Do you want to enjoy the best Myanmar breakfasts at a chic, Western-style café? There's a place called Four Tomatoes located at the corner of 48th Street and Mahar Bandula Street, and it's quite convenient since there's parking available for those coming and going.

Are you someone who loves Mandalay food? Do you want to savor the best Myanmar cuisine? Struggling to find a clean, neat, high-quality place to treat foreign guests to
local food without spending too much?

Then just head straight to Four Tomatoes. A plate of good, pure-oil fried snacks starts from 800 kyats, and a cup of rich, red tea is 700 kyats, so for about 1500 kyats you can create the perfect morning.

  • Sticky rice packets, pickled tea leaf rice packets
  • Mandalay Myi Shay — fried pork dumplings that pair well with it
  • Kyaukse-style Mohinga, assorted fried snacks

  • Samosas, forest chicken oil rice
  • Mandalay rice salad, authentic Mandalay steamed rice
  • Fried rice with boiled peas, fresh green pea tofu salad

You can also find these famous traditional Myanmar dishes here.

The owner's intention is to prepare traditional Myanmar dishes in a high-quality, clean, and fresh way that's especially health-conscious, and to serve them with full sincerity.

I was curious about the currently famous plate of fried snacks priced at 2000 kyats, which seemed expensive, so I tried it. When I ate it, it was crispy and the oil wasn't greasy, so there was none of that off feeling you sometimes get on your tongue. The main thing about fried snacks is the oil. They use pure peanut oil, which costs twice as much as regular oil, and unlike roadside fried snack stalls, they don't reuse the same oil batch after batch.

The split peas and chickpeas used in the other fried items are ground in-house, so there's no mixing of inferior ingredients, and the batter isn't made from ready-made mixes either.

As for the taste, it's completely different from the usual fried snacks — it's truly worth it. Even foreigners say they really enjoy having our traditional Myanmar food prepared and served in such a healthy, well-balanced way. As a Myanmar person, I feel it's something to be proud of.

Mandalay Myi Shay

The noodles for Myi Shay are sourced directly from Mandalay every day, regardless of cost, and since the oil and coloring used are all organic, you can really taste the difference when you eat it. The meat is extremely tender and consists entirely of real meat, so it's very satisfying to eat. As for the broth, chicken bones and vegetables are blended in proper proportion and simmered for a long time without using any added sweetener, so while it might taste slightly plain to the Myanmar palate on its own, paired with the Myi Shay noodles, the balance of spice and flavor is just right.

Kyaukse-style Mohinga

I also tried the authentic Kyaukse-style Mohinga. It uses the original Kyaukse cooking method but prepared in a more systematic and hygienic way, and the taste is quite worthwhile.

The samosas are my personal favorite

I learned that they're not too oily, and only high-quality butter is used. In the samosas, the sweetness comes purely from onions that are carefully caramelized layer by layer, so the flavor is distinctly different from ordinary sweetness. Every bite was so good I kept thinking "this is amazing." The raisins and almonds used inside are also good quality — truly homemade samosas. Given how health-conscious and worthwhile these samosas are, a plate costing 3500 kyats is quite reasonable.

Pork Gyoza, aka Fried Pork Dumplings

Of all the dumplings I've ever eaten, these are the most satisfying. Besides pork, they're mixed with tender mushrooms. Instead of being deep fried, they're made crisp in the oven, so they're perfect for people who are wary of oil.

I was quite impressed with Four Tomatoes' homemade yogurt. You can pair it with honey or palm sugar as you like, and with the flavorful dried fruits mixed in, it's truly a treat for the taste buds.

Since all the food at Four Tomatoes is portion-controlled, the amount in each dish isn't very large. This is because the ingredients used (from the oil to the coloring) are of a quality that costs two to three times more than usual.

The café's décor is also genuinely chic and Western-style. It's neat, clean, and has a calm, relaxing atmosphere. The lighting is great for taking photos too, which is very convenient. Located near the top of 48th Street close to the intersection, it's easy to get to. It's hygienic. Since they prioritize natural colors and homemade methods, it's a place that anyone who cares about their health should visit.

There are even customers who love Four Tomatoes' food so much that they order it in lunch boxes. I learned that they prepare Myanmar rice and curry dishes exactly to customers' preferences. In addition, I was told that Four Tomatoes' samosas have been ordered for three or four wedding receptions as well.

Currently, they're also preparing a special evening menu, so in addition to authentic Myanmar breakfasts in the morning and Myanmar rice-and-curry lunches during the day, they're working on offering things like beer, wine, and promotions for those wanting a night out, so there's always something new.

Don't delay — head over quickly and invite yourself to try Four Tomatoes' uniquely excellent food!