Lahpet - Shoreditch, London

It's a hallmark of a great city to have cuisines from around the world represented in excellent restaurants, and, if Lahpet's execution of Burmese food is anything to go by, London is one of the best dining cities on the planet. Launched by founder Dan Anton and head chef Zaw Mahesh in the heart of Shoreditch on Bethnal Green Road, Lahpet is championing the little known Asian cuisine and creating smouldering, earthy and exceptionally rounded dishes along the way. 

The dining room is rather easy on the eyes, drenched in light woods spanning everything from the floorboards to the countertop and the high-top stools that hem it in. Lighting is provided by shaded pendants, which sit along hanging gantries freighted with foliage. Walls are covered in Burmese tiling, with funky booths and roughshod tables next to outsized windows that let in an abundance of natural light. 

We founded the cuisine incredibly enjoyable, shot through with citrus and dark, earthy flavours. Split pea fritters were an incredibly delicious way to kick off the meal, nearly as much so as balachaung dumplings shot through with dried shrimp, garlic, ginger, chili and peanut oil. Lahpet thonk, a pickled tea leaf salad laden with the same ingredients as well as cabbage and double fried beans, is a force to be reckoned with. Sides of coconut rice and seasonal greens with shrimp floss and pumpkin seeds found their ideal pairing in a curry of slow cooked pork shoulder, pickled mustard greens, star anise, pea shoots and peanuts. 

After a dessert of cassava cake with seasonal fruits, jaggery crunch and ice cream we patted our bellies and plotted our next visit. We're lucky to have such lovingly prepared and finessed Burmese in the Smoke.