Burma Superstar Review: Burma Never Tasted So Good

When I first got to San Francisco, everyone kept telling me that Burma Superstar was the place to go. Before I stepped foot inside the restaurant I even saw people wearing Burma Superstar t-shirts. When I finally got around to going, the line wrapped around the block. As I quickly found, all this hype was well-deserved. The service, the food, the cultural experience were all amazing and Burma Superstar remains one of my favorite dining experiences in San Francisco.



Back to the line. They don't take reservations so you either have to get there an hour before anyone else eats dinner, or be prepared to wait a solid 45 minutes. That being said, Burma Superstar does everything they can to make that wait tolerable. They serve delicious hot tea on the side walk for those waiting in the cool outer-richmond air. They also take your phone number instead of giving you one of those stupid pagers. While that sounds a little intrusive, it's extremely practical. The pager at TGI Fridays has a range of about 4 feet. Sure it may be located in a shopping mall but if you so much as walk past the dinner mints, you're not going to know when they call your table. At Burma Superstar, feel free to go grab a drink or even an appetizer at one of the millions of bars and restaurants on Clement st. They will call you NOT when your table is ready, but 10 minutes before giving you plenty of time to finish your drink or pay your bill.

Then there is THE FOOD. My expectations were high, but the food rose higher. Burma Superstar was a new and exciting dining experience for me. Maybe it was the way dishes were prepared and served at your table. Maybe it was the way they used interesting new ingredients (I had never tried a tea leaf salad before). Maybe it was just that the service was extremely friendly and the food was amazing (quite affordable too). All I know is that it was fun, delicious, and interesting.

While I expected the meal to be good, Burma Superstar also succeeded in peaking my interest in Burmese culture. I was already intrigued by the food, but as I waited for the bathroom, I noticed the display for the t-shirts the restaurant sells. Underneath the shirts, in small print, it explained that a portion of the restaurant sales (food and t-shirt) is given to support struggling democratic movements in Burma. I don't know a lot about the politics of Burma, but enough to know it has a bad reputation of violence and military rule. Not only was it encouraging knowing that the restaurant was giving to a good cause, but it was nice to see them standing behind their heritage and showing people the great things Burma has to offer. I left Burma Superstar wanting to learn more about Burma and what people can do to help.

Food is a great way to introduce new culture and Burma Superstar exemplifies this. If you are looking to try something new and exciting with great food and service, then Burma Superstar makes for a fun evening out sure to fill your belly, maybe even your mind.

For more information visit: burmasuperstar.com
Or follow them on twitter: @burmasuperstar 

Favorite Dishes: Tea Leaf Salad, Pumpkin Pork Stew