東南亞文化緊貼著食物環繞，從食物可以稍微窺視當地人生活方式，不失為輕鬆的文化體驗。街道兩旁比鄰的小吃店是外來人比較容易接近的管道，點個魚湯麵和印都冰，馬上就得到緬甸氛圍的入場卷。在這裡外地人是醒目的，四周環繞操著緬甸語的中年男子，他們桌上的食物早就吃完了，但是聚在一起還能延續文化與時空在他們身上的印記吧!
緬甸食物不像泰國當地食物又酸又辣(台灣的早就改良)，跟越南食物比起來，似乎和我們腦海中典型的東南亞食物又跟接近。或許有點像東南亞和中國的綜合體，每樣食物看起來都是一團黃黃的麵糰。
近年來泰國和越南食物當道，泰式連鎖餐廳和越南河粉大街小巷都是，惟獨緬甸和馬來西亞兩個國家的食物似乎仍保有"異國色彩"，其中緬甸小吃更是要來到華新街才能品嘗。
看著一圈一圈的緬甸文和聽起來黃澄澄、暖和和的緬文，讓我不禁好奇緬甸的華人文化是身處怎樣的社會位置。馬來西亞的華人族群保有比台灣更獨特、多元的方言，而泰國華人的身分識別: 姓名，都已經完全同化了，或許一次的緬甸形可以解答這樣的問題吧!!
Food has long played an essential part in Asian cultures. And the best and cheapest way to feel how local people live is to taste everyday food in restaurant of neighborhood.
Along with the retreat of ROC to Taiwan and anti - chinese riots in Burma/Myanmar, a small group of Burmese Chinese came to settle in Zhonghe District(中和區), New Taipei City( Taipei county back then). Restaurants and food shops that line the street華新 nearly give the illusion of being in Southeastern Asia.
It was Saturday evening and mostly middle-aged men gathered around the tables in restaurants. Most of them were not eating but rather chatting in Burmese. So as an outsider, this place is a community with significant difference.
If I put Malaysia and Thailand into a spectrum, then they will be at the total opposite ends, where Chinese in Malaysia are distinct groups whose languages and culture are perfectly preserved and Chinese in Thailand are well assimilated to Thai culture.
I have yet to travel to Myanmar so I can't make conclusion where Burmese Chinese lies. However, choosing the most comfortable language to speak, which is Burmese, tells me these group of Chinese have absorbed the Burmese culture. As for the taste of food, compared with Thai food, it was not so sour and definitely not spicy at all. ( I guess the food this place offers have not changed so greatly to cater to Taiwanese). Therefore I would place Burmese food between Thai and Vietnamese/ Chinese.
