If you’ve never experienced the flavors of Myanmar (formerly Burma), you’re not alone. Until recently, even large markets like San Francisco were largely devoid of Burmese cuisine. But all of that is changing and the cuisine is making its way into more cities, especially those with an expanding interest in food culture.

It’s been just over three weeks since Ni Burmese opened its doors at at 2160 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., and the beautiful new eatery is beginning to get its stride, offering both lunch and dinner service six days a week. 

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I spent some time this week with Co-owner Nyo Nyo Lin, who operates the restaurant with her mother Ni Ni, and I not only learned a great deal about the cuisine of Myanmar, but also about how delicious (and distinctive) it is.

What you’ll find at Ni Burmese is food that’s largely made from scratch from recipes that have been passed down through the generations. These recipes have been influenced by techniques, ingredients and flavors of Myanmar’s neighboring countries: Thailand, India and China, giving the cuisine unique characteristics all its own. 

“Bitter, sweet, salty and spicy are the flavors you’ll find in our cuisine,” says Lin, noting that dishes are seasoned largely with relatively familiar flavors like coriander, scallions, lime, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and onions.

If you’re looking to try something new the next time you dine out, I’ve noted numerous stand-outs from the Ni Burmese menu.

1. Aloo Cutlets

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When it comes to appetizers, you’ll find items like Samosas, which are similar to the Indian pastry filled with potatoes, onions and masala ($4.99); and fried pork rolls ($9.99) which are similar to eggrolls. 

Aloo Cutlets are unlike anything I’ve eaten here in Milwaukee. But they’re a delicious snack. Comprised of cooked, mashed potatoes stuffed with pieces of chicken and deep-fried, these puffy, crispy potato dumplings are delicious dipped in the accompanying housemade sweet and sour sauce ($9.99). Accompanying tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce keep things fresh and balanced.

2. Kyay Oh

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This classic Burmese soup is simple comfort. Commonly consumed for breakfast or lunch, kyay oh features a choice of chicken or pork broth (chicken is pictured) with bean vermicelli noodles, quail eggs, greens and chicken (or pork), $12.99. It’s served with a chili-crisp style chili sauce that you can use to amp up its flavor. The chili sauce is less overtly spicy than toasty and offers a deliciously rounded flavor to the soup.

3. Ginger Salad

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If you’re looking for texture, you’ll find it in this crispy, bright ginger salad that’s made with thinly sliced cabbage, assorted crispy-fried beans, thinly sliced ginger and crispy dried shrimp ($8.99).

It’s crunchy and bright with the flavors of lime and ginger.  According to Lin, the salad is more of a snack they’d serve to guests who visit their house. “It’s more of an occasion dish,” she says, “That we’d serve before dinner with a cup of tea.”

4. (Off menu) Vegetarian Curry

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The Ni Burmese menu is filled with various curries. Primarily flavored with onions, garlic, chili powder, sometimes lemongrass and salt, the savory dishes are distinctive from Thai or Indian curries and overall less spicy. 

One curry that’s not on the menu (but that you can request anytime) is a flavorful vegetarian curry that’s made with a flavorful curry base of chilies, onions, garlic and salt (instead of fish sauce). The protein is tender crispy fried housemade Burmese tofu, which is made in-house from chickpeas rather than soy beans.

5. Sweet Soy Fried Fish

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This delicious dish begins with pomfret, a type of Butterfish, that’s cleaned and fried until tender. Then it’s covered with a housemade sweet and sour sauce and topped with scallions and cilantro ($34.99). 

The fish itself is mild and flakey with a nice flavor; and the sauce provides a sweet, sour and salty compliment. The fish is sliced so it’s easy to pull pieces of the filet from the bone without a struggle. 

6. Steamed glutinous rice 

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I am a sucker for Southeast Asian sticky rice desserts. I love their chewy texture and flavor when eaten slightly warm. These are no exception. 

Made from glutinous rice flour stuffed with coconut and jaggery and steamed in banana leaves, these coconut-flavored dessert dumplings are toothy, slightly sweet and perfect with a post-dinner cup of tea ($4.99).

7. Beverages

Ni Burmese offers a fairly broad selection of beverage options including beer, wine and sake. There are also numerous traditional drinks on the menu, including these two options: Iced Grass Jelly with hairy basil seed and lime; and Iced Tamarind Juice with jaggery and lime.

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Iced Grass Jelly is a dessert that originated in China that you'll often find in beverages at bubble tea shops. It’s a jelly-like dessert made with mesona, a Chinese herb in the mint family. It has a mild, slightly bitter flavor that’s delicious when incorporated into this lightly sweetened beverage. 

The Iced Tamarind Juice is sweet, tart and refreshing. Not unlike lemonade, it features tamarind and lime juice that’s sweetened with jaggery, a palm-based sweetener.

Ni Burmese is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch service and 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch service and 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. for dinner.