BURMA CAFE

The first time I tried Burmese cuisine was on a trip to San Francisco in 2008 to visit my bro. I was on a big foodie kick and wanted to try all the hip, budget spots in town. One night he took me to Burma SuperStar!, where — just as for the thousand of palates before mine and the thousands after — the tea leaf salad made my tastebuds dance.

Now, five years later, I’m living in the Bay and eating more Burmese. In LA, it’s much more about Thai. But I’ve noticed that up here, it’s Burmese.

When we were in Menlo Park, we loved to eat at Rangoon Ruby. But we thought the price point was a bit high. So we’re glad that in our new ‘hood we have Burma Cafe which is a viable take-out option but an equally nice, casual dine-in experience. (Just don’t let the strip mall atmosphere scare you off — it’s totally harmless!)

We like to begin our meals with some Tiger, a Malaysian beer. It really pairs well with the Burmese flavors. Then the tea salad to start, which always comes composed and is mixed at the table. The fermented tea leaves are completely craveworthy (even for someone with a more timid palate like my husband’s).

Another dish we always order is the Nan Gyi Dok, a mild coconut curry served over chicken with rice noodles, eggs, and fried onions. I equate it to the pad thai of Burmese food — that noodle dish, crowd pleaser.

And on this particular visit, we also ordered the green beans and shrimp, the Burmese empanadas, and the coconut rice. The rice was lovely and the shrimp was fresh but the empanadas were a greasy miss.

Overall, really delicious food that isn’t served with a side of hype. xx

Burma Cafe
63 St Francis Square, Daly City, CA 94015
ph: (650) 992-6363