village mingala

One of the greatest things about NYC is delivery. When you’re hungry and lazy, a great meal is just a phone call away. But contrary to popular belief, all deliveries are not created equal. For example, the most popular delivered food, pizza, tastes much better fresh out of the oven at a restaurant than after bathing in its own steam in a pizza box while the delivery guy bikes around in circles looking for your apartment. The crust gets soggy and the toppings (the same ones you spent 30 minutes arguing with your boyfriend over) slide off when you try to take a bite. You end up with stained jeans, mushy pizza, and a grumpy boyfriend.

On the other hand, many Asian foods deliver well. Your fried rice, chow mein, curry, stir fried dishes, even marinated salads (like Thai beef salad), all taste great right out of paper cartons. It’s no wonder then that Chinese, Thai, and Indian are some of the most popular take-outs. What if I told you that you can get all three flavors from one delivery? Get out! You must be thinking. But you can! The answer is Burmese.

Village Mingala is on my speed dial. I love their delicious and refreshing mango salad; actually, it’s more slaw than salad. Crispy young mango slices are tossed with shredded cabbage and lettuce then topped with ground peanuts and fried onions. This tangy mixture is the perfect refreshing accompaniment to their heartier pork fried rice. The bar-b-q pork slices are slightly charred on the outside but juicy and flavorful all around, complementing the naturally sweet rice. I also love their Nungyi Kyaw (#N6 on the menu) – stir fried rice noodles topped with an egg pancake. The rice noodle is much thicker than the type served in Chinese restaurants. It’s kind of like udon but made with rice. Chewy. Satisfying.

Burmese cuisine balances the sour/spicy/sweet Thai flavors with Chinese cooking techniques, and adds a dash of rich Indian spices like coriander and tamarind. It’s quickly becoming my new comfort food. When I moved from the East Village to LES (all 6 blocks away), I worried that the great Houston divide would deter Mingala from delivering to me. Then I called and the sweet delivery man came. When I opened the door, he smiled in surprise and said, “Hey! You moved!”