip.
We liked all four curries, but agreed the fish and pork belly were best, while beef and chicken seemed more an accomodation to western tastes. I normally dismiss tilapia as a cheap bland whitefish, but it’s a knockout with the curry. Everyone liked the Tobu salad, and Tea Leaf salad got raves from my wife, who’s not a particularly adventurous eater. Deep fried opa squash has a flaky texture, like swordfish, and was also quite good.
What stands between Little Rangoon and five stars? An owner waited on us, which has its charms, but he was also kinda tone deaf in terms of certain aspects of table service. Portions arent big, and passing the shared plates around there was more a feeling of rationing than of plenty. Nobody starved, of course, but a better server could’ve handled that and some other little things better. Not a huge deal.
Overall, we had a very positive experience, and recommend this place if you’re seeking something different, arent in a hurry and dont want to break the bank. Dont let the hidden location or lack of customers discourage you. The food really is quite good, with a handful of intriguing dishes, and worth the trip.

Stumbled into Little Rangoon while looking for a parking spot for another restaurant and decided as we had never experienced Burmese cuisine before that we would try this place, mind you we love Gujarati, South Indian, Korean, Thai, Szechuan, and Hunan cooking. We stayed away from the menu items that are obviously there to satisfy the less adventurous and aimed at what we thought were the more traditional Burmese dishes. Our meal started with us sharing the Green Tea Salad — which to this day, even after eating this awesome dish dozens of times, is still a favorite. The marinated green tea, crunchy garlic slices, crunchy yellow peas, peanuts, and smoked dried shrimp are all hand carried by friends and family out of Burma. These are added to thin sliced cabbage, tomato, some lemon, oil, and — if you request it, boiled egg. So while this dish may appear pricey, considering its origins and the rarity of these ingredients in the United States, we are quite lucky to be able to sample this delicacy. Try Green Tea Salad with a side of rice for a complete meal.
My wife asked for the Spinach and Marinated Bamboo Shoots for her entrée and was asked if she knew if that was what she really wanted as this is typically an acquired taste. The smell of the marinated bamboo shoots is not for everyone, but my wife is never one to shy away from a food challenge, she loved it and has ordered it a couple of times since then. I ordered the Pork Belly Curry served in a homemade tomato based savory curry I have enjoyed ever since (this curry is used as a base for many of the curry dishes). For dessert it was our lucky day as Elizabeth, the owner, had made her and her workers a special Sanwin Makin or semolina cake with durian (normally it is made with raisins) — delicious, but an acquired taste for us Americans. This must be the easiest way to try durian for the first time as its notorious smell is hard to detect in the cake, not that this was our first time experiencing this pungent king of fruits.
On subsequent visits we have been treated to most every Burmese dish on the menu, including a number of items not on the menu. One of my personal favorites which they have on offer from time to time is the Butternut Squash and Fish Curry. Another favorite but not for the weak of palate due to its astronomic spice levels is a simple preparation of sliced onion with salt, oil, lemon, and enough roasted chilie flakes to camouflage the onions. It sounds simple but the combination comes together to deliver something awesome — this spicy onion salad is more typically a food eaten by rural Burmese. The Pig Ear Salad (not on the menu) was challenging but we were both thrilled at the opportunity to try it.
Something you must try is the Tobu Salad, and no, this is not a spelling mistake, I did not mean tofu. Tobu is a yellow split pea based kind of tofu that is sliced and mixed into a large salad which is one of my wife’s and my favorite dishes here. She also loves the Moh Hinga. This soup is one of the most traditional of all Burmese dishes. Moh Hinga is made of cat fish and rice noodles, garnished with cilantro, and on request served with sides of lemon juice, chili flakes, boiled egg, and crunchy yellow peas which you can mix into the soup to your own taste. There are many more authentic Burmese dishes on the menu but if you only try what might already be familiar to you, you will not have mustered the courage to try something new and wonderful.
Little Rangoon, like nearly all restaurants in the Phoenix /​Scottsdale area this year finds themselves at times in the doldrums waiting for a customer but they are surviving so if you find the restaurant devoid of diners don’t let that disuade you from dipping your toe into the Taste of Burma. One more thing, the FALOODA. Oh My God, the falooda for dessert: vanilla ice-​cream, egg custard, boba (tapioca pearls), thin agar noodles, and rose syrup milk is a treat that only a fool would pass up. I live for Falooda.

I’ve been to Little Rangoon twice and I haven’t been disappointed. I always try to stick to the more obscure and Burmese dishes and they have always been an exotic and unique blend of flavors. Here is what I suggest to newbies deciding to dine there!
Appetizers: The Fried Opo is the must off the list… it’s a sort of gourd that’s tempura battered and fried into yumminess! Oh, and the mussels are quite tasty, too!
Salads: Heavenly Tomato Salad… and it is heavenly! If you are daring, try the Tea Salad… It’s got a lot of spices and just didn’t impress me to ever get it again. but that’s just my taste buds… Must say it was very interesting!
Noodles: Still haven’t found a favorite… I think the closest to it would be the Malaysian noodles.
Entrees: Beef Curry Short Ribs, Little Rangoon Curry with Tilapia
Sides: Paratha… sooooo thin and melt in your mouth yummy! Great with Dipping sauce!
Dessert: Sanwin Makin (Semolina Cake with White Poppyseeds) and the Cappucino Crunch Gelato or the Tartufo – very hazulnut chocolatey!
I made reservations both times and they have accomodated me nicely… the only sad thing was that they didn’t have the Sanwin Makin dessert the last time I was there… going again soon, so hopefully that won’t be the case as I find myself craving it whenever I’m in a food nostalgic sort of mood.
They are currently running crazy ridiculous lunch specials and 30% all menu items so there’s not better time to try it but now!
Wait service has always been attentive and helpful… I think I had the same waitress everytime and she was helpful in figuring out how many dishes to serve a party of six and which dishes she would recommend.
Ambiance is a dimly world that with the artwork tries to transport you to Burma, but on an architectural note takes you elsewhere… say Greece or maybe Italy… probably figments of the restaurant that preceeded Rangoon… in any case more upscale than your usual Asian restaurant, which is nice.
So Little Rangoon, I hope you’re here to stay because where else but burma would I turn to to get my Burmese fix?!

I was surprised to find a Burmese restaurant in Scottsdale while on a business trip. I had one great experience with Burmese cuisine in Washington, so I gave it a try.
The restaurant was tucked away in a strip mall surrounded by other larger restaurants. Given the location I was assuming a bare-​bone restaurant, but was surprise to find the restaurant decorated nicely with what seemed to be authentic Burmese arts and crafts.
I had the special tofu salad, which was made with Burmese tofu made of chickpeas instead of standard soy. The tofu had a mildly sweet taste which was balanced well with the spicy sauce.
For the entrée, I had the chick curry, which was spicy but not overwhelming that I could not enjoy the taste of the spices.
In general, a great experience and food. My only regret is the 3,000 mile distance between myself and the restaurant.

Saturday night.
Date night.
«Let’s try somewhere new,» I suggest to my man… and alas, he agrees!
Ten minutes later, we find ourselves sitting in Little Rangoon. We’re the only ones in the place aside from the staff. We probably would’ve left had it not been for the «People Love Us On Unilocal» sticker on the door and Alfred, the friendly owner who was also our waiter…
Jared not only agreed to go somewhere new but he allowed me to do the ordering. The first dish that caught my eye was some sort of vegetarian dish that Alfred said people either love it or hate it. He wasn’t trying too hard to sell it, so we went with some more common (at least to us) choices from the menu: spring rolls (the kind that are not fried) with chicken, a noodle dish similar to a pad seu eu, and a vegetable dish with tofu that we added okra to. (I love okra!)
Unfortunately, the chicken in the spring rolls was rubbery and kind of gross… and the vegetable dish was covered in a really oily sauce that lacked flavor. I’d probably give this place two stars, but Alfred was nice enough and they serve okra — huge props for that. Even so, the meal was pricey for what we had… and I don’t think I’ll be returning anytime soon. I hope it was an off night for their sake.
And now, because of our so-​so /​not fantastic experience, I am pretty sure I will not be allowed to choose the date night restaurant for a while… :(

«delicious, good ambience & unique place!» ⁴⁄₅
We had been talking about going to Little Rangoon for at least 3 months. Finally, we went there last month for J’s birthday. When weentered the restaurant, it was only another table and us. We were quickly welcomed by the hostess and the server. Both of them were good in recommending the food to us.
We had a special tobu salad dish (made from soy paste, and veggies). Tobu salad was worth a try! It was spicy and yummy. We ordered a 3 out of 4 on its spicyness scale. We thought we could handle it! But NO! It was too spicy for us even though we are big spicy food fans. ;)
We also tried their Burmese style lamb curry and a Malaysian fried noodle. The lamb curry was good with roti pharata and steam rice! I definitely will go back for both tobu and lamb curry dish. I have a higher standard for Malaysian food since I am a Malaysian. I have to say that I wasn’t very impressed by its Malaysian fried noodle. Maybe we should just stick to the local Burmese food next time. Price-​wise… I think it is a bit above the average restaurant price but with its quality in food and service, we will definitely check back!

Looking for a nicer Asian-​style restaurant? Do you need a break from your standard Japanese and Thai fare? Then check out this place.
My husband and I started with the samosas, then I went with the Jumbo Prawns Coconut Curry. He went with the Jumbo Prawns Curry. Sounds like a minor distinction, I know, but the two main dishes, served family-​style, tasted quite different, and he went with spice level 2 (I stuck with the still-​hot-​for-​me level 1).
The servers were very kind and attentive.
I definitely recommend it.

Food is fantastic. Spice levels are appropriate. Great selection of beer and wine. Our favorite dish was the tobu salad; it’s light, zesty and refreshing. Tobu is Burmese tofu made of another bean instead of soy. The Ba-​Yar Gyaw appetizer was also very good. The semolina cake for dessert is tasty. My only complaint is that we didn’t bring enough people to justify ordering more dishes.

Billed as the only Burmese restaurant in Scottsdale, a claim I doubt is heavily disputed, Little Rangoon has to cater its menu to a wider audience. Though there are a few native Burmese dishes, many of the dishes were common Thai plates. Although I guess most specialized restaurants in cuisines like Burmese have to throw a wider net to catch more customers, I like to restaurants stick more to their native specialties.
I did have the si gyet kauswer (garlic noodles), which is heavily Chinese inspired, but still unique enough not to be readily available at other types of restaurants. The soft egg (?) noodles were delicious, but the duck was barely present. I did enjoy the sweet sauce accompanying the noodles as well.
I’ll have to come back some time and order family-​style so I can try more variety. I’ll also be sure to try the curries, which are supposedly a cross between Indian and Thai curries.

While rethinking a trip I took to Myanmar a few years back, I really don’t remember eating anything typically Burmese. Just chicken, rice and fish really. After eating here, it made me want to go back and see what I missed.
I came by here last night on a whim with some family members not really knowing what to expect. Starting off, we ordered samosas which were good, but not great. For our main courses we had Beef Marsala and the Chicken Basil with jasmine rice. The portions weren’t huge, but it was just enough to split three ways and not feel overly full. Those two dishes were made up one of the best tasting meals I’ve had in a long time. Describing the food and the flavor is hard to do because it’s not as hot as Thai, not as spicy as Indian, but definitely not Chinese. It’s kind of this weird «it’s like this, but not like that» mix which makes sense given Myanmar’s geographical location. Regardless, it’s some of the better tasting food I’ve had in Scottsdale and is surprisingly well-​priced.
If you’ve ever had an ABC drink, they have a desert that’s alot like that. I forget the name, but it was the perfect way to end the whole meal. The mango-​raspberry sorbet was also ridiculously good as well.

Rereading my post, I’m aware that my review may sound to be a negative one, but I want to make it clear that I did enjoy the flavors of the dishes I tried. It was the less-​than warm reception to the questions I had asked– a perception I haven’t had in a VERY long time (all the venues I’ve been to for many months, a few years, even, have been quite accomodating), and the long wait times I encountered affected the tone of this review.
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I’ve had this «Taste of Phoenix» giftcard (purchased through Costco) good at restaurants such as Tapino, Picazzo Gourmet Pizza, Medizona, and Little Rangoon since pre-​Christmas, so I decided to go for my first LRvisit last Friday. Alfred, who I later found out is one of the venue’s two owners (found a business card w/​his name on it), showed me to one of the corner tables (there were two occupied tables indoors and a full table outdoors).
After food allergy issues were covered, I ordered the two items I spotted on the online menu beforehand– Chicken satay app and Dhal curry. I was starving and was thankful for the complimentary fried wontons and questionary dipping sauce. It looked somewhat akin to Chinese duck sauce and was sure to contain allergenic ingredients (Alfred didn’t check on the info). Though I was almost starving, I had to ask Alfred to take the plate away, even though ²⁄₃ of the wonton chips remained. Thankfully, the two menu items I ordered almost arrived simultaneously, albeit after what I thought was a long wait for an app dish and soup (15 minutes for homemade soup I can understand, but 15 minutes for an appetizer of four 4“x1″ skewers of grilled chicken skewers?). Though it wasn’t as dark in the restaurant as my photos would lead you to believe, the somewhat fatty satay skewers didn’t have that gorgeous caramelization I’m used to seeing in other venues and as such did not strike me as «grilled to perfection» as stated on the menu. The serving temperature of the skewers also seemed closer to room temperature than straight from the grill, but at least I was able to eat these right away since the Dhal curry was so hot, I had to let it cool for at least ten minutes. The paratha that accompanied the curry was nicely plump and flaky when it first arrived, and, fortunate for me, I tore a piece and tried it with the too-​hot curry then and so was able to enjoy its flakiness. After devouring the slightly luke-​warm satay skewers, which were very good when paired with the DELICIOUS peanut sauce (although I found it visually off-​putting), I turned my attention to the curry soup, which was still very hot, but was so tasty that I decided to plow ahead (an almost visual truth since I was hungry!). The split pea and lentil soup was a satisfying meal, yet I was expecting a more viscous consistency, closer to hummus, although I cannot fathom why, since dhal/​daal curries of Indian cuisine are also on the watery side (at least Pasand’s and Udupi Café’s were, as I recall). The cooled paratha was disappointing at this point since the flakiness was almost nonexistent, and the bread’s texture was now almost pasty. Should I order the dhal curry dish again, I’ll have to ask that the paratha be brought out after the soup’s cooled for a few minutes.
I hope to visit soon for lunch where I hope I’ll be able to give a higher rating. In the meantime, please enjoy the pics I’ve included! :) Be warned– it took at least fifteen minutes for my check to arrive, despite the fact there were only three or four tables occupied at any given time (around ten people or under that). Thought I’d also mention that while the take-​out menu only indicated two dessert items (Sanwin Makin and Mango-​coconut pudding), the server did show me a menu with many intriguing gelato desserts ranging from $ 3 scoops to $ 5-​$ 8 sundaes and other creations! Since I had the impression that Alfred didn’t appreciate the food allergy questions I posed to him earlier, I wasn’t in the mood to go into more detail with the gelatos’ ingredients. ‘Twas a shame, since my sweet tooth was raging after having consumed the spicy curry soup.

Pretty good… we sampled a lot of different dishes. The sea bass was perfect, as were the noodles (Nangyi Thoke). The spices and sauces for the dishes are unique and very flavorful. The prices are a little higher than I thought they’d be, but then again it is a restaurant in North Scottsdale so that’s probably to be expected.
They have a frequent dining card that’s nice in that you get $ 10 off your next meal when you spend $ 100 total at the restaurant (doesn’t have to be all at one time, it can be added up from previous visits).

So imagine if you threw Indian, Chinese, and Thai food into a blender. Grossed out? Intrigued? Skeptical? Well, that’s Burmese food for you.
When I first heard about Little Rangoon opening in the Valley some months ago, my immediate thought was «I need to head over there right now and devour some Beef Kebat stat!» As one who used to be a fervent patron of the much-​debated-​on-​Yelp Burma Superstar and Mandalay back in San Francisco (I fully disclose I just dropped the SF bomb), I was really missing the unique blend of flavors that Burmese food was all about. I’ll be honest and say I was completely surprised that a Burmese restaurant actually opened here, but then again I’ve been to Uzbek, Iraqi and Bosnian restaurants in Phoenix so I really shouldn’t be. I’m not complaining, in any case.
All that ramble said, work had other ideas for the past several months and I never had the time to go to Little Rangoon until last week with some friends of mine who really know their southeast Asian food.
The setting is nice — albeit it looks like it used to be a fancy Italian restaurant or something once upon a time, with its roman columns and whatnot. The music selection was awesome, though. Imagine ChungKing Express, but not. I think we heard «She’s Like The Wind» in Burmese. I am not kidding you.
We started off with two appetizers — the samosas and the crispy gourd (opo) fritters. None of us thought the samosas were that flavorful (even with the acknowledgment that they wouldn’t be like Indian samosas), but we took a liking to the fried opo. Light and tasty, not too greasy, with a zesty dipping sauce.
Next came our entrees — a noodle dish and two curries. We were all looking forward to the Pan Tay Kauswer (egg noodles in chicken coconut curry), but the dish was kind of a let down in the flavor department. Edible, for sure, but none of us sang its praises. The two other dishes (the Traditional Chicken Curry and the Boneless Beef Shortrib Curry) were much better and had a lot of flavor — both veer somewhat towards to the Indian side of spice spectrum and I’d definitely recommend them. You could say they cook these flavors better than most of the Indian restaurants in the Valley.
I really wanted to end the meal with some falooda (rose-​flavored milk with tapioca pearls and agar jelly strips) for dessert, but we were all about to burst so I held back.
All in all, my friends and I were pretty pleased with the meal, the service, and the overall experience (I mean, come on, Burmese Patrick Swayze?) and I’d give it 3.75 stars overall, rounding up to 4. Crowd was pretty light on this weeknight and I am hoping it picks up more business as a lot of people probably stick to their tried and true Chinese, Thai, and sushi restaurants. You can tell they’re a little worried because they started adding dishes to its menu that obviously cater to risk-​averse diners (chicken with orange sauce, I’m looking at you), but I’m hoping folks who go here experience what is traditionally Burmese. I plan on going back myself to get the Tea Leaf Salad, gold potato curry with paratha, and that elusive falooda (there’s only so much one can devour in one sitting).
Hopefully I’ll see you there.

Unilocal to the rescue!
Had to find the perfect place for a birthday dinner and the requirements where: An ethnic place that has good vegetarian/​seafood options that they had never been to before… and it would be a plus if the place was good.
An almost impossible task was Ahead of me. The clock was ticking, with 8 hours left I started by asking every stranger at the coffee bean I was at for help. the best option I got from those conversations was a steak house!, either ethnic nor vegetarian… Defeated I turned to Unilocal…
First Unilocal helped me remember all the places I’ve been to with this person so I knew where to rule out. Next I did place a post on the Talk section asking for help, and got some good Mexican choices, but I was looking for more middle eastern or African.
I started clicking away on every cuisine in Unilocal,allot of which Phoenix doesn’t even have. Cambodian, Moroccan, Afghan I went through them all and made a list of 5… and Little Rangoon was the only one they hadn’t been too.
A little hard to find behind the Claim jumper I had to call in to find my way through the shopping center its in. Inside really nice décor that is a mix between Greek pillars and little Burmese Accents.
Our dinner guests all wondered about where is Burma? The menu had a nice little thing about it being between India and Thailand… and that’s what the food reminded me of similar, but yet completely unique all on its own. Fried squash «Opo» a traditional Burmese snack was a great Appetizer. Had the traditional fish Curry dish and the sea bass with Black bean sauce with Cilantro on top. I have always been a fan of adding Cilantro to my stir-​fry, Great to see it used here…(side note some people feel Cilantro tastes like soap and If you see me in person I have an embarrassing Exploding Cilantro story to tell. It involves a Garbage disposal and a «I told you so» moment)
For desert had «fooloda» an interesting yogurt shake type thing that I wouldn’t recommend… the traditional «Sanwin Makin» cake was very good… but the crispy banana fritters topped with ice cream was unbelievable… no really I can’t believe that that was bananas. I actually think that they gave us a different dessert. A mistake that it fell on our table on its way back to heaven. It was that good…
In the days that followed, many conversations where started about the cool new cuisine that everyone tried. «Yelp, whats that?» is often the first question asked about the story … Oh its just the coolest thing that saved the day…
Little Rangoon 5 Stars…
Unilocal… more stars then I can count…

I never realized there were other restaurants behind Claim Jumper on Shea until Alex C. told me about Little Rangoon. And what a find it is! The restaurant opened early this year taking over an Italian restaurant with Roman pillars and the works. The owners added artwork brought over from Asia to make it their own — the East meets West look is really quite elegant.
Alfred the owner manages the front of house and his Burmese wife is in charge of the kitchen. The couple’s love and pride for what they do shows in every aspect from décor to service to food. As a fellow small business owner I can really appreciate that.
We followed Alfred’s recommendations and ordered the «more» Burmese dishes (vs other dishes with greater influence from bordering countries like Thailand and India). We’re glad we did because starting with the Tea Leaf Salad, we had a chance to taste things that we’ve never experienced before even after living many years in Bangkok.
Excellent food and service at a great value — we’ll definitely be back.

Branching more into unknown territories of International foods Burmese has been on my radar since reading about a wonderful place in San Francisco. So when I heard that there was a Burmese place here in the valley well, I got excited.
The place is awesome! Crossed somewhere between Asian style and Indian style we were all very surprised on how well the food is prepared. We ordered about 13 dishes with our friend (plenty of leftovers) ranging from coconut rice to beef short rib curry. The flavors were great and very unexpected in terms of simple preparation of high quality ingredients.
Standouts were the ginger salad (mixed table side), pork belly curry and the coconut rice. Not only was everything just incredibly tasty but also well priced.
Add another tasty mom and pop owned restaurant to the valley. its a real winner!

So, you’ve never had Burmese food before?
I hadn’t, either — until going to Little Rangoon this weekend.
According to the menu, «Burma shares borders with Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand, and so its cuisine is invariably influenced by these surrounding cultural spices, seasonings, ingredients and cooking styles.»
And yet, it was completely different from anything I’d had before, too.
Little Rangoon has a lovely atmosphere. It’s one of those restaurants that has nice decorations and a romantic feel to it – like an expensive restaurant would — but still manages to price its entrees between $ 8 – 16. This place is definitely not a hole-​in-​the-​wall — it’s pretty, with nice art on the walls.
For starters, my husband ordered the chicken curry pastry puffs, which were really good, he said.
For entrees, I decided to try something called «samosas and Ba-​Yar Gyaw Soup,» which is a tasty thick yellow bean soup with cabbage, onion, potato and tamarind juice. It’s presented with broken up pieces of samosa and Ba-​Yar-​Gyaw (dried split peas crushed and deep fried). It was $ 8 and it was SO AWESOME. If I could have this for lunch everyday, I would. The owner told us that particular soup is really popular among the women who come in for their lunch breaks.
My husband, meanwhile, ordered the coconut milk chicken curry, which he loved. He said it had high-​quality ingredients, and the taste was more subtle than a Thai or Indian curry would be.
For dessert, I ordered Burmese semolina cake, which was nice, but heavy.
He ordered Falooda, which is this funky rose-​flavored milk, icecream, tapioca, bread pudding and jello strips all mixed into a sundae dish (It’s quite the acquired taste — although I like it).
Throughout dinner, the owner was very friendly about discussing Burmese cooking, etc. The waitresses were friendly, too.
I really hope this place makes it – it’s tucked in the same complex as a Claim Jumper, Tapino and Radda wine bars and Sushi on Shea, so it has a lot of competition for diners. But in my opinion, it’s the best on the block!