The excitement of the Burmese New Year or the Thingyan Festival was palpable through the decors and the smiles on the staff’s faces the moment we entered Burma Burma at Park Street. Our lunch experience was further elevated with the presence of Ankit Gupta, the founder of the chain, who divulged several facts about the traditional festival in Burma and the local ingredients with which the menu was curated.
Up first was Twilight, a tangy blend of mango-puree, coconut, Yakult, shredded coconut, and fizz. The tropical mocktail was refreshingly delightful to sip on as our extravagant Village Set was assembled on the table. The zestfulness of the Sweet lime and shallot salad with a hint of pungency from the garlic and the green chillies turning up the heat was an apt palate cleanser, to begin with. Next came the Assorted Fries Platter with sweet potato tempura, rice crackers, and the unbelievably delicious mock-mince samosa, which would definitely have us come back again.
The shallow-fried, flaky layered palata was akin to a circle croissant and yes we asked for a second helping. The hot palata went perfectly well with the Pepper Tofu and Onion Stir Fry. The caramelised onions, lemon leaves, pepper, and tofu were a well-thought-out combination of sweet, sour, and spice balanced with the plainness of tofu. The palata also went very well with the Radish slaw and Chilli Tamarind Relish, two unmissable sides of the thali. We took a break while relishing the Plum Sour, another drink with a piquant taste of plum puree, lime, ginger ale, and black grass jelly.
For the mains, was the fragrant jasmine rice cooked in lemongrass and coconut milk. The coconut base gave it a mildly sweet and thick nutty aftertaste. It was best paired with the Pumpkin and Broad Bean Curry which resembled a typical Thai curry in its velvety texture broken with the chunky broad beans. The Roselle and Mushroom Stir Fry was another unique dish made with the local ingredient the sour roselle leaves added to the savoury yet juicy mushroom chunks.
We saved the best drink for the last – El Dragon, an exotic concoction of dragon fruit, coconut, and litchi water, elderflower syrup, and coconut chunks. The taste was coconut-heavy but very good for a fruit-friendly palate.
To conclude our hearty meal we moved towards three desserts. The Banana Sanwin Makin was a slightly stretchy, sweet semolina cake which was followed by the traditional Mont Lone Yay Paw, glutinous rice flour dumplings with its sweetness derived from jaggery and nuttiness owing to the shredded coconut. Last but not the least we devoured the gourmet Lemon Poppy Seed Ice cream, which was full of citrusy flavour with black poppy seeds.
The Thingyan Menu is curated with traditional flavours and ingredients and is a must-try till it lasts.
Till May 19, 2024
Village Set (Meal for 2) approx.: Rs 2250+