Indulge in Burmese flavours with this new limited-edition menu in Mumbai

Sar hpye noodle dish

With restaurants and delivery kitchens across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, the co-founders of Burma Burma, Ankit Gupta and Chirag Chhajer, are ready to take this to the next level. "The 10 Year Trail reflects our interaction with Burma, its people, and its culinary traditions," says Gupta. Their new menu is a travelogue that weaves together a treasure trove of culinary recipes, ranging from family heirlooms to tribal cooking. Spanning bustling cities, remote villages, and picturesque hillside landscapes, it brings together generations and geographies on a single plate.

Durian float. Pics Courtesy/Ashish Kumar

The holistic menu represents seven regions of Burma explored by the team: Kayin, Chin, Shan, Kokang, Yangon, Bago and Kachin. The roots of Burma Burma trace back to the co-founder's family. The first menu was crafted from recipes passed down by Gupta's mother, who lived in Burma for 22 years and is of Burmese origin. The region's culinary map is as diverse as its landscape. The northern regions bordering China, serve a spicier fare, while the central areas have embraced migrant dishes, the southeast, sharing a border with Thailand, incorporates more coconut and jaggery into its cuisine, and the regions by the Bay of Bengal lean towards greens like pea shoots.

Split gill mushroom fried rice and Siman thoke

"When we travel to Burma, we usually have around 13 to 14 meals a day. It's like we're eating in shifts; we try to taste as much local food as possible and acquire the taste," Gupta explains. When asked about the challenge of getting locals to share their recipes, the founder explains, "Burmese people are very warm-hearted. They welcome foreigners into their homes, and are eager to share their food and recipes," adding "We relied on local food writers and historians to understand the regional cuisine of restricted areas better." The eatery serves a vegetarian menu as well. Upon being asked why, the co-founder explained, "We don't label ourselves as a vegetarian restaurant. During our travels, we noticed that Burmese people and cuisine naturally leans towards vegetarian flavours, so to maintain authenticity, we decided to focus on vegetarian dishes."

Ankit Gupta and Chirag Chhajer

Among the standout dishes on this special menu is siman thoke (Rs 450), a refreshing salad made from chickpea tofu and raw papaya with a sour and spicy dressing, inspired by the flavours of the Shan region. Gupta recalls discovering this dish after waiting in a 45-minute queue at an unassuming street side hawker stall. Another highlight is the split gill mushroom fried rice (Rs 550) from the Kachin region, featuring foraged mushrooms combined with rice and flavoured with roasted mushroom extract, garlic, soy, and topped with juicy Burmese pounded tomato.

Noodles, a cornerstone of Burmese cuisine, has 17 to 18 different types on its menu. The sar hpye (Rs 550) combines wok-tossed rice noodles made from sticky rice flour, with seared mock meat and tofu, covered in a tamarind and sawtooth coriander sauce. The restaurant is known for its extensive tea collection, and has introduced a durian float (Rs 380) from the Kayin region. This drink blends Burma's infamous durian fruit with banana milk, black grass jelly, and nata de coco; a coconut jelly, offering a refreshing experience despite durian's reputation as an acquired taste.

TILL September 30
AT Kothari House, Allana Centre Lane, opposite Mumbai University, Kala Ghoda, Fort; 2nd floor, Oberoi Mall, Yashodham, Goregaon East.
TIME 12 pm to 3 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm (Monday to Friday); 12 pm to 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
COST Rs 1,800 for two