This summer, we brought you the news of a new restaurant that would bring the flavors of Burmese cuisine to Bay View. And you can get your first taste beginning on Saturday, Jan. 25
Ni Burmese will host its soft opening this weekend at 2160 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. with dinner hours on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 4 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Operated by Nyo Nyo Lin and her mother Ni Ni, the restaurant will showcase Burmese cuisine’s unique fusion of flavors, which combines elements from Chinese, Indian and Thai cuisines.
“The menu will showcase traditional foods from my mother’s upbringing in Myanmar,” says Lin, “She has been cooking with my grandmother since she was 15 years old, so the menu will be made up of our family recipes.”
That means a slew of offerings that – unless you’ve traveled to Myanmar or are lucky enough to have a Burmese friend – you’ve likely never experienced.
Bright, welcoming space
The 50-seat restaurant reflects both a modern sensibility and cultural history through various elements that decorate the walls and space behind the bar.
That includes a wall of archways that resemble windows, showcasing images of the Intha, Burmese people who practice traditional fishing techniques on Inle Lake in Myanamar.
Colorful Burmese hats made from bamboo and grasses decorate the northern wall of the restaurant.
Meanwhile, intricate Burmese marionettes hanging along the southern wall of the restaurant. They tell the story of “yoke thé”, the name for Burmese puppetry often performed as Burmese operas.
On the menu
Nyo Nyo says that highlights from the menu include dishes like Mont Hin Gar (also called mohinga), a popular vermicelli rice noodle soup featuring fresh fish, lemongrass, ginger and banana stems, which can be customized with chilies, lemon, fish sauce and other condiments; Coconut Chicken Soup with onions and crispy noodles; and Khay Oh, a bean vermicelli soup with guests’ choice of chicken or pork.
Fried snacks will include samosas, Burmese tempura and fried pork rolls, a Burmese version of an egg roll filled with cabbage, onion and Chinese five spice.
Other Burmese classics include Laphet Toke, fermented tea leaf salad flavored with crispy fried beans, dried prawns, cabbage and tomato; a Burmese take on Southeast Asian papaya salad; and a wide range of Burmese curries featuring proteins like chicken, beef, mutton, prawns and fish which are flavored with a unique blend of chili powder and onions.
Guests can also look forward to popular Burmese desserts like Shwe Yin Aye, a textural feast of sweet sticky rice, pandan jelly noodles, sago pearls and coconut milk; along with Burmese drinks (many tea-based), a selection of wines, sake and Asian beers. Nyo Nyo says they will also carry the locally made Two Brothers Soda.
As noted, Ni Burmese will softly open this weekend with hours on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 4 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Beginning next week, hours will be 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.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
.jpeg)
