My first try with Moinga @ The Moinga Man

I was taken to a small hole-in-the-wall Burmese restaurant named "Moinga Man", the smallest restaurant I have ever came across in Chennai.

It was actually a small counter outside and they shared the seating arrangements with a kerala/tandoori restaurant in the same location. 

The menu shown to me had names that looked like greek and latin to me. Until my friend interrupted and told me that they are all burmese names.

I was arguing with my friend as to why don't they keep the names as noodles, fried rice. And the real reason for my argument was, that a bit a jealousy on my part as that was a second or third time visit for my friend.

And there I was, just stepping into that little cubicle, I should say, rather than calling it as a restaurant, and yeah coming back to the point, she was ordering the food from the menu, as she has been so knowledged about the burmese food.

But, you know, when you get hungry, you don't mind about anything else in your life. So I decided to stop the argument and had to ask her for a suggestion. And I was pretty price-conscious, as this was the first time I am stepping into a burmese restaurant and I didn't wanna risk it for the mere appetite of mine.

SO price conscious wise and based on my friend's suggestion, I settled for the Moinga. Another reason being, the name of the restaurant ie. The Moinga Man. So I was curious to know what this Moinga is, and how tasty it is?

I was served a bowl, and I was waiting for the Moinga to be served, thinking that was a soup served as a starter. And I was not in a mood to taste the soup as I was waiting for the Moinga, my first expertimentation with the burmese food. My Friend started using a fork and spoon and started eating noodles and also sipping the soup. 

Told her, that it was awesome, that I am seeing a restaurant in Chennai, that serves noodles along with a soup in the same bowl. She started laughing at me, and then told that the bowl of soupy noodels is the moinga, and that's the food I was eagerly waiting for.

I should say, I was pretty dissappointed, as I was expecting something to be served in a dish.

Now its time to describe the Moinga

 The main ingredients of mohinga are chickpea flour and/or crushed toasted rice, garlic, onions, lemongrass, platain pith, ginger in a rich broth cooked and kept on the boil in a cauldron. It is served with rice vermicelli, dressed and garnished with a squeeze of lime, crisp fried onions, coriander, spring onions, crushed dried chillis, and, as optional extras, crispy fried fritters such as split chickpeas (pè gyaw), urad dal (baya gyaw) or gourd (bu thee gyaw), as well as boiled egg.

Good food, not sure if its authentic, but good. Though the quality of food served is questinable...anyway it tastes good and it is all that matters..

Paid the bills, and came out, telling myself that I should visit this place again and try the other names in the menu too..