Burma Superstar

This small, wildly popular eatery falls geographically and gastronomically somewhere between Thailand and India, sharing ingredients and spices with both, but interpreting them in uniquely Burmese ways. Lines start forming a half-hour before opening for house specialties such as tea leaf salad, a deliciously crunchy combo of dried tea leaves, fried yellow beans and garlic, sesame seeds, tomatoes and dried shrimp; samusa soup; and pumpkin pork stew slow-cooked with kabocha squash and ginger. Expect a wait at this no-reservations spot—the best bet for immediate seating is to get there at 5pm for dinner.