Myanmar may be one of the most underrated travel destinations in Southeast Asia, but the food is even more elusive — at least to the majority of us Singaporeans.
As someone who’s only had Burmese cuisine once, I was most eager to dine at Burma Social, a restaurant along Tras Street that proclaims itself as Singapore’s first multicultural restaurant and bar.
You’ll get to savour contemporary dishes prepared using traditional Burmese recipes, that also draw inspiration from China, Thailand, Indian, Bangladesh, and Laos, in an aptly named Feast of Six Kingdoms headed by culinary monarch Prince Pyu Pyu, and bask in the stunning interiors.
Before dinner commences, we highly recommend taking your pick from the unique selection of cocktails (and mocktails), all inspired by the six aforementioned countries. Unsurprisingly, it’s all about fresh fruits and aromatics here.
Can’t resist a good martini? You’ll find the Silky Smooth (S$25) under “Laos”, a delectable vodka and rice wine-based martini that keeps it fruity yet clean-tasting with fresh kiwi, clarified Laotian milk, and a rambutan reduction.
Despite being served like a Moscow Mule, the Ginger Seduction (S$25) from the “Thailand” section is a “luscious reimagination” of my all-time favourite cocktail, the Dark & Stormy.
The classic combination of spiced rum, fresh lime juice is spruced up with calamansi, Thai palm sugar, house ginger juice, and bitters — you can bet I slurped this right up!
Each table will be served a trio of housemade condiments that can be paired with practically any dish, comprising spicy fried garlic and peanuts, and two different types of chilli oil.
The chilli oil (at the bottom of the photo) with sesame and herbs was hands-down the best chilli oil I’d ever tasted in my entire life. Sounds dramatic, but it was wickedly addictive, with the perfect balance of spice, sweetness, and umami.
If that isn’t convincing enough, you should know that my dining partner and I actually asked for three refills.
Those who prefer subtle and delicate flavours will probably want to start off with the Raw Coconut Milk & Broccolini Adorned with Flying Fish Roe (S$22), a creamy soup served with finely crushed Burmese nuts.
My dining partner enjoyed this a lot, but I found it a tad too mild on the palate.
Moving on to the salads, the Papaya & Mango Thoke (Ye Thu Kyun, S$22) is the closest thing to a Thai papaya or mango salad, but with more of a savoury edge. How can one go wrong with the refreshing combination of bittersweet fermented Burmese papaya, raw mango, and plump poached prawns?
Another salad I was most excited to try was the vegan-friendly Laphet Nay Wai Thoke-Tea Leaf (S$18). Fermented tea leaves are interwoven with green tomato, cabbage, crunchy mixed Burmese nuts, sesame seeds, lime juice, and a bunch of other salty, spicy, and savoury elements.
This is probably one of the most complex and earthy-tasting salads you’ll ever taste, so I can totally see why it is a staple dish at Burmese dining tables!
Oh, and if you couldn’t already tell, there are plenty of inclusive menu options for pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans, so nobody will be missing out.
Proceed with a selection of starters like the Crispy Tohu Jaw (S$20), which ended up becoming the most memorable dish of the evening (for me, at least).
It may look like a regular tofu dish at first sight, but slice into one of the cubes and you’ll see its distinct yellow hue.
These unassuming-looking “tofu” cubes are made from ground Indian chickpeas with pin sean basil leaves (a mix of Burmese and Thai basil leaves with a subtly sweet cinnamon note).
They’ve got a soft glutinous texture and an extremely flavoured spiced outer layer, thanks to a Burmese black jaggery sauce concocted from Burmese gula melaka and Indian sugarcane.
Another starter that was quite a sight to behold is the Hnin Si’s Steam Puzon (S$32) a dish of prawn and mudfish that is cooked sous vide till tender, before being steamed into firm cakes, and cocooned under rice paper.
You’re supposed to cut everything up and savour each fish cake with the layer of rice paper and housemade chilli. The latter is a must — it works wonders for the overall balance of the dish, which reminded me of fish dumplings.
As for mains, the Ohn-no Kyaukswe (S$32) is composed of springy khanom chin gluten-free noodles and a coconut-based soup sweetened with sous vide prawns and barramundi fish cake. We did hear whispers of “laksa” around us, but I didn’t think it tasted anything like our beloved hawker dish.
Sure, the soup noodles were light and comforting, but not particularly outstanding, that is, until I added in a spritz of lime juice and a dollop of that sesame chilli oil, which took it to a whole new level.
I trust you will do the same when you visit.
Last but not least, tart torched mango and popping boba came together in harmony with coconut ice cream and smoky gula melaka-like black jaggery sorbet, a sweet yet fitting finale in the form of the A-thi (S$14).
With its repetoire of exquisite multicultural mains, playfully innovative cocktails, and even exciting fire dances on Wednesdays, Burma Social is a lively dining destination I’d highly recommend to those looking to dip their toes into the world of elevated Burmese cuisine.
Eager to feast like a prince? Reservations can be made here.
Burma Social
Facebook | Instagram | Website
???? 34 Tras St, Singapore 079026
???? 11.30am–2.30pm, 6pm–12am (Mon to Fri), 6pm–12am (Sat), Closed on Sun
For more lifestyle updates like this, subscribe to our Telegram channel at @confirmgood.
Photos by Christabel Tan
I'm always feelin' either boozy or boujee ✨