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I had the Lamb Biryani. Mine wasn't spicy as others have mentioned. I've never really had it before so I don't know what it should have tasted like. That said, Mine just tasted like rice and egg and hardly any seasoning - so kind of bland. Might give it one more try. The portion was pretty generous and the price for lunch looks good. Leaning more towards a two but since I only tried one dish, I'm giving it 3 stars.
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Went here for lunch today. I was a bit perturbed when I saw the big "B" on the window, but braved it anyway. The place looks like a classic hole-in-the-wall, but there were actually a good number of people eating lunch at the time. While ordering I tried to ignore the, uh, cleanliness issue.
I ordered the lamb curry, some egg rolls to share and a bottle of water... $11... cheap! We decided to sit outside on the patio, well, on the street, really.
While waiting for our food, my friend and I decided to look up the public health site to see what exactly makes a place a "B" and not an "A"... we quickly came to our senses... what you don't know won't hurt you, I guess.
Our food came, and what a surprise! The egg rolls were amazing... like nothing I've had before. I guess I was expecting something "asian", but nah, this was totally different, and very good.
The lamb was great, the portion sizes were more than adequate, and the naan was fresh and good. I took a bit of my friend's chicken and she had some of my lamb as well... both tasted great.
A good find, just 2 miles from work!
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Lamb Biryani. Spicy without being overly hot, tender, falling off the bone, perfectly cooked rice, light zippy yogurt cucumber sauce so that you get some veggies-- don't want to feel like a total carnivore glutton. They only have it twice a week (fridays and some other day, call ahead!)
yum yum yum
Yummmy food...go there eat good stuff, and save room for the really really yummy ice cream desserts!!! Friendly staff and great food!!!
I have been gonig to this place for the past 4 years since this is the only Burmese joint near my house. The location is very convenient right next to 405.
A good sign of authenticity of food at any ethnic restaurant is if it frequented by people from the same region. On weekends, this place is packed with Burmese folks. The owner seems to be popular amongst them and is a nice guy.
On to food. The food tastes like a fusion of South and South-East Asian spices kind of like eating Chinese food with South Asian twist.
I highly recommend you trying out Pakola Icecream soda drink if you have not tried it before. They also sell miscellaneous Asian Spices and confectionary.
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I cannot say enough about my first experience at this place....
Just fantastic!
It's not Govinda's but it is probably unfair to compare. A multi-ethnic menu really... I went with the Tandoori Chicken and it was fantastic. Curried veggies on the side were good with a big old piece of Naan.
The girl working the counter was cool. She encouraged me to sit and relax and not worry about paying until I was done eating. Very casual, laid back place.
Minor 1/4 star negative: portions could be a tad larger for the price. But it is close to where I work and 100% healthy relative to other neighborhood choices so I will be there often.
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Very pleasant lunch for a great price (under $10). Tasty spicy lamb with onions -- apologies, i have no idea which dish it was, but maybe it was #7 on the wall menu! Really liked the naan - just a little oily which is good for me. Also got a basil-seed drink which was fun & sweet & tapioca-ish. Will return.
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Burmese Muslim food?
Burmese MUSLIM?
Pig trembles...will they let in a Pig?
Yes.
This is Burmese Muslim food -- I guarantee you that you haven't had it.
The food here is just astonishingly different, and dyingly good. Dyingly good. Exotic fresh tastes.
Jasmine Market -- yup, it looks like a market store, on an undistinguished nook of a Sepulveda corner in Tarantino land.
It's a eatery, too -- a Q-ship incognito eatery.
Walk in to flourescents, small counter.
Unsurprised to see that Jonathan Gold was here, already -- shit -- so what can you do but walk where Food Jesus walked and stare at his yellowed review on the wall -- proud as a Parisian city seal.
Here's a sampler suggestive, but I don't give a crap about what you order -- well, yes I do, it's my illness to care...
Imbibe the mixed salad. Beyond succulent -- into narco bliss. It's shrimp-enfused, that must be the heroin factor that makes it live. Plus narrow
velvety ropes of a brown grain pasta that is foreign for the first bite, and then it's all right and then you can't stop eating it all. All.
O, tryeth the lamb. Tender, braised with that lamb flavor that is so off-putting till you're 22 years old and then it's like sex.
O, give yourself the egg rolls. Crisp, fresh beyond fresh, like nothing you've had before, No grease, pure flavor.
Manga the piyaz boti kabab. To speak technically, said kabab is a concatenous suffusion of gorgeosity drippius, succulent marrowed meats, basted... moawam. Capeche?
Seek out the...the...well, the seekh kabob. Seek it! Pure love of ground spice greenery curly.
Cardamom cookies. Sodas made of dill -- smack it up! Teh heh -- the foamy flavors are new to you -- your mouth is conservative, your mouth is a Republican, but after a little chew or two, it will turn Democrat, it will fall in poly love with this new food...food you never et 'em before. And it's all in sunbaked existential Quinton-land -- the angst of Carson and Torrance kvellling behind you in ranks of stucco boxes, a Flatland.
Now I read the earlier review of this spot, the one wrriten by john t. who is a expert at Burmese food -- he says this place 'sorta sucks' for Burmese food...so yea, verily, I've never had Burmese food before -- (I had iBurmese food online, just to look before I went here, but the images don't do it justice) -- so perhaps this little counter market eatery isn't superlative in relation to haute Burmese cuisine -- but i don't care.
This is amazing food. An introduction to a bien peasant cuisine that blew my mind with new, delicious tastes.
It's a hole in the wall, but clean, with great folks running it -- and cheap beyond belief!
So.. order four dishes, sit on the white linoleum side of the place -- an impromptou but perfectly servicable set of tables and rickety chairs...familiarize yourself with a new ethnicity foodwise -- and have multiple tongue orgasms.
Party Girl got a stomach ache from eating from six different plates.
Pig ate from seven plates. Oink.
Burmese Muslim. (Burma's been renamed Myanamar by asshole bastards who run it -- pooh on them! Burma forever!)
Face Mecca and thank god for lamb.
And they let in a Pig.
Who said Islam was intolerant?
They're open till 9 PM.
Pig doth have major crush on Jasmine. The Arabs call her Yasmina. Read your Rumi. Play your Nusrat.
Eat here and die.
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For the price where else are you going to eat that much better than avg food in this part of town? (see picture)
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I'm so sorry to say I wasn't anywhere near as much a fan of Jasmine market as most other people.
Maybe it's what we ordered--maybe it's that I went in expecting traditional Burmese food, tea leaf salad and the like. Make no mistake about it, this is Muslim Burmese food, much more Indian, Pakistani-tasting than the southeast asian tasting Burmese I'm used to. We ordered everything that didn't sound particularly Indian (as much as we like Indian we thought we'd steer clear of the usual chicken tikka and tandoori offerings),
We did have an enormous amount of food. We ordered:
Piyaz Boti Kebab
(2) Lamb Boti Kebabs
Samusas (delicious)
Mohenga - described on the menu as angel hair rice noodle in fish soup with banana trunk, eggs, fried split bean, fish sauce, chili and spices.
Ono Kalsua - described on the menu as chinese wheat noodle in coconut chicken soup with red onion, eggs, fried split beans, fish sauce, and spices.
This one was actually interesting. It tasted very much like a traditional jewish chicken noodle soup, but with coconut milk.
Tufu To - an oddly gelatinous salad like offering of tofu that was firm and yellow and cut into strips, and tasted more like gelatinous yams. Weird.
Paya soup - described on the menu as a unique mixture of fresh beef bones cooked over low heat in our special sauces with onion and other authentic spices, garnished with fresh onion.
I was not a fan of this dish, though much of my party loved it. If you like oxtail (I don't), then you'd like this. It was cow feet, which didn't have very much meat on them, but a gelatinous texture. Fine soup for dipping naan into but I wasn't going that deep in. Adventurous as I am, I guess I have a thing against gelatinous feet.
and naan. The naan was good, but had a considerable amount more oil on it than I'm used to. Was it fried and then put into the tandoor? The other way around? I'm not sure...
I would give Jasmine another chance, but next time I'll order the typical things like chicken tikka, aaloo puri, dal, and curry. By the way, no pork here, it's owned by Muslims and all the meat is strictly Halal.
It's my humble belief that more mom and pop stores in one's town is a good thing. The close personal touch that the owners can put into your shopping or in this case dining experience is worth more to me than all the tea, er coffee at Starbucks. That's what Jasmine Market brings to Culver City / Mar Vista neighborhoods.
Upon walking into the little grocery and cafe, the owner greets you with a smile and asks how he can help you. Very warm and friendly. The large picture menu on the wall combined with the owner's insatiable desire to make you feel welcome made choosing a dish, or should I say dishes rather simple.
My first time having Burmese food, it seemed to have influences from Thailand and India. The Keema Curry made from ground beef was rich and hearty. The angel hair and fish soup was delicious. Naan for dipping into just about everything on the menu. Browse through the glass refrigerator to pick a drink like coconut juice, Thai tea, or Pakola a Pakistani cola (which tastes like liquid candy, and has about as much sugar Yeeowww!). Another small fridge next to the free water dispenser contains frozen Kulfi bars for dessert. You can buy them by the box or individually. Flavors include malai (milk and nuts), coconut, pistachio, and others.
When all was said and done, I left this little jewel with under $10 gone from my wallet. Unique and tasty Burmese food for little money served to you with a smile? Oh yeah.
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Tried the weekend Burmese menu. Found the food light, unique in flavor, not really "good" or "bad." It was more "interesting." That's certainly good enough considering the absurdly low prices, which reminded me of eating in a Singapore hakwer center. Though I've never been to Burma, I have been to Burmese restaurants before (see Golden Triangle in Whittier). The food at those restaurants tastes different from this--perhaps because the owners and chef were Buddhists. I think there is probably a culinary difference between Buddhist and Muslim Burmese food--the latter being more like Bengali and Pakistani.
The people are nice, the price is right: go for it if you're culinarily adventurous.
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On the several occasions we get stuck on this stretch of Sepulveda, we have always noticed Jasmine Market. While we "tried" to make it a point to drop by, we never quite did.
Today, we decided that we walked from home. 20mins later we arrived.
The kitchen is really open for all to see. Then and there we saw something being prepared: keema paratha . The word "paratha" brings a lot of memories for us. It's the same word that has evolved in Singapore as roti "prata", which essentially means pancake made of egg (yolks) fat, and flour. It's usually swung around on a large huge aluminum table and cooked on a flat iron skillet. When brown, it has that fluffy butter, crunchy taste. Now, keema paratha isn't quite prepared this way but it resembles a cousin of the roti prata called murtabak. A quick google search and you will learn that it means "folded" in Arab. Indeed keema paratha is a folded pancake with fillings:onions, minced meat, peppers, cumin and other spices. And Jamine prepares this well enough to remind us of Singapore.
The chicken biryani and lamb biryani weren't too shabby either. Each served with plenty of basmati rice and large chunks of meat. It's quite a feast for something that cost less than $7 each. I have to mention that yes, chicken biryani is served in Singapore as well and once again, Jasmine has brought us back some fond memories.
I have to admit we didn't try the signature Burmese dishes. Those will be saved up for on the next trip.
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It just sucks that this place doesn't have decent parking. Because with the construction on Sepulveda, it takes forever to park and walk over. Their chai is the most amazing I've ever had! Served piping hot in a tiny cup for a quarter! So delicious.
Anyway, we were four super hungry women when we walked in, and order 10 things off the menu. Because one of us knew management, we got a good deal. We probably didn't spend more than $8 a person. We must have ordered 10 things off the menu! I loved their samosas. And all of their dinner plates (anything with goat). And their bread was just perfect! I really liked their curries! They were thick but not too spicy (I'm super sensitive to spice) and made my rice and bread taste AMAZING! I thought their soups were kinda sorta odd because they were thick, but didn't have a lot of strong flavor unless you sprinkled in tons of red pepper.
Anyway, whenever I'm visiting friends in the area, we will definitely make it a point to stop by! I love almost everything and the welcoming atmosphere just can't be beat!
though I'm Chinese and live most of my life in the Bay Area, both my mom and dad both grew up in Burma so I've been eating Burmese cuisine ever since I can remember. So that being said I've been looking for a good Burmese place in so cal and I think I've found it in Jasmine Market. I had to make a pig of myself and order the fish noodle soup, coconut chicken noodle soup, fried flat bread with curry potatoes and samosas but they all didn't last too long as I ate it up like it was my last meal. The richness of the two soups reminded me of my moms and I'm already thinking about when I can drop in for more.
This time went with a group and we ordered up the menu. The noodle salad and tofu salad were both delicious and reminder me of home. This has become one of my favs of So Cal.
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Only been here once, but I'm already in love. If you are a fan of the Islamic type of South Asian cooking, this is your home on the westside. The Burmese Moh Hin Ga is a nice half way point between India and Vietnam, with thin rice noodles hidden in a thick and spicy stew of catfish. Keema curry tastes like texas chili made in Karachi, very hearty. Don't forget to start with the Samusas. As the name suggests these are like Indian samosas, but filled with beef. The prices are low, and the guys behind the counter are beyond friendly. Just don't forget a can of Pakistani "Ice Cream" soda. It tastes like the smell of flowery perfume!
Don't be fooled by the "looks" of this place. Their food is marvelous. Simply one of the best under $10 per person the city of Los Angeles has to offer.
I love love Burmese food and Indian food, so this place is heaven sent. It is entirely family run and the owners are so very nice, you feel good eating at their place and supporting their family business. One time I called them and asked them to keep the restaurant open (after 9 p.m.) because I was stuck in traffic, and they did! They always make sure they help me to the car with bags, etc. when I go on a crazy take out binge. The place, though small is kept very clean and all the foods are very carefully prepared as well. You can just taste the "freshness" and "cleanliness" of it.
I've seriously gotten so much "take out" from here, it's unbelievable. I live far from the restaurant so whenever I go I literally get 10 of this, 4 of that, 2 of this. I highly recommend their lamb curry, lamb and beans curry, chicken curry, aloo puti (a potatoe stew dish you eat with naan bread), Biriyani (a delicious "light" and "healthy" version) and this dish with curry gravy you dip naan into (I forget the name). They make this really delicious, fresh spicy and tangy explosive cabbage salad to go with all the curries so you don't feel icky from the oiliness. Be sure to ask for it you will be addicted.
If anyone is wanting to try Burmese food, PLEASE don't go to Yoma (the obvious choice in LA). Yoma gives Burmese food a bad name, go to Jasmine instead, and even though its more of a Burmese Indian restaurant they pull off Mohinga (traditional Burmese fish noodle soup) better then the Burmese Yoma restaurant (where it is inedible). I talked to the owner and he is trying to open up a bigger and nicer place and the food deserves a good venue so please go and support Jasmine, your tummy will thank you.
*UPDATE* I heard the owner actually sold this place and now opened up a new Malaysian restaurant with a weekend Burmese menu that I have yet to check out. My review is only valid for the experience with the old owner in charge.
I went here tonight and I have to say it wasn't that great. It's certainly lighter on the ghee than Punjabi food, but it's flavors are flat. Its vegetarian offerings are minimal and I had what they had on offer: an anemic vegetable curry and run-of-the-mill dal. It's Burmese food with more South Asian influences rather than Chinese. I suppose I'm more accustomed to the latter because their menu felt indistinguishable from Indian/Pakistani establishments, since it seemed to subscribe to the tandoori, chicken, lamb, goat, ground beef curry standards. My vegetable curry came with plenty of acceptable naan. I also had the aloo poori, which were basically mini-versions of a bhattura chole but with potatoes instead of chickpeas. Many of the dishes were more reminiscent of Pakistani food since their meats are halal, but the layers of flavor were not present as they usually are with Pakistani food. It's a clean outfit with a very friendly family guiding you through their menu and delivering the food to your table. I usually love supporting the Mom & Pop shops. If I lived across the street and had a hankering for something fast and cheap, I'd go more often, but I probably won't go out of my way to return.
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nestled inbetween a particularly shady looking "chiropractic" office and a hyrdoponics warehouse is what must be the only burmese joint west of the 605 and the great restaurant golden triangle in whittier.
ok i'm a jonathan gold neophyte and i was particularly pleased to find his review of this spot in the la weekly, and that its just close enough in my lunch radius.
in 2004 i spent about 3 weeks travelling myanmar. the capital city of yangon, the magical spiritual city of Bagan, the serene glassy waters of inle lake and the cultured mandalay. honestly, i wasn't in love with the fish and shrimp paste and tumeric heavy room temperature stews of burmese cuisine but it was a fascinating mix between indian, chinese and thai flavors...
the family running jasmine market and deli are some of the sweetest people you'll ever meet, and the clientele includes japanese hip hop scenesters, halal seeking muslims, ethno bohemian hipsters and jonanthan gold worshippers. many people came in talking about the article which the family still hasn't seen!
before 5pm on a weekday the dishes are going to be basically indian food, but on weekends and after 5pm on weekdays there are some typical burmese dishes, including the national dish mo-hinga (fish stew with banana tree root), as well khaut swe (cocount chicken noodle soup) which thailand explorers will know as khao soi, which is a staple of chiang mai cuisine. there is also a tofu dhut (mixed tofu salad) as well as asawn dhut (large mixture salad).
the family has exchanged thanakha (yellow face paste) and longyis (cloth skirt) for paul smith glasses and levis, but the cooking is spot on... so far i've only tried the lamb biryani (friday special) and the samosas, but i'll be back for more dishes as well as the burmese dishes, and im pretty excited to do so.
you can also pick up an issue of the mandalay gazette or the burma herald to catch up on news on burmese american rappers and catch gossip snaps of yangon hotties.
update 1/17: i went last night with 4 other friends and we rocked the burmese dishes. they were really good especially the khaut swe and the mohinga... rock on...
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i LOVE burmese food
but this place was just okay. if not a let down...
and its NOT hole in the wall cheap though it IS a hole in a wall place
note - maybe im being ubercritical because ive have better burmese in the Bay Area
and ive been to burma...
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