Cover Food spread at Burma Social (Photo: Burma Social)
Food spread at Burma Social (Photo: Burma Social)
1 / 1
Tatler+
The new restaurant, which opened on August 21, elevates Burmese cuisine with its mix of culinary influences across Asia in a high-concept, multi-level dining experience
Stepping into Burma Social is like visiting a version of Myanmar suspended in time, elegantly rendered and touched deeply with romanticism and mysticism. First, there is the Tras Street shophouse, painted like a colonial black-and-white bungalow, adorned by dangling vines for a splash of lively green. Then, there are the accents: an antique vase and ewers sourced directly from Myanmar, scattered across three levels of exquisitely decorated dining rooms, bars, and lounges. And, of course, there is the “Feast of Six Kingdoms”—a lavish Burmese feast fit for royalty, peppered with influences from China, Thailand, India, Bangladesh and Laos.
Burma Social is the newest project by Kuisine Koncepts, led by founding member Rohan Pai and chief operating officer Ritesh Bansal, and could be one of the most stylish restaurant openings in recent memory, replete with an immersive, multi-level dining experience.
“We want to experiment with different concepts,” Pai says of Kuisine Koncepts, which also runs Italian restaurant Gotti. “We want to give the guest something which they've never tasted before.” For Bansal and Pai, that something is Burmese cuisine, which does not have a large presence in Singapore besides a smattering of casual dining spots at Peninsula Plaza. But don’t call the food at Burma Social traditional; the 40-plus menu items here are modern takes on Burmese cuisine with influences from its five surrounding countries. Offerings here require laborious techniques and ingredients that are unheard of in this part of the world, and appeal to sophisticated palates with a penchant for intense spice. Just ask the executive chef Omi, who spent a month in Myanmar learning the intricacies of Burmese cooking.
Don’t miss: The Tatler guide to the best eateries at Fortune Centre
Above Food spread at Burma Social, including the classic Burmese Mohinga noodle
Food spread at Burma Social, including the classic Burmese Mohinga noodle
1 / 1
Because Burmese cuisine requires extreme precision, many ingredients have to be imported directly from Myanmar. Take the laphet thoke, a fermented tea leaf salad characterised by salt, spice and acidity, brightened by green tomato, cabbage, and Burmese nuts. Burmese mangoes also star in a dessert, torched and served with house-made coconut and gula melaka sorbet. Elsewhere, chickpea tohu (tohu jaw), a staple in Burmese cuisine, is fried in a crispy batter and drizzled in a black jaggery sauce for a touch of sweetness and umami.
Taking you through the entire experience is the fictional persona Prince Pyu Pyu (a brainchild of Pai), who travels around Asia and brings back culinary influences to add to his feasts. The la zi ji mala maestro chicken, for instance, borrows from Sichuan culinary traditions with its use of chilli crisp, Sichuan pepper, and homemade chilli oil. Another dish, the Mandalay minced chicken, is inspired by Thai larb gai (chicken salad), while the “Curry Piezo'' is a bridge between Indian and Burmese cuisines. But if you don't know what to order, pick the weekday set lunch from 11.30am to 2pm to guide you through Burma Social's adventurous menu items.
Read more: The best fusion restaurants in Singapore
Above Laphet nay wai thoke, a signature at Burma Social which features fermented tea leaves from Myanmar
Laphet nay wai thoke, a signature at Burma Social which features fermented tea leaves from Myanmar
1 / 1
No night is complete without drinks, and Burma Social’s in-house mixologist has crafted a selection of cocktails, categorised according to the countries surrounding Burma. From the section representing China, you’ll find delights like “The Great Salted Plum”, a twist on traditional whisky sour with a mix of Mr Boston gin and Peddler salted plum gin. There’s also the Mancino Bianco, a mix of mandarin orange juice, fresh lemon and egg white. Over in the section for Laos, fermented tea leaves make an appearance again in “The Forbidden Leaf”, this time infused with gin and mixed with pisco, tamarind juice, fresh lime, and Laos powder. If you need a stronger punch, try the “Sonargaon Spice” in the Bangladesh section, a refreshing, fruity drink with pink guava juice, lentil and fenugreek syrup, fresh lime, and an unusual dose of Thai chilli, making this a drink you won’t forget anytime soon.
Above Cocktails at Burma Social
Cocktails at Burma Social
1 / 1
With Burma Social spanning two shophouse spaces, you’ll have a number of rooms to wine and dine in, each more stylish than the last. The al-fresco dining area on level one, for instance, is perfect for a late afternoon cup of coffee, with a retractable roof shielding you from the heat. After that, head to the first-storey bar for some pre-dinner cocktails before making your way to the main dining areas on level one and two, which present playful yet elegant atmospheres to enjoy your meals. Afterwards, transport yourself to a speakeasy at the Khun Sa lounge on level two, which is painted a seductive olive green, complete with gold accents, mirrors, and stunning artwork at the centre of the room. There is also a private dining room for more intimate gatherings on the third level.
In case you missed it: 14 Stylish New Restaurants in Singapore to Visit in 2022
Above Al-fresco dining area on level one of Burma Social
Above Main dining area on level two of Burma Social
Al-fresco dining area on level one of Burma Social
1 / 2
For Bansal, Burma Social is not just a haven for guests to kick back and relax—it’s also a rejuvenating spot for him. “Something is missing in Singapore,” he asserts. “People have to smile, people have to come out of that concrete jungle. So what is the job of a restaurant here? It’s to give something more.”
Pai agrees. “That is what differentiates us from others,” he says. “And when you have a place like Burma Social, where the cuisine, the atmosphere, and the music is different… you feel that you have come out of Singapore to have a good time.”
Burma Social, 34 Tras Street, S(079026), 6016 9140
Topics
About
Ethan is a dining writer with Tatler Singapore. Trained in literary arts and filmmaking, their work has previously been published in Esquire Singapore, Men's Folio, and with the Asian Film Archive and the Singapore International and Film Festival, across a wide range of interests from gastronomy to fashion and arts criticism.
Work
Ethan writes about exciting news in the F&B industry, specialising in fine dining, exclusive spirits launches, and new restaurants. They are always looking for riveting voices to bring something fresh to an already-dynamic industry.
Follow them on Instagram at @faustiangourmand.
