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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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This place is a must-go! Go early because I've heard there is a line that forms. Fortunately for me, the lady and I never experienced a wait. We were seated right away and had seats next to the window.
We ordered the soup which was vegetarian and let me tell you that is was amazing!!!! Rich, a bit spicy, crunchy and a swarm of delightful things going on in my mouth unlike anything I've ever experienced. SOLD on coming here again just for the soup.
We also ordered the beef curry and coconut rice. The rice was very flavorful and good. The beef was okay. Next time, ordering the curry with a different kind of meat. The beef turns out tough to chew.
Anyways, overall a great experience and there are more dishes to try since the Foodnetwork has mentioned dishes to try out!
At least half of the dinners were first time, so were we a party of six. (The server asked almost every table, and the place isn't big.)
The cuisine itself is not cultural nor is artistically presented. It simply picked up or mixed many ingredients from other Southern Asian food.
We ordered 10 dishes, including appetizers, noodles, beef, lamb, and chicken. The spices are strong flavor, and the food are salty; so after all they tasted all the same. Example: one chicken dish is a mix of chicken, asparagus, lotus roots, but you just taste the same "sauce" as other dishes.
Don't waste money and time here, there are many good real cultural restaurants in San Francisco.
So I had been waiting a long time to head out to this place. Whenever I visited my friends in the Richmond, there would always be a line outside and I wondered why. Eventually I got a friend willing to wait it out with me and we headed out to Burma SuperStar one night. A table of two on a Thursday night took 30 minutes for us, but we occupied ourselves with the nearby stores until our time came up.
The place is a little crowded, they tried to jam in as many spaces as they could in the place so there's little in the way of space. But it doesn't really matter, you're in your seat the whole time right?
We decided on an order of Rainbow Salad and Lamb Curry (we had to go for the traditional Burmese dishes right).The Rainbow Salad order definitely lived it up to its name. They even have someone come by and explain every single piece of the salad to you. And somehow the big mix of ingredients they give to you, when mixed up, turns into something super tasty. Rainbow Salad definitely gets my vote.
Lamb Curry was also another good choice which we were happy with full of flavor, although I guess I can't tell the difference between Burmese curry and the other types. Nonetheless it was a great choice and super tasty.
Next time, I definitely want to get the tea leaf salad, which I hear is the tops. Although maybe we'll make reservations next time too.
I ate take out, so I can't speak to the atmosphere of the actual restaurant, but the food was excellent. I loved the tea leaf salad, loved the rainbow salad. Samusas were so crispy and delicious I didn't mind being slightly shorted on the sauce - though ask for extra sauce, cause it is very nice... good level of tanginess. The coconut rice was excellent, and the fiery tofu (I got it with the beef, as I've found lamb can get overdone easily when taken to go) was incredible. Perfect amount of spice, and held up just as well the next morning as a cold breakfast on the way to the airport. Staff was fun and helpful, and I'd have given them all five stars if not for the fact that virtually everything they serve contains MSG.
Seriously, though. That coconut rice. Mmm...
Went here with some friends on a Friday night. I advise to call ahead. It's a very small restaurant and has little seating. The employees were extremely helpful and great. They were very busy but still kept their cool. The man at the front desk was handling the waiting list great and would update you on the tables available.
The food is great! It's a bit spicy, but I know you can order dished that aren't spicy if that's not for you. They have a good selection of hot teas, and a huge variety of plates. I ordered a noodle dish with chili, cabbage, split peas, coconut curry & onions. It was incredible.
Only downfall is I wish I had room to eat dessert. :)
Burma SuperStar, that is what you are...(if only Mya would have sung these lyrics had she been of Southeast Asian Descent). Well noted chains such as La Victoria (San Jose) and Top Dog (Berkeley). You can't help but always go to the place where it started it all, to test the true potential of a restaurant/food spot. The quality and everything else should reign supreme above the rest of its cousins (or predecessors) That's what I figured, when my buddy Ms. Mabelline showed me around town, by bringing me here on her own friend's suggestion.
Granted, I lacked the funds at the time to get a "full experience" (will try to in the future upon return). Therefore we ordered the following to get the nice intro feel:
Drinks
-1 Glass of Sangria (White for this day)
Asian Pears, Oranges, and Lychee
Salads
-1 order of The Famous Food Network Highlighted (Yelp HQ, need to allow emphasis text options; Bolding, italicized etc.): Tea Leaf Salad; Consists of: Special Imported Tea Leaves from Burma (key ingredient), fried garlic bits, sunflower seeds, peanuts, roasted sesame, tomatoes, lemons, romaine lettuce and a bit of dried shrimp
Entrees/Noodles
-1 order of Garlic Noodles (w/ choice of Duck, Pork, or Tofu and Broccoli; opted for Duck) w/ flour noodles, fried garlic bits, and scallions
The White Sangria, was fruity and refreshing for a parched throat. My buddy Mabelline appreciated it from it's sweet but subtle pear taste with the blend of orange and lychee, so for all the female drinkers. It's definitely a must when coming here. The Garlic noodles, is probably best described as Thai "Chow Fun" except the Duck was stingy in the proportion of meat to noodle ratio. Whereas the scallions, was also hardly present and on top of that a lot of the garlic bits were minced among the bunches of broccoli buried in the fat noodles.
Now for the Tea Leaf Salad, what else can I say about it? Well the main ingredient that makes it a big hit as I've said before is the Tea Leaves. It serves as a foundation of oil and dressing for the rest of the salad to hold in harmony. The additional ingredients adds a mixed crunchy and 'spring-e" feel as if you were tiptoe'ing through the Burmese government's Garden of Eden. I've finally found the dish, that if i were to turn Vegan/Vegetarian this would be sustenance for the rest of my life. It sounds full of hype but I guess food network highlighted this particular dish for a reason, and it made me a believer in the process.
Given the lack of a receipt and estimates on the entire experience. I believe we spent $30.00 plus tax and tip. So you're probably wondering... why no perfect rating? The tea leaf salad was excellent but I felt Straits (San Francisco) and Gyu-Kaku (Huntington Beach) did much better in their versions of garlic noodles. Therefore, it wasn't up to par as much as I've hoped for. Can't really compare the White Sangria to Lola Gaspar's (Santa Ana, Ca.) so no further commentary on that note. Nevertheless Burma SuperStar, at least you earned a four out of five in my book, cheers until a re-visit!
I love, love, love the samusa soup, just like all the other yelpers who visited here. To stay traditional I ordered the tea leaf salad which was not what I expected, but I actually enjoyed it. it's definitely worth trying at least once. The broccoli was fantastic and my bf couldn't stop raving about the sesame chicken. He also got the calamari which he also loved.
We both agreed that the food was great, service was exceptional but, it was a little small and cramped. We got there around 6pm on a Friday and we didn't have to wait which was superb. Also, the portions are large an prices are pretty descent.
But, parking is hard so if you live in the neighborhood get take out or come early so you don't have to wait.
There's plenty of reviews on Burma SuperStar already, so I'll keep it short.
Me and my friend had the Chicken Samosas and Wok Seared Calamari. Didn't taste much chicken in the samosas, but the server had already forewarned us about that. They were very tasty with a touch of curry in every bite. The Wok Seared Calamari was excellent. It was basically a calamari salad. Doesn't that say enough already?!
I washed the food down with a Ginger Beer. It didn't taste like beer at all (yay!), thanks to the wedge of lemon that was provided.
All in all, the food was great and the service was too. And thank goodness we were lucky enough that we didn't have to wait to be seated on a Saturday afternoon!
I need to be honest about Burma SuperStar and hope I don't get stoned for it.
Just ok.
I don't know if it is because I had been eating Burmese food from Yamo, a small place in the Mission that seats 9 people in the entire place, and food is served up right in front of you by 4 Burmese women who don't speak English, but something was lacking in my food here.
Don't get me wrong, it IS good, but it lacks that extra kick that makes a place special, let alone deserving of 4+ stars.
I was on the fence between 3 and 4 stars, but if you take the 1-2 hour wait time into consideration at any given time, it was a quick and easy decision.
The Tea Leaf salad was okay, but... Not really...... "authentic"! It's like how America takes the croissant and turns it into the "croissandwich". I hate to spend a review of one place praising another place, but Yamo has really set the bar on how Burmese food should taste.
I'd go back again only if we didn't have to wait longer than 30 minutes, and if we weren't crammed into the seats like anchovies.
OH and my boyfriend's chair broke and no one apologized or even helped him. Everyone just stopped and stared at him, patrons and staff alike. Awkward.
I'm going to be the minority here and give it a 3-star.
I've always wanted to try this place. There seems to be always a line..and I'm a firm believer in intelligence of the crowd so this place has to be good! Just look at the name! Makes me wanna dig both my arms into my arm pits and then extend my arms parallel to my head and scream SUPERSTAR! (a saturday night live skit ode to Molly Shannon)
I was with a friend who was getting a haircut across the street this past Friday. Since I was waiting for his buzz...why not put our names down. Going to wait anyways.
First of all, the host guy is pretty awesome. One of the most friendliest I've met. Plus - the whole concept of putting your cell phone down so they call you when your table is ready makes me want to scream at every other restaurant that doesn't do that! FANTASTIC!!! Serving hot tea while you wait in the cold of the richmond is commendable as well.
So we end up getting fiery chicken with tofu, beef kebat and with some good old brown rice to go with it. The verdict? You know how they say the longer the wait, the better the food tastes. Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...not so much in this case. I didn't find the dishes very exquisite and exotic. It wasn't like my taste buds were like 'o shit!? what kind of fine food is this??'. I thought it was all very salty. It smelled excellent (grammatically/diction wise is that even correct?)...but taste wise it falls a bit short. Sorry.
I have to say the desert was the best thing of the meal. Homemade coconut ice cream with fried bananas and some other delicious stuff in the middle. :)
I don't think I will be back. I just wasn't feeling the taste of the dishes. I do need to try another Burmese restaurant to compare.
Even though I am not vegetarian, I just loved loved loved the vegetarian samusa soup here! It was delicious, and the little samusas in it were just the right little surprise in my soup, esp. since they were crispy at one point then soaked in soup.
The curry I had was good also but nothing completely stand out to me. Also the tea leaf salad, their signature dish, was something that I think I will like over time, but for the first time, it was a bit strong for me. Still, it is one of their most popular items so I know it's just me needing to adjust to the strong flavors. As I ate more and more to me it was less of a strong taste in my mouth.
Service is excellent, and if you ever come here for lunch and it's past 11:30am you can expect to have a bit of a wait. But you'll like your foot at least!
Recently visited this culinary paradise. While the wait was intense (2 flippin hours!), it was well worth it. We almost gave up and went to another Burmese place with no wait (Mandalay, I believe?) but alas, the clouds parted and the gods came down to bless us with a table. We went with good, good friends who had never experienced the place. When I realized that we had never "burma-ed" with them, I was sad and surprised. The Burma is an experience to be shared with all loved ones! As much as the mister and I hyped it up, our guests were not disappointed. We ordered: tea leaf salad (oooh tea leaf salad), rainbow salad, chili lamb, walnut prawns, chicken pumpkin curry and garlic noodles. While the portions are on the smaller side, the flavor is on the mouth-watering side, so it evens out. We left totally blissed out and in Burma Superstart heaven.
Delicious. Superb. Lives up to the hype. I recommend the tea leaf salad. Fresh and amazing quality.… Read more »
What happened to you, Burma Superstar? The food wasn't delicious, the wait was especially long, and the service was sub-par. Definitely not worth the 1.5 hour wait.
Go elsewhere!
Yeah, Burma Superstar definitely deserves 4 stars :)
I came with my ex who's Burmese and he…
Read more »
I've always known I was never blessed with my Dad's freakish good luck, but seriously, I have the opposite of freakish good luck. For example, I got a nasty cold from the girl who sits next to me because she refuses to take a day off of work for being sick. Since I was feeling sorry for myself and my nasty sore throat I decided to indulge a little and rent a ZipCar for a quick jont over to my newly found love - Berma SuperStar.
If you've ever been to BS you'd know that there's always a wait and there parking is horrendous. Which is why I doubled parked behind the guy in front of me thinking, since I called my order in, I could run in and out of there in less than 5 minutes! Well I was right that it would only 5 minutes, but I underestimated how quickly and DPT would roll up and give me a ticket. That took 3 minutes.
Begging and pleading with the officer for 5 minutes only further led to my humiliation.....$75 later I was on my way. FML
I wanted to apologize real quickly to the Samosa Soup. We didn't get to properly meet. I'm Kristy. The one who barely came up for air as I inhaled your goodness the moment I walked in the door. Thanks for being the highlight to my otherwise terrible day.
One last shout out to the tea leaf salad. You got it goin on girl!! WOOT! Your roasted garlic, pinenuts and tealeaf were in full effect this evening for the perfect flavor intense explosion in my mouth.
Until next time! (via taxi, of course)
When you see a very long line outside of a VERY popular place on a CONSISTENT basis, I would recommend NOT going on the most popular day of the week. I finally got to try Burma Superstar last night (a random Tuesday night) on a whim. There was no line (big surprise), and we were seated right when we walked in the door.
I tried the tea leaf salad, chili lamb, coconut rice, and the crazy beer drink that comes in a pitcher.
The salad was ridiculous. There are so many layers of taste. I was very unhappy when the plate was finished, but in came the chili lamb. I usually don't like lamb too much, but with all the spices, it was not only edible, but amazing. Cocounut rice...self-expanatory. We had to order two servings.
Go on a weeknight.
Late.
The food is great.
I don't understand why people eat inside the restaurant given the wait -- order take out! You can take the food to any nearby bar. Recently, I walked a few dishes out all the way to Molotov's in Lower Haight, and they were still delicious.
Dish breakdown:
* Pumpkin pork stew -- Amazing. Unbelievable. Definitely hook it up with some coconut rice.
* Garlic noodles -- The kitchen staff cheated. I tasted a ton of butter or oil. Of course it'll taste good with a ton of fat on it.
* Okra tofu. Spicy! Okra! Bam! Nice.
Three dishes plus rice was $36. A little pricey, but delicious nonetheless.
YUM! One of my favorite restaurant in the city. Samusa soup, rainbow salad are an absolute must.
Do Remember that the samusa soup is for more like 4-5 people easily.
It is a very busy restaurant, so expect a wait.
Also try out their exotic drinks. I believe they keep offering different ones depending on the season.
This place is by far one of my favorite restaurants now!
ONLY TWO TIPS:
#1 Make sure you call in ahead of time and ask to be put on the wait list. The wait can be an hour or more depending on the time so definitely call in ahead of time because they don't take reservations.
#2 Whatever you decide to eat there....you MUST try the TEA LEAF SALAD. It sounds weird but it's delicious!
one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants in the country. Rainbow Salad, Shrimp Curry, Sangria. The owners stop and chat with people during the meal. you may have to wait 40 minutes for a table during dinner, but there's usually no wait at lunch.
Rarely do I give 5 stars, but BurmaSuper Star deserves it simply for their food and service. The hour wait was worth it!!!
Granted I think waiting for an hour may have been the reason why everything tasted so damn good, but my friends and I came out of the restaurant as happy as we could be - Good Food = Happy Customers =).
We went on a friday night, arrived at 7:30..wait time ONE HOUR. Be also prepared to look for street parking, and this area can be very busy on a friday night. The downside, NO RESERVATION. But I now see why, so many people go here regardless of the wait, it's no wonder they don't want to take reservations, SMART BUSINESS OWNER!
FAMILY-STYLE RESTAURANT - A+
There was 4 of us and everything we ordered was just right, if not more, cause we were stuffed! We ordered two salads and 4 entree and each of us had our own drinks.
Our Favorites Hands Down (in order of preference):
1. Rainbow Salad - love the tangy, savory, flavorful taste...yummm
2. Tea Lead Salad - love the nutty, salty, crunchy, flavorful taste
3. SuperStar Noodles - Deeeelicious!
4. Braised Pork Belly - Falls off the bone
The rest were just equally good:
1. Lemongrass Salmon
2. Beef Kebat
3. Coconut Rice/Brown Rice
The boys really loved their beer, while the girls were okay with their mango mix drink.
To end the evening, we couldn't resist but share a fried banana with chocolate glaze and coconut ice cream.....sooooo good!
ALL of this was about $30-$40 per person.
We would definitely come back Here agAin.
Great food! Service is usually very good as well. The wait to get in keeps me away, but once you're in the door, it's wonderful food. A larger tea selection would be nice.
Today I was walking through Clement St. with my boyfriend looking for a new place to eat. He said he wanted "South Eastern" food. Im not sure if Burma is in South East Asia, but we gave this a try anyways.
The place was packed (1:40 PM). We put our name down for 2 people and the waitress told us it'll be 10 minutes. Indeed, it did take 10 minutes.
The place is kind of small and crowded, but we managed to get a comfortable spot.
All of the workers were very nice. I was so relieved they let us get change for quarters (damn meter parking).
We ordered:
- Burmese Chicken Salad(Tangy/spicy chicken salad... SO GOOD)
- Coconut curry chicken flour noodles (SO GOOD)
- Burmese Style Beef Curry Rice (this one wasn't as great)
our total was $43
i suppose I will come here again to try that samosa soup!
How long for 4 people on a Wednesday? 35 minutes, she says. 90 minutes later we're walking to our table for four, ready to order. A few minutes later, our order for 5 dishes goes to kitchen.
For starters we had a Platha D...something that's fried layers of bread. VERY tasty. Then comes the Samusa soup & Tea Leaf salad. The salad grew on me, and the soup was different, also grew on me. Then came the pumpkin pork stew, burmese curry lamb and coconut rice. All very good quality, different tasting, but worth the wait?? I don't know. Mandalay bay is one block over on California. I'd go here again, but at 5pm and with only two people.
Service staff was friendly and this place was A-OK.
There has always been this hype about Burma SuperStar, but I've never had the opportunity to try it out until an early Monday afternoon when I was waiting around the area for a hair appointment. My friend and I heard about the tea leaf salad and decided to check it since we could reap the rewards of it being Monday and we didn't have to wait an hour or two to be seated.
The service was good-4 stars.
We had the tea leaf salad, rainbow salad, and garlic noodles. I have to admit, I pushed for the three stars because of the tea leaf salad. It was pretty darn good. The pine nuts gave it a fun texture to eat-4 stars. But I wasn't over impressed. The rainbow salad (as featured on the 'Food Network') with 22 ingredients and the garlic noodles, I was completely underwhelmed-2 stars. I kept saying as I took each bite, "I think I've had better" and "Two hrs in line for this? really?"
In conclusion, Burma Superstar, go if you have a free weekday off to avoid the wait. Its really nothing out of the ordinary.
This place deserves all the hype. Yes, it is small, and yes, the lines are long, but a little known secret may help. You can call ahead and add your name to the list to minimize the wait. They have the system down.
Our server was adorable and very helpful. I love when you can ask "what do you like" and they give you a firm answer. Not "everything is good." His suggestion was the Nan Pia Dok and he was dead on. Great texture and flavor and not too rich.
For the next dish, we picked it ourselves and recommend you do too! The Mango Shrimp with Chili Sauce. Delectable. A perfect combination of sweet and spice. On the side, the creamy Coconut Rice.
We had our food so quickly we were eating in the matter of minutes. If you are in this neighborhood, or even if you have to make the drive, check Burma Superstar out. You will not be disappointed.
"Burma Superstar....that is what you are...."
Yeah, I'm sure they haven't heard that one before :)
Been meaning to try this for years but I think it took a trip to Burma for me to finally appreciate the cuisine and culture. In addition, the "lovely" Furlough Days that have been afforded to me as a California State employee has given me the chance to go to places that are usually too busy on the weekend. Score! :)
So last Monday, we walked right in at lunch time and were promptly seated. We ordered a round of appetizers: Burmese Samusas, Fried Yellow Bean Tofu, and the Rainbow Salad. I ordered the Pork Garlic Noodles whereas my bf and brother ordered their curries. The sis-in-law had the Chicken Nan Gyi Dok. I ordered a refreshing ginger sparking lemonade--- yum!
The appetizers were delicious! The Samusas resemble Indian Samosas but offered a little more spice than their counterparts. Delicious and crunchy. The Rainbow Salad was mixed table side and was composed of 22 different ingredients---though I could only identify a dozen or so. The Fried Yellow Bean Tofu was the sleeper hit! Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside--like a potato. The dipping sauce was wonderful--sweet and a little spicy. I could eat a TON of them!
My garlic noodles were ok...nothing spectacular. However both curries I sampled, the beef and pork, were absolutely delicious! Tender and succulent with a TON of complex flavors!
4 stars based on their awesome service, fabulous appetizers and curries. We'll definitely be back to try their other dishes!
Did I mention Chris Isaac was sitting at the table next to us??? "Oh the Wicked Games you play...." :)
the raves about this place! and i finallyy get to try it after like 3 years of saying lets eat here, but i never did.
I came on saturday night around 5:40, got seated around 6:15 or so...wasn't too bad a wait i suppose. place is pretty small. service wasn't that slow, pretty good.
we ordered the tea salad, the samusa soup, and the coconut chicken flour noodle thing.
everything came out pretty fast, the soup was thick and pretty good. unique....and i can say this makes u full!
the tea salad was.....salad....iono i guess we expected some bomb salad but...it tasted like salad and peanuts and more nuts.....*shrug* i guesss the flavor was nice and all...but i dont see the WOW everyone says.
the coconut chicken thing was okay....spicy, curry flavor, MEH, almost like Banana island stuff...
wasn't toooo wowed by this place, but it was interesting food. nice service that mixed the food for you and explained what each things were....and yea....parking was easy today, but i think i was just lucky, and we were one of the only asian people there....O_o guess its more of an american attraction.....possibility of coming again...if there wasn't a wait
What is not to like, good prices, great food and amiable service. The only problem is you better get here early or be prepared to put your name on the list and wait. Try the tea leaf salad.
In a past life, I had a place on California St & 8th then at Geary & Stanyan... having trouble getting rid of my INNER RICHMOND tattoo (Don't worry I did it with a sharpie and colored markers)... I miss this place to death.
What can possibly be said about these dishes that has not already been said in 1,817 reviews. Almost everything at this restaurant is good and after trying almost everything on the menu, not much of it sucks.
I do recommend these dishes (for a party of 2) in this particular order:
Vegetarian Samusa Soup
Tea Leaf Salad and/or Rainbow Salad (interchangeably delicious)
Super Star Shrimp with chili and garlic sauce
Pea shoots sautéed in garlic and wine.
Coconut Rice topped with the fried onions (to be served with the shrimp and pea shoots)
*Fried Coconut pudding served with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries
(*) One of the best desserts EVER.
People may complain about the unbelievably long lines and the inconsistent service... not to many things in this world are perfect, but this place is definitely worth a try.
If you don't want to wait over an hour to get a table, plan ahead and come early. If you arrive when they open for lunch at 11:30am or for dinner at 4pm (I know it's an early dinner) you will be sat right away and should not have trouble finding a table.
If you are not already a Burma SuperStar zombie, its best to go at these times if you want to check out all the hype because almost nothing taste good after waiting outside for 2 hours on a cold San Francisco night. If you have to wait for a table, kill some time at the Green Apple, Park Life, or people watch at one of the many cafés on Clement.
I believe the food (and the consistently long line) speaks for itself and I always try and make it here whenever I'm back in town.
FREE Aung Sang Suu Kyi!!! Burma not myanmar!!!
Highly Recommended
Everything was amazing. We had the Wok Roasted Calamari, Samosa Soup, and the Lamb Curry. The lamb was very tender and crazy delicious. I'm going to have a tough time trying anything else next time. You must try this place.
The food was good but I didn't find it that original and am not sure it's worth it to wait to get a table for that long (for those who gets to this place during its busy days).
On the other hand I didn't order their salad's which is what I think they are most known for. Still, I'm not too keen on ordering a $10-15 salad that will most likely not fill me at all.
However, I LOVED the dessert. The fried banana/jackfruit with coconut ice cream drizzled in chocolate AND the fried coconut pudding were to DIE FOR!
So I guess if you want something that's different and Burmese you should try this place out on a weekday so you won't have to wait 1-2 hours.
I've eaten there twice now, and not disappointed! The Tea Leaf Salad is wonderful. We ordered the Basil Chicken, and the Potatoe Curry, both were delightful. Dessert was good as well. The Mango sorbet was really refreshing.
Seating is a bit crowded, but doesn't detract from the experience.
Besides the hour wait, everything was fantastic!!
We had and enjoyed:
Tea leaf salad= crispy, salty, savory, slightly sour, fantastic! Best in SF.
Samosas= crispy, not too dense, wonderful spice flavor
Chili Lamb= spicy!
Chicken curry noodles= gummy yumness
Pumpkin and pork curry= More subtle then you'd think. Hearty; this a winter night type of dish.
Chicken/Prawn with cinnamon rice cassarole= Probably my favorite thing...out of this world, cinnamon, almonds, raisins, braised falling apart chicken...ohhh, and hell, let's throw some prawns in too...
to drink we had the Burma cocktail, Beer+ginger and lemon, which was refreshing and the spices went really well with the food.
Burma S is kinda expensive.
It's funny how we ended up sampling more dishes than we ordered as we shared dishes with our highly engaging neighbors on the next table! More on that later.
So this buddy and I decided to drive down and meet in The City to try the "SuperStar" that everyone (ok, an exaggeration) has been talking about.
Our initial "45 minutes wait" turned into an ordeal as 45 turned to 60 and 60 turned to 90 but still no table. What's with the San Franciscans with a million people waiting to get into a restaurant on a Sunday evening? Finally after a 100 minute wait his name was called upon which another patron, in levity, rushed in with a "ah, at last!" to which I tut-tutted and called his bluff with the well-known index-finger wave :-)
Once seated we ordered the Vegetarian Samusa Soup and a plate of chicken Samusa for the appetizers. The entree was the "Spicy and Crispy Chicken," and the traditional Burmese (their words, not mine) "Chicken Dahl" with a side order of Jasmine rice.
~ The soup was hearty, filling, and full of flavor with the Samusas and what seemed to be like falafels weaving their textural bag-o'tricks on the palate. We thought it was a single-serve portion but turns out it was a huge bowl enough to serve 4 (!!!) which was fortunate, in hindsight, as we shared it with our aforementioned friendly neighbors at the next table.
~ The chicken samusas' were pretty good; the wrapper was crispy like that of a puff-pastry and the spices in it's potato-chicken filling was very much like that of an Indian samosa.
~ The Chicken Dahl is a chicken curry cooked with lentils. I like the way it was spiced as it was very homely; my only grouse would be that hint of sweetness which was not exactly to my liking --- but that's just me!
~ The spicy and crispy chicken was decent though it was reminiscent of traditional chinese fare; good, but no cigars!
So we didn't order the oft talked about tea leaf salad but happened to sample it when I casually mentioned to the two girls on the next table that their "dishes were really colorful". They good-naturedly insisted I try it and lo and behold, I tried some of it and it was pretty good; though I am not sure I'd rave about it as a lot of others have been.
We had a boatload of soup that was enough for all four of us and then some. The exchange of ideas and food then flowed freely between our two tables as shrimps, vegetarianism-pescetarianism-veganism, chicken curry, humane treatment of livestock, salad, intensity of harvard business school (and how "they don't share food"), spicy n crispy chicken, as well as the hint of envy that one of us wasn't working the next day criss-crossed each other on their way from one table to the other. But I digress from the review; suffice to say it was a very entertaining evening.
As neither of us has any room for dessert, we had to forgo it which probably means an update is in order in the near future.
After all is said and done, the food was good but it wasn't wait-90-minutes good.
My expectations were raised a little too high by the raving reviews so I'd have to say it is "Overrated"
The desserts will have to wait for another day --- provided I wait for no more than 15-20 minutes (but good luck with that!)
[M]ona: 3.5 Stars
[W]ayne: 3 Stars
Average: 3.25 Stars
+ Friendly Service
- Pricey
- Overrated
[M] I've wanted to visit Burma SuperStar for the longest time! My interest in Burmese food began when my coworker Sandra brought her homemade TEA LEAF SALAD to our work potluck and ever since then, I've been hooked! :D So we came on a weekday and made sure there wasn't any wait before we headed in. Wayne and I ordered the 5 piece SAMOSAS, TEA LEAF SALAD, WALNUT SHRIMP, and a COCONUT RICE.
[W] They have good SAMOSAS.
[M] Uh... Momo disagrees, but baby got me THAI ICE TEA to shut me up... =_=''
Anyway... the SAMOSAS were flavorful but had a weird texture and not to mention the funky after taste to it. The curry flavor was too strong in my opinion.
The TEA LEAF SALAD wasn't nearly as good as I expected. After reading pages of reviews from Yelpers praising about how good it is, it was kind of a disappointment to us. I would have liked it more if it was more spicy and crunchier like the one my coworker Sandra makes.
The WALNUT SHRIMP was probably the best dish out of the 4. The sauce was creamy and the sweet. The shrimps were pretty plump too! Just thinking about it makes me salivate Mmm~ Would definitely come back again for that! :3
COCONUT RICE was delicious and was my favorite out the 4 dishes! It tasted as good as it smelled. Had a nice fragrant coconut aroma and was sprinkled with roasted coconut flakes on top. Great deal for only $3!
Overall, the food here was just okay, and the service wasn't too bad either. I really don't see what the hype is about this place though. I'm hoping we just ordered the wrong dishes so we WILL come back next time to give Burma SuperStar another try. As for now, we will stick with 3.25 Stars.
The staff is very nice and understanding of the crap parking situation. They have free hot tea outside for all the people either waiting for a table or waiting for their friend to find a parking spot. Inside is cute, but not pretentious. Had the tea leaf salad and the superstar vegetarian noodles (Burmese noodles with tofu, cucumbers, potatoes, chili sauce, and cabbage, served at room temperature). Both were pretty good. Tried the catfish curry and didn't like it, mainly because catfish tastes too fishy, but also because it seems the skin was on and I don't like that. They're on top of the water refills. Average prices.
It's as if everyone wants the Early Bird Special, because even at 5:30pm on Sunday, there was a line at this place. We're only a party of two, but had around a 30 minute wait. I did like that we could just leave a phone number and go hang out at a nearby coffee shop; that's much more enjoyable than waiting half an hour in line.
Anyway, onto the food:
Tea Leaf Salad: I was happy to knock off #17 on the Big Eat SF list. From reading the reviews here, you'd think eating this salad would be a religious experience or something. Don't get me wrong, I love the way the lemon juice mixes with the tea leaves, seeds, and nuts, but I wouldn't call it amazing.
Plus, I asked for it to come with dried shrimp, and there were none to be found. Maybe they were hiding.
Nan Gyi Dok: It's rice noodles + chicken + coconut milk curry. It's really tasty.
Burmese Style Curry w/ Catfish: I like the way the medium-spicy tomato sauce works with the fish. If you're not used to eating fish with bones in it, get this with the shrimp instead. Goes well with brown rice.
In other news, our server was good. Maybe she can win a Peace Prize, too.
Ahhh... it feels good to finally be on the bandwagon!
Great spot. Obviously the food is great and the price is right..
Originally, I was thinking 4 stars, but the service is what really rounded it out, and makes it a 5 star spot. I have heard that service can lack at this place because it gets so crowded and busy. But we were there at peak time Friday night and had impeccable service. Very friendly, guided us through the menu and were very quick and responsive.
Well worth the wait.... Round 2 coming soon!
This place is a new favorite! All of my co-workers recommended this place, and I am absolutely in love with it! Make sure to call in ahead to place your name on the list, and they're awesome because you can walk around and they'll call your cell phone when your table is ready. Multi-tasking for the win.
The first time I went, I went with my bf and we popped our Burmese dining cherries together. It was unforgettable. Someone told me that Burmese food is kind of like a combo of Thai and Indian, and I think that's pretty accurate.
We got:
*tealeaf salad - good, but not great. I did love the nice crunch the nuts added
*rainbow salad - loved the tamarind sauce and noodles
*coconut rice with beef curry!!! OMG...the curry is seriously amazing! And I adore the coconut rice, by itself or smothered in curry.
*burma cooler - beer with lemon and ginger, very refreshing and carbonated
One thing that really impressed us was the super friendly, helpful and enthusiastic service. The waiter who brought out the two salads thoroughly explained what ingredients were included and delicately tossed the ingredients together. When a lemon seed accidentally fell into the salad, he literally spent 30 seconds picking it out with a spoon. The staff here take their food seriously. Our other waiter was so polite and really welcomed us here after finding out it was our first time.
When I went with my gf's, we got:
*coconut lime chicken curry flat flour noodles - this is bursting with flavor! It reminded me of the coconut lime curry noodle soup at Noodle Theory (which is my favorite there).
*Fiery veggies with bean curd - this wasn't anything too special, but it definitely did not lack flavor
Definitely coming back here often, especially on chillier days, for Burma Supersta'rs hearty, warm, and flavorful dishes.
Fantastic restaurant with a good repuation for good reason! The one thing that I really don't like is that because it's so popular, there's generally a long line to get a table. Luckily, I live in the neighborhood, and they do TAKE OUT! Woot!
Personally, I'm addicted to the Walnut Shrimp with Brown Rice as a side. In fact, anything with Shrimp is good. And the Coconut Rice is the best rice you'll ever have. It has a creamy, soft quality that pushes a smile across your face.
I'm a pescatarian, so I haven't eaten many of their meat-based dishes, but my boyfriend has tried several and really likes their curries. There was one time he ordered the Sesame Chicken, and we agreed it was a bit dry, but other than that he's seemed happy as well.
Note: if you do eat in the restaurant, it can get a little loud as it's a small, very crowded room. Just something to consider if you're looking for a place to hold a good conversation!
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Neighborhood: SOMA
In Examiner & SF Weekly
Neighborhood: Civic…
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: Burmese
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Thai
Alameda, CA
Category: Burmese
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Burmese
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