All the way from Myanmar! Burma Burma in Bengaluru by Minnie Bhatt makes you fall for the busy interiors trend

This restaurant, in one of the bustling neighborhoods of Bengaluru, goes above and beyond in all senses. And no, it’s not a jest. Sometimes, an extra scoop of design is just what we need, especially when it results in interiors that take your breath away.

Floating villages and gardens, picturesque mountains, and a community based entirely on water, along with the local culture and mesmerising skyline of the Inle Lake Region in Myanmar, served as the inspiration for the 3,500 sq ft restaurant, Burma Burma. Designed by Minnie Bhatt of her namesake firm, Minnie Bhatt Design, the layout is thoughtfully zoned. The outdoor area includes a few tables, a bar and a private dining area located at the far right. Large glass facades with moldings separate the outdoor spaces from the indoor areas. The bar, a standout feature in every restaurant, is positioned on the left side of the entrance. The central area is adorned with a cluster of sofas and features a dessert counter at the rear.

Upon entering the restaurant from the outdoor area, guests are greeted by two large fiber boats from Inle Lake, positioned on either side of the entrance. These boats are painted to resemble a wooden finish and are filled with a cluster of plants. “Our bar, which is a highlight of every restaurant, is located on the left side of the section on entering inside and the central area has a cluster of sofa seating and a dessert counter at the back” says Minnie.

The outdoor flooring is covered with stone-finished vitrified tiles to enhance the aesthetic, while the ceiling, made of acrylic glass, allows ample natural light to filter in. Rafters with linen fabric are used to block direct sunlight, ensuring a more pleasant environment for those seated outside. The Private Dining Room (PDR) offers a premium experience with a closer view of the lake and features decorative lights designed to resemble fishing nets from Inle Lake, constructed from mild steel and wrapped in cane.

Inside, a decorative panel on the kitchen wall depicts the lake’s landscape, complete with fishermen, stilt houses, and pagodas, laser-cut and layered to create depth against a two-tone blue textured paint backdrop. The long tea bar, visible both inside and out, boasts a black-and-white woven cane apron with a deep maroon frame, making it a striking feature.

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The bar back includes shelving between two distressed cabinets, which complement the blue-textured wall. The pagoda-shaped hanging lights, a signature feature in all Burma Burma restaurants across India, have been reimagined here to reflect the taller, narrower pagodas from the Inle Lake region. These lights, made from a combination of woven cane and painted fiber to achieve a wooden finish, are spread throughout the central area of the indoor space.

The dessert counter is crafted from green marble and finished with fluted veneer paneling. The right wall of the indoor area features two large shadow boxes that display the floating gardens of the lake, using artificial moss, 3D objects and painted artwork.

At Burma Burma, one comes for the food and leaves with a generous serving of design.

FACT FILE:

Name of the project: Burma Burma, Orion Mall

Firm Name: Minnie Bhatt Design

Design Team and Designation: Drishti Valia, Senior Interior Designer; Prachi Zagade, Assistant Interior Designer

Location: Bengaluru

Area: 3,500 sq ft

Photo courtesy: Prashant Bhat