Aunty Pey Pey’s Guava Salad
The success of Burma Burma, which opened in 2014 and now has seven outlets across the country, shows that if your heart is in the right place and you do not compromise on authenticity, you can win the loyalty of the fussiest of diners, even while focussing on a lesser-known cuisine and running a pure vegetarian operation. Periodically, our favourite Burmese cuisine restaurant chain revamps its menu, keeping it fresh and exciting for its loyal clientele. Also, the food philosophy of Burma Burma is to showcase the best of contemporary Burmese cuisine, not just the established classic stuff. Yes, there’s much more to Burmese food than Khow suey.
Smoked Guava Noble Coolers
Spiced Apricot – Artisanal Iced Tea
Peru-Lemonade
Burmese Falooda
The new dishes at Burma Burma are the result of a research trip that led by Co-Founder Ankit Gupta (who is of part Burmese ancestry) and Chef Ansab, Head Chef, Burma Burma, to Mandalay and Shan in Burma earlier this year. A large part of the inspiration this time round is the street food of Myanmar, which is why there is a preponderance of small plates in the new menu. We sampled a few of the dishes from the extensive new menu at their Select City Walk outlet in Saket, New Delhi. It was heartening to see the restaurant fill up quickly for a weekday lunch and we were glad to have reserved our table in advance.
Edamame and Broad Bean Hummus
We started off with the Kachin Dried Mustard Soup. The flavour’s unapologetic and really unusual (thanks to the fermented soybean paste, if I’ve guessed it right) and may not appeal to everyone but just goes to show that, when it comes to authenticity, there are no compromises at Burma Burma. It’s a famed dish from the Kachin region, its star ingredient being sun-dried mustard, which is transformed into a broth with garlic and edamame. Next up was Aunty Pey Pey’s Guava Salad, which pays tribute to a popular salad shop owner in Bagan and was definitely one of the highlights of the meal. A medium-ripe guava is tossed in a signature roasted chilli and crunchy peanut garnish and served with sriracha. Definitely a dish I will try to recreate at home. Another runaway success and highlight of the new menu is the Trumpet Mushroom Steak, where a king oyster mushroom, noted for its meaty texture and umami flavour, has been grilled with a stunning chilli kaffir lime dressing. The mushroom steak is served with a garnish of crisp morning glory and puffed black rice which add interesting textures to it. I can see it becoming a Burma Burma classic in the years to come. We also sampled the Edamame and Broad Bean Hummus, which had an interesting presentation and, contrary to what you may think, doesn’t have Middle Eastern origins.
Mandalay Noodles Bowl
Trumpet Mushroom Steak
Stir Fried Tofu _ Vegetables In Malar Sauce _ Smoked Chilli Rice Bowl
For mains, we sampled a sumptuous Mandalay Noodle Bowl, which featured udon noodles, charred bok choy and tofu in a coconut milk gravy, topped with umami-rich crunchy shiitake mushrooms. Giving the Mandalay Noodle Bowl some serious competition was the Mustard Edamame Rice. A Mon tribe speciality, Burma Burma’s version has jasmine rice cooked in sun-dried mustard broth with buttered edamame—soul-satisfying stuff. The rice dish is accompanied by a delicious water chestnut, tofu and lotus stem stir fry tossed in plum sauce with a hint of soy which we couldn’t help polishing off in a jiffy.
For dessert we tucked into the to-die-for Tagu Pylan, a coconut panna cotta served with sago cooked in palm jaggery. If you’re from the kulfi-falooda brigade, then you can’t miss the Street Style Burmese Falooda, which also gets full marks for its lovely presentation. The menu also features an array of bubble teas now (I recommend the Avocado Bubble Tea highly) and some artisanal ice creams which are perfect for summer.
Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil Ice Cream
Avocado – Honey Ice Cream
Black Forest
Of course, there are many more dishes on the menu, but you’ll just have to go yourself to check them all out. A shoutout is due to the fantastic staff at the Select City Walk outlet, who took excellent care of us, and ensured we were stuffed and content by the end of our meal. They were also handy with in-depth explanations of the dishes and the ingredients and techniques used.
