Burma Superstar - San Fran

I adore San Francisco.  I love its diversity, its views, its healthful lifestyle, and all my friends who live in it.  Last night, my friend Eileen took me to Burma Superstar in another little Chinatown area that has popped up in the city, or rather, sprawled.  I told her that I was sure it wouldn't be as good as the Burmese in Central PA...

It's a quaint place that feels warm and welcoming, and as I looked around to what other people were eating, there was not a single thing I didn't want to eat.  And as friendly as San Franciscans are, the woman who was sharing a meal with her daughter next to us, offered to share a taste of their food to facilitate our decision making.  I was kinda floored by the generosity.  Later that night at another bar called the Tipsy Pig (how can you not like a place with a name like that?), I wondered about one of their drinks aloud, and one of the patrons sitting next to me said, "It's what I have right here. Want a taste?"  Apparently no one has warned folks here about talking to strangers, much to my delight.

So here was the lineup to Burma Superstar's yumminess.

Tea Leaf Salad.  Every tip I looked at on FourSquare recommended this deliciousness.  On top of a chopped salad of romaine lettuce, peanuts, jalapenos, sesame seeds, tomatoes, and some other crunchy tidbits is fermented tea leaves.  I have no experience with fermented tea leaves, so I had no frame of reference.  I brings a light tea flavor and pungency to the table that kicks up what could be deemed as a regular salad a few notches.  Don't miss this.  There's also a Rainbow Salad that has 22 different ingredients in it that you can ask to have assembled tableside.

Mint Chicken - when this came to the table, I thought it was going to be roaring spicy, what with the dried red peppers and fresh jalapenos.  Whoa.  But not to fear, it's entirely manageable and quite tasty, however, there was little mint flavor to it, and I found it to be very similar to, dare I say, a well made Chinese Chicken Stir-Fry.

Burmese-style Shrimp Curry.  I could describe it as a nice shrimp stew in a tomato base, and you wouldn't bat an eye.  I liked it, but I think I was expecting more of a curry taste.  Then again, I don't know what Burmese-style curry is, so it's unfair to apply an Indian or Japanese or Thai curry expectation. 

Coconut Rice - this, in conjunction with the Mint Chicken was a great combination.  The fried onions on top added a nice texture and depth of flavor.  Yum!