Burma Social

Burma Social is a Burmese restaurant and bar at 34 Tras Street in Tanjong Pagar. Its menu, called the Feast of Six Kingdoms, puts Burma at the centre. Around it sit dishes inspired by China, India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Laos, the five countries that border Myanmar.

It opened in August 2023 in a pair of joined shophouses spread over three floors. If Burmese food is new to you, this is an easy place to try it with friends. The restaurant sees itself as a social spot for good food, drinks and company.

What to order

The menu is built for sharing. It runs from cold salads and fried snacks to dim sum, curries and noodles. These are good places to start:

• Lahpet thoke: the classic Burmese salad of fermented tea leaves with crunchy fried nuts, cabbage and tomato. There is also an avocado version.
• Gyin thoke: a sharp, spicy salad of fermented young ginger.
• Mohinga: often called Burma's national dish, made here with barramundi, rice noodles and a herby fish broth.
• Burmese tohu: crisp fried cake made from chickpea flour, with a nutty, tangy sauce.
• Ngapali salt-baked fish: salmon cooked inside a leaf parcel and flavoured with fermented tea leaves.

The six kingdoms idea also shows up in Tibetan momo, Sichuan pork dumplings, crab curry with pav and crushed samosas in lentil curry. There are bao buns and sushi rolls too. For dessert, try the gula melaka sago or the rose-flavoured falooda. The Bagan burnt honey cake is offered as an add-on with the set lunches. At lunch there are set menus of three or four courses. A separate brunch menu runs at weekends.

Drinks

The bar mixes pan-Asian cocktails, and the list also covers wine, beer and spirits. There are mocktails, coffee and tea for anyone not drinking alcohol. It makes a relaxed stop for a drink and a few small plates after work.

The setting

The restaurant fills a black-and-white colonial-era building on Tras Street. When it opened, the first floor had al fresco seating under a retractable roof, the second floor held a speakeasy-style lounge, and the top floor had a private dining room. The décor nods to Myanmar, with antique vases and jugs brought over from the country. Each floor can be booked for parties and company events.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve online through SevenRooms or by phone.
• Vegetarian and vegan: a separate menu lists meat-free dishes, such as the kang kong fritters and the lotus stem, marked as vegan. Our vegetarian and vegan guide has more ideas.
• Dietary needs: the restaurant asks guests to tell the team about any allergies or restrictions.
• Spice: some dishes carry real heat, so ask staff which ones are milder.

Nearby

Tras Street is close to the shophouse bars of Tanjong Pagar and the streets of Chinatown. On the same street, Hamamoto serves Japanese food. Nearby, Zén sits on Bukit Pasoh Road and Shikar is on Cook Street. Before dinner, follow the Chinatown Heritage Walk. You can also browse more Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants, see all restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar, or read our guide to Tanjong Pagar and Keong Saik.