Burmese connection
Want to satiate your crush on Kaukswe? Get a table at this restaurant in town, known for its authentic Burmese cusine
Apart from my petiteness, if you haven't already noticed my features and guessed I could have a Burmese connection, let me tell you, I in fact do! My great grandfather Sunder Rao had migrated to Burma, then Myanmar, from our home town Mangalore and made a fortune. My grandfather Amrit Rao was born in Burma and was extremely fond of a variety of Burmese cuisine and also knew how to prepare it.
And since we're on the topic of Burmese food, let me tell you that Busaba is perhaps the first Burmese cuisine restaurant in Mumbai, and I have been frequenting this place since school days. It was here that I got introduced to my grandfathers' first Burmese crush — Kaukswe and I discovered she has many interesting facets indeed.
The Kaukswe is a wholesome noodle meal that originated in Burma in the mid-16th century and is pronounced as 'cow sway'. The Kaukswe at Busaba is an original recipe that was passed on by the owner's (Nikhil Chibb's) grandmother who was Burmese. And trust me, it surely is a big reason to go to this place.
A bowl of noodle is served along with nine to 10 different bowls, which makes it look like an Indian version of a thali. Each of these bowls contain chopped celery, spring onion, fried garlic, onion rings, coriander, lime juice, red chili flakes, coconut based yellow curry with vegetables or (chicken/prawn) and boiled egg and prawn paste for non-vegetarian preferences. The whole process of pouring the yellow curry over the noodles and then sprinkling each of these condiments on to it is a rare feeling of being involved in the preparation of the dish, unlike the regular act of feeding your face, the moment the food is put on the table. When you put a spoonful of this concoction in your mouth, it's amazing how each of these fine condiments leave a special feeling of their unique presence to our taste buds! The best part is, you can also individually choose to mix any combination from the rich array of these accompaniments to create your own original taste sensation. I especially feel the comb of celery and burnt garlic chops adding to the flavour of curried noodle leaving an exotic sensation in the mouth.
Just like the history of Burma accommodated various cultural habitants, Busaba's kitchen is stacked with chefs from Vietnam, Thailand and Korea, presenting their niche delicacies. With its precise mezzanine arrangement of a 'resto-bar', you could experience a fine dining atmosphere upstairs or slip downstairs into the cozy chalet lounge with jazz, funk or house beats, and pamper a mixed cocktail in your hand with the motto being — just chill! (The watermelon Man — named after the jazz guru Herbie Hancock promises to rhythmise your senses; the Good Morning Vietnam is compulsory, I insist!). For starters, vegetarians could find bliss in the Khao pod tod — Thai corn cakes with red bell peppers, cilantro and curry paste served with a sweet and sour sauce or my favourite Banh xeo — Vietnamese rice pancakes filled with bean sprouts, mushroom, tofu and fried onion.
There is a unique variety of seafood starters like the Japanese tempura — squid or prawns fried in a light batter and served with a sweet chili sauce. My friends drool over the Satay-Thai barbecue chicken, pork or prawn served on skewers with a spicy peanut sauce.
Also, the Tod man pla — spicy Thai fish cakes (with cucumber chilli pepper relish), I hear is a show stopper! With such exotic variety of starters in the menu, one could easily get tempted not to begin with the main course at all! My expert advise — starters must be light and preferably shared, if you go there in a large group so that you have ample space in your tummy for the Kaukswe, which in itself is a 'one meal dish'.
The Bulgogi — Korean style marinated beef with shaved garlic, spring onions, lettuce leaves, mushrooms and Koearn chilli paste, the Pla neung Manao — Thai steamed fish with lime chilly and garlic and the Disha fire red based crab are runaway successes too. If you can claim to die eating like me, don't leave the place without tasting the chocolate fondant. I'm sure you will agree with me that Busaba's creative appeal carves a niche in South East Asian cuisine. If my taste buds feel a magnetic pull and find a soul satisfaction at Busaba, it's got to be my DNA!
Amrita Rao is an actor and a foodie.
Want to satiate your crush on Kaukswe? Get a table at this restaurant in town, known for its authentic Burmese cusine
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Apart from my petiteness, if you haven't already noticed my features and guessed I could have a Burmese connection, let me tell you, I in fact do! My great grandfather Sunder Rao had migrated to Burma, then Myanmar, from our home town Mangalore and made a fortune. My grandfather Amrit Rao was born in Burma and was extremely fond of a variety of Burmese cuisine and also knew how to prepare it.
And since we're on the topic of Burmese food, let me tell you that Busaba is perhaps the first Burmese cuisine restaurant in Mumbai, and I have been frequenting this place since school days. It was here that I got introduced to my grandfathers' first Burmese crush — Kaukswe and I discovered she has many interesting facets indeed.
The Kaukswe is a wholesome noodle meal that originated in Burma in the mid-16th century and is pronounced as 'cow sway'. The Kaukswe at Busaba is an original recipe that was passed on by the owner's (Nikhil Chibb's) grandmother who was Burmese. And trust me, it surely is a big reason to go to this place.
A bowl of noodle is served along with nine to 10 different bowls, which makes it look like an Indian version of a thali. Each of these bowls contain chopped celery, spring onion, fried garlic, onion rings, coriander, lime juice, red chili flakes, coconut based yellow curry with vegetables or (chicken/prawn) and boiled egg and prawn paste for non-vegetarian preferences. The whole process of pouring the yellow curry over the noodles and then sprinkling each of these condiments on to it is a rare feeling of being involved in the preparation of the dish, unlike the regular act of feeding your face, the moment the food is put on the table. When you put a spoonful of this concoction in your mouth, it's amazing how each of these fine condiments leave a special feeling of their unique presence to our taste buds! The best part is, you can also individually choose to mix any combination from the rich array of these accompaniments to create your own original taste sensation. I especially feel the comb of celery and burnt garlic chops adding to the flavour of curried noodle leaving an exotic sensation in the mouth.
Just like the history of Burma accommodated various cultural habitants, Busaba's kitchen is stacked with chefs from Vietnam, Thailand and Korea, presenting their niche delicacies. With its precise mezzanine arrangement of a 'resto-bar', you could experience a fine dining atmosphere upstairs or slip downstairs into the cozy chalet lounge with jazz, funk or house beats, and pamper a mixed cocktail in your hand with the motto being — just chill! (The watermelon Man — named after the jazz guru Herbie Hancock promises to rhythmise your senses; the Good Morning Vietnam is compulsory, I insist!). For starters, vegetarians could find bliss in the Khao pod tod — Thai corn cakes with red bell peppers, cilantro and curry paste served with a sweet and sour sauce or my favourite Banh xeo — Vietnamese rice pancakes filled with bean sprouts, mushroom, tofu and fried onion.
There is a unique variety of seafood starters like the Japanese tempura — squid or prawns fried in a light batter and served with a sweet chili sauce. My friends drool over the Satay-Thai barbecue chicken, pork or prawn served on skewers with a spicy peanut sauce.
Also, the Tod man pla — spicy Thai fish cakes (with cucumber chilli pepper relish), I hear is a show stopper! With such exotic variety of starters in the menu, one could easily get tempted not to begin with the main course at all! My expert advise — starters must be light and preferably shared, if you go there in a large group so that you have ample space in your tummy for the Kaukswe, which in itself is a 'one meal dish'.
The Bulgogi — Korean style marinated beef with shaved garlic, spring onions, lettuce leaves, mushrooms and Koearn chilli paste, the Pla neung Manao — Thai steamed fish with lime chilly and garlic and the Disha fire red based crab are runaway successes too. If you can claim to die eating like me, don't leave the place without tasting the chocolate fondant. I'm sure you will agree with me that Busaba's creative appeal carves a niche in South East Asian cuisine. If my taste buds feel a magnetic pull and find a soul satisfaction at Busaba, it's got to be my DNA!
Amrita Rao is an actor and a foodie.
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