Good Things Happening at Mandalay Building in Shaw (Announcement)

The Mandalay Building in Shaw is open - sure, I am a little late on this (following my enforced blog downtime) But for those who missed the news, the Mandalay Building brings dishes from Burma (Myanmar), but is not specializing in the cuisine of any particular region of Burma, instead, plans to bring a mix of dishes from the seasides to the mountains, using fresh ingredients and time tested recipes. 

The restaurant has two floors, The Palace, on the ground floor, The Tower on the second floor. But the Mandalay is not like most restaurants, so don't expect a daily menu. Read on, and you will understand Chef and Co-Owner Aung Myint' concept for your dining pleasure.

Mandalay Building at 9th & P Streets NW - Now Open

First the Announce:  Starting this Tuesday, (October 22nd) Mandalay's first floor, The Palace, will open at 5pm daily, Tuesday through Sunday.  (As with many fine restaurant's Mandalay is closed on Mondays.)

At "The Palace" I am told, "there will have happy hour drinks specials from 5-7pm featuring discounts on house made infusions at the whim of the bartender and customer," there will also be "a limited selection of beer and wine."   As for food, "the head chef promises there will be great hot sauce, great fried foods, and Burmese style salads." I am also told that there will be surprises.  But these will be known only on that specific night as no one knows what will be cooked that day. Ultimately, the foods served in "The Palace" will be decided by the menu determined for that days 7 course presentation in "The Tower".

On our second floor, "The Tower", offer's a 7 course tasting menu for $70 per person, this is by reservation only, serving at 530pm or 8pm, Tuesday - Sunday. Here's a short primer of how it works;

The Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance, and  it is strongly recommend 36 hours or more in advance, this is done so that any food restrictions can be communicated adequately as the meal is Prix Fixe(chef's choice), the chef states he want's "to cater to each and every one of our customer's needs."  Note:  Every reservation must specify any dietary restrictions for each guest before a final confirmation of the reservation can be issued.  

Reservations can be made here, via CityEats or via the Mandalay website

The Process: On the evening of the day before any seating, the head chef will start creating the next days course menus per guest.  When the basics are lined up, the director of beverages chooses his beverage pairings. The next morning the ingredients are purchased, sometime before dawn, and then the presentations are put together carefully throughout the day up until the courses are presented at the table.

Future:  Mandalay is planning on eventually hosting a regular vegetarian night where 7 courses of vegan Burmese cuisine will be discounted from the normal $70 price.

On the concept, Chef Aung Myint states "I understand that this may change to having weekly menus, eventually, but for now I really enjoy the challenge of creating a new set of courses every day, for each guest and their dietary restrictions"

Mandalay also offers an email service; Questions@mandalaydc.com  where you can request to be added to their notification list for information about special events and dietary information for Vegetarians, Vegans, and Pescitarians, or if you have a general question about the food or restaurant.

The outdoor seating will be an exciting addition to Shaw at 9th and P Street NW

Finally, I am told that "there are great plans for our outdoor dining area in the spring." Now that is something to look forward to.......

Mandalay Building

1501 9th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-644-8806