Burma Burma Restaurant & Tea Room — Restaurant in Hyderabad

On a weekend if me & my family agree to reach at 1200 noon for lunch... then it means that the place is really special. Last weekend this happened when we decided to go to the newly opened Burma Burma Restaurant & Tea Room at Knowledge City, Madhapur.

What makes any restaurant a good restaurant... off course delicious and tasty food is must and beautiful ambience definitely adds up but most importantly it's the service which makes it memorable and brings you back. Burma Burma seems to be committed to giving a memorable experience.

We were a little confused about what to order as our knowledge of Burmese cuisine is quite limited but just upon observing our confused faces the Operation Manager Sanil (hope I remember the name correctly) himself helped us with the orders. We gave him a complete free hand to decide the dishes for us and Wow! What a job he did. Starting from their very famous Bubble Tea to dessert... Everything was spot on.

We started with Bubble Tea. Not a regular tea but it's a cold frothy drink which has tapioca pearls which gives this drink the name Bubble tea. We tried Mango Raspberry Bubble Tea and Korean Banana Bubble Tea. Mildly sweet, very flavourful and those tapioca pearls were giving a nice texture to the drink. Then comes the Smoked Guava Cooler. Very tasty and refreshing. Adding smoke to the cooler on the table was really interesting.

Then came the soups Mohinga Noodle Soup - this is the National Dish of Myanmar, originally made with rice noodles, fish soup, herbs, lemongrass but the vegetarian version was just awesome. The chana dal fritters gave nice character and crunch to the soup. This dish is so popular and important in Burma that there are special spoons to eat. Another soup was Samuza Hincho Curry Soup. Samuza is Burmese cousin of our dear samosa. This version of samosa is smaller in size, filled with potatoes and chickpea flour. Here they served this National Street Food Dish of Myanmar in the form of curried soup. Nice flavourful, warm and hearty but not heavy at all.

The mood was completely set and it was time to grab some awesome salads and starters. Sanil had arranged a Salad sampler which had three small portions of Raw mango salad, Tea leaf salad and Sunflower leaves & wheat flakes salad. This was my first time to have tea leaves & sunflower leaves, and they were just wow. The little lesser known fact is that Myanmar has one of the longest histories of cultivating tea in the world. That's why tea and tea leaves plays a significant role in their cuisine.

Wish these salads were served with soup then it would have been better.

Now it was starters time. They have a Small Plate section in their menu, where they serve small portions so that one can taste more dishes. This time we got Banana Croquettes with Kokum Cream, Shiitake Autumn Crunchy Roll and Edamame & Broad Bean Hummus. All of them were great but what I liked was that hummus was very different and quite light.

Now it was the time for the most important dish... Burma Burma Oh No Khow Suey. Beautiful dish. Warm, hearty, balanced amount of veggies, noodles and sauce. The subtle flavour of lemongrass had made it more tasty.

Finally the last dish of the day Street Style Burmese Falooda came to our table. Mildly sweet and very flavourful.

Apart from Sanil I would like to thank the entire service staff for making our experience memorable. Also a special thanks to Mr. Sahil Mohan (Head of National Operations) for giving a nice insight on this lesser known cuisine and their journey.

The best part of this lunch was that we did not feel heavy after having so many items. There are many items left as their menu is very vast which I would like to try. So I'm coming again very soon.

Chef...

One of the best vegetarian restaurants in Hyderabad serving authentic Burmese cuisine. They serve amazing artisanal ice creams and have a diverse set of tea options. Meat and alcohol are not available at this restaurant.

Food: I have tried their Samuza Hincho (Samosa Soup), Mohinga Noodle Soup, Thoke Sampler (Salad Sampler), Tea Shop Fries Platter, Grilled Mock Meat Skewers, Grilled Sticky Rice (BBQ Jackfruit), Burma Burma "Oh No Khowsuey", Jasmine Cheese Foam Bubble Tea, Korean Banana Bubble Tea, Rangoon Baked Milk, Sanwin Makin, Saffron & Samuza Cheesecake, Durian Fruit Ice Cream, Honeycomb and Sweetcorn Ice Cream, and Avocado and Honey Ice Cream. On another visit, we also tried Shiitake Fingers, Mustard and Edamame Fried Rice, Stir-Fry with Tangy Roselle Leaves and Mushrooms, Mekong Curry and Sticky Rice, Chamomile Tea, and Zero Proof G&T. I have been to their Bengaluru as well as Hyderabad outlets.

Mohinga is the national dish of Myanmar, it's very comforting and I would surely recommend that.

Thoke (Salad) Sampler is a must-try. It comes with their signature Mandalay Laphet Thoke (Tea Leaf Salad) which is delicious and it's their signature, Sunflower Leaves Salad which was quite unique, and Raw Mango Salad.

Grilled Sticky Rice with BBQ Jackfruit is also quite interesting and also recommended.

Khowsuey: This is their signature noodle dish with coconut milk and various toppings. It's a must-try given its brilliance.

Mustard and Edamame Fried Rice is very flavorful and has that umami feel to it.

Mekong Curry is coconut-ty and fresh. Goes well with sticky rice or even jasmine rice.

Stir-Fry with Mushrooms, Tofu, and Roselle Leaves was okay. Not as delectable as Mekong Curry. Roselle Leaves were tangy, almost like spinach with lemon.

Grilled Mock Meat Skewers have that beautiful lemongrass-like flavour and the mock meat's texture is quite close to actual meat's.

Tea: They have a diverse collection of teas including bubble teas, green teas, artisanal iced teas. Jasmine Cheese Foam Bubble Tea was excellent while the Korean Banana Bubble Tea one was alright as well. One visit isn't enough for their teas. Chamomile Tea is served hot. The floral aroma of Chamomile is slightly bitter but pleasant. Zero Proof G&T has Elderflower, yuzu bitters, tonic water, and juniper berries (as in gin). The tonic water makes it a slightly bitter drink and not that tasty.

Desserts: I feel Burma Burma's desserts are some of the best desserts one can get in Hyderabad. Their ice creams are unique and excellent. They also have other Burmese and international desserts.

Durian Fruit Ice Cream is a must-try. Creamy, sweet, and a bit pungent/rotten smell make this ice cream very unique. Honeycomb and Sweetcorn Ice Cream is an interesting flavour and also a must-try. Rangoon Baked Milk is such a simple yet delectable dessert. A must-try. Saffron & Samuza Cheesecake: This cheesecake is to die for or perhaps live for. Exceptional. Avocado and Honey Float Ice Cream: Also very interesting and buttery. Brilliant presentation.

Ambience and Service: The ambience is pretty warm and elegant. Excellent service with very helpful staff. They try to help us by providing nice food recommendations.

The price that one has to pay for this level of excellence is as expected a bit steep but is worth it in my view.

It is definitely recommended to reserve your table in advance as it can get quite crowded. It's quite difficult to get a table otherwise with some waiting time.

Overall, this is a paradise for vegetarians with a sweet tooth. Pretty family-friendly as well. If you love desserts, teas, and unique vegetarian food options, this place is for you! Obviously not for meat-eaters or alcohol...

The hype of this restaurant is real and absolutely worth. Some restaurants deliver dishes that ideate well, and some execute well but the restaurant to deliver food to your table that has taste that stays in your mind imprinted is a true winner indeed. Burma Burma is one such restaurant that must be applauded unquestionably for its creative cuisine and service. Their take on Burmese cuisine with utter care and perfection makes them worthy of the crown. I had the opportunity to visit this place with my boss on a clouded afternoon in the financial district of Hyderabad. The place was almost packed and the staff were absolutely attentive on all fronts towards every person at every table. We ordered the virally famed Samosa Soup or Samuza Hincho, Burmese Falafel, Charred Broccoli with Smoked Burmese Cheese served with Tangy and Spicy Malar Sauce, Sunflower Seeds and Lemongrass Oil, Burma Burma “Oh No Khowsuey”, Pomegranate and Mandarin Spritzer, and Apple Crumble hazelnut cake with chocolate ganache. The Samuza Hincho was absolutely breathtaking with every sip and the chew of those al dente vegetable juliennes. The broth reeked of rich spice and mouth-watering flavour and paired so well with the stuffed and fried dumplings or samosas which redefined eating of street food. This delectable soup was as triumphant as it could get. The Burmese Falafel were gobsmacking. Almost similar to the Indian masala vada but softer, fluffier and much absorptive. The aromatic garlic sauce makes all the difference and it was just mesmerising. The garlic sauce doesn’t emanate too much garlic and hums of bombilating tone of aromatic spices. It covers the palate leaving a good lasting taste and is filling with the tender falafel made of yellow lentils and spices and herbs. It was a gorgeous dish indeed. The charred broccoli bathed in the dark sheen and glossy glow of the sweet, tangy and spicy Malar sauce with a few crumbs of the smoked Burmese cheese makes it for the most indulgent and brilliant bite. It was that dish where I had to keep the cutlery down and just dwell in the comfort of that blissful bite. The Burmese Khowsuey was the mother of all soupy noodles. As exaggerated it may sound, it is worthy of such praise for its mildly sweet yet subtly spicy, deeply aromatic and ambrosially savoury flavours of the rich, thick and robustly well-cooked soup and Udon Noodles drowned in the soup make it God’s food. The condiments of fried garlic flakes, roasted peanuts, chives, chilli oil etc. make it even better. And finally coming to the dessert, there was a bit of faltering. The apple was a bit uncooked, and the slice of entremet felt grainy to the palate. The flavour wasn’t so cohesive. The fresh parts of fruits didn’t exactly pair really well with the rich chocolate ganache. Nevertheless, it wasn’t a disaster at all. It was still a good dessert. The staff were well-versed with the menu and what’s good for the customers choosing and liking. They bring warm plates and clean cutlery after each course, serve equally and properly. All in all, this restaurant is one grand experience. Of course, it is costly, but worth it. You may not feel full after any dish which is why you might want to order more as the bill rises. A perfect place for a birthday celebration or a family outing or even a fun team meal. But a must visit for some of the most delectable food one could...