Irrawaddy Taste Of Burma — Restaurant in Stanton

(This review is also posted on Yelp) I had the pleasure of eating here with a Burmese friend, who did all the ordering for our table. Reservations were made because we had a group of 10 adults on a Saturday evening. By 8:50 PM, which was 10 minutes before closing, the restaurant was cleared up and ready to close. Including tip and tax, it came out to about $33-35 per person.

*We had one vegetarian in the group, and she did not leave hungry! Highly recommend this restaurant for non-meat eaters.

Parking: plenty in the lot.

Bathroom: available, to the right of kitchen.

Food: -tea leaf salad $16 - We ordered two for the table. This was delicious. It seemed like a small portion for the price. (They sell tea leaf salad "kit" that comes with two jars for $27.) -golden tofu salad $16 - It looks like mango! But it's tofu. Very tasty. If you haven't had this before, I recommend trying it. For me, I would rather eat tea leaf salad. -paratha $6 - each order comes with two. This was so delicious on its own, but obvi the dipping curry/sauce made it more heavenly. I recommend getting one piece per two people if sharing. -Burmese falafel $8 - one order comes with 5 pieces, so we ordered two plates. This was perfect for sharing in our group. One piece was good enough for me to try. The sauce was surprisingly vinegar-y. -??? shrimp $18 - We had a red-colored shrimp dish, so I am going to guess we ordered paprika shrimp. This item was the group's least favorite. -??? beef - I am also going to guess that the beef dish we got was beef masala $18. We ordered two for the table. This was the most flavorful (salty) dish that we ordered in my opinion. -variety of soups and noodles. The ones we tried were all good. I remember two of the noodles looked so similar because they were both yellow, but the noodles under the soup were different. -steamed rice $2.50 - we had several bowls of rice that sadly went untouched because these came out close to the end. We had already eaten so many appetizers.

*Remember to tell them your spice level preferences!

We did not order dessert because we were all so full. It would have been fun to try their version of halo halo,...

I’m glad I took the plunge and went out of my comfort zone! Tried Burmese cuisine for the first time and I can say it did not disappoint! Burmese cuisine in itself is a fusion different cultures of Thai, Chinese, Indian plus some food that is unique and Authentic to Burma! Irrawaddy in Stanton , is a family owned and the only Burmese Restaurant in OC. And they do all the food so well and cooking is distinctly homemade- like visiting and being invited to eat at a friend’s home! We chose the below cuisines- we told our host that we want to eat authentic Burmese! For our appetizers we got: Golden Tofu- I cannot believe these were made out of chick peas! Battered and fried to perfection everyone needs to try these! Samusa- were my kids favorite! These were perfect pockets of potato, not too spicy but amazingly flavored! Noodles: Mandalay style coconut noodles- reminds me of Filipino pancit canton, but with the added taste of coconut milk! It was amazing and a must have! Garlic Noodles with shrimp- this is hard to pass on! So simple yet so satisfying and makes me feel at home! Salad: Tea leaf Salad- had to try the famous Tea Leaf Salad. So unique and authentically Burmese the tea Leaves are imported only from Burma, give a very distinct taste surprisingly not bitter! And I loved the crunch of every bite! Home cooked entrees: Pumpkin pork stew- slow cooked pork with pumpkin, every bite needs to be pumpkin and and tender meat! Beef masala- slow cooked beef with potatoes and Burmese Curry sauce is another must have! Paired with the coconut rice is perfection. Drinks: Burmese Milk Tea- Burmese version of Milk tea, reminds me of Desserts: Par Lu dar- the kids loved this so much! The jelly, tapioca, pudding, with strawberry ice cream in the coconut cream milk is so close to Halo-halo! Burmese coconut jelly- the consistency of jell-o but wayyyy better as it’s made of coconut milk. Let that sink in.

Irrawaddy is one restaurant that you’ll go back to and recommend to all ...

I don't know why I don't come here more often, because I really enjoy the food. That's right, because if I did that, I'd end up gaining a lot of weight.

The food is a cross between Indian and Thai curries, but with its own unique flavors. I haven't had a bad dish here yet, but I'll point out a few things.

Do yourself a favor and get the tea leaf salad. It's a fantastic, complex flavor balance without any overpowering strong flavors, yet really unique and delicious. Crunchy toasted nuts and beans combined with a mild, savory dressing. Yea, it's great.

Try the coconut rice. The coconut will not be fibrous but adds a unique perfume to the rice. Subtly sweet and nutty.

The garlic butter shrimp is probably the "least" tasty. I should clarify, there is absolutely nothign wrong with it, as I really love the taste of shrimp without any additions or sauces. But if this isn't your thing, then you might find the flavor underwhelming. Just ask the staff for their chili sauce condiments, one of the red sauces adds a fantastic flavor without being overpoweringly spicy and acts like a really great "cocktail sauce."

Overall a great eating experience, and I have yet to be truly disappointed with the food there on any number of my...