It’s the dying days of the hot season, and Yangon is gripped by rolling power-cuts. Lights shut off, fans shudder to a halt, and sweat drenched figures stagger through the streets in search of air conditioning. In the stygian darkness, your faithful writer crouches, committed to pushing out the culinary reviews that a benighted Yangon so desperately needs.
This week: Port Autonomy—the second incarnation of an Asian fusion restaurant, reopened with great fanfare in what was previously Union Bar. The original Port Autonomy is whispered about in reverent tones by veteran Yangonites, so with the new P.A. promising a new menu (with a Mexican influence), a new cocktail selection and a fresh new look, the MM team decided to take a look.
Yangon wouldn’t be here today without its port access, and it’s a shame that today’s river is a polluted abyss, where new breeds of diphtheria slither in the dark, and the bodies of Burmese sailors are gnawed upon by schools of three-eyed catfish. Despite this, it’s nice to see Yangon’s oft-forgotten identity as a major trading port celebrated in this way, and P.A. have based their aesthetic on this aquatic identity.
Inside: a few graphic prints of shipping containers, an LED sign and some vaguely nautical furniture—but this is more a facelift than a redesign, and the appeal of dining while sitting on a plastic shipping crate is still unclear. In fact, it’s hard to escape the impression that someone is throwing a Hawaiian themed party inside of Union Bar, although the effect is not without its quirky charm.
If the redesign is half-hearted, the drinks menu is not. Despite the names, serious thought has gone into cocktails such as the Return of the Jetty and Chi Chi Do You Love Me. The signature Glowanus Negroni (7,000 kyats) was excellent—P.A. combines two charred orange vermouths with their Campari, and the finished product packs a real punch. Also recommended is the Angry Apple (5,000 kyats)—soju, mint and apple, refreshing on the palate and warm in the stomach.
We kicked off our meal with a plate of Korean buffalo chicken wings (8,000 kyats), served with sauce and, thankfully, without cheese. More buffalo than Korean and a little on the sour side, the wings made for decent finger food. The kimchi quesadilla (12,000 kyats), meanwhile, was underwhelming—too salty, and without the kick it needed to bring the carbs to life.
One of Union’s strengths was its burgers, so we decided to put the flagship Port Autonomy Burger (16,000 kyats) to the test.
Let’s not mince words: this may well be the best burger in Yangon. A good burger is heavy, fatty, challenging, a messy, visceral experience, and P.A’s bend of Australian beef brisket and sirloin, cheddar and “secret sauce,” provide exactly this. Despite his veil of cultivated cynicism and smug superiority, this reviewer’s hands trembled as he took his final bite, and some claim that they saw a single tear fall with a splash into the Negroni below.
The round of churros (5,000 kyats) were not as impressive, dry and uninspiring, although by now the MM team were a few cocktails deep, and spirits were running high. A word of warning: P.A. is priced slightly above Union, and there’s a 10 percent gratuity (and 5 percent tax), so cash-strapped citizens may want to keep an eye on the mounting bill before the damage is done.
Overall, P.A is a breath of fresh, salty air. Great cocktails, a killer burger and a decent playlist make up for the half hearted redesign and some misfires from the food menu. P.A. is likely to continue its momentum in the weeks to come, so grab a burger, pour yourself a cocktail and escape the blackouts with Yangon’s newest culinary contender.
All Myanmar Mix restaurant reviews are done impartially and independently.
Address: 42 Strand Road
Contact: 01 392 263
Open: 11am-11:30pm
