Sofaer & Co review: ‘A world of colonial grandeur and sumptuous cuisine’

A really good meal out can feel—just a little bit—like a holiday. This is how I felt after an evening at Sofaer & Co. The continual multisensory pleasures over a couple of hours on a Tuesday evening transported me away from the hum drum of cosmopolitan life to a world of colonial grandeur and sumptuous regional cuisine.

Sofaer & Co is blessed with its location, a slice of one of Yangon’s most impressive heritage buildings. Its opening a few months ago helped cement that little stretch of Pansodan Street as Yangon’s most promising eating and drinking neighborhood. The restaurant serves up dishes from the Mekong region—Myanmar, Laos, Thailand—with a modern twist in classic colonial surroundings. There’s dark wood, original 19th Century beams and tiles and lovingly sourced glass from the Nagar Glass Factory. The service is some of the best I’ve seen in Yangon and the cocktails are delicious.

I started with the Shan potato crisp with spicy mutton and mayo (4,000 kyats). The potatoes were tasty, the mutton was incredibly rich, with levels of sweetness, spiciness, and meatiness. The mayonnaise tasted homemade and was well seasoned. I also tried the Burman Scotch egg (5,000 kyats)—a regional take on the British classic which was a little less meaty than I remembered, but still very palatable.

After these indulgent starters, I tried to stick to lighter dishes to follow and ordered the morning glory with seared beef (6,000 kyat) and the turmeric crusted chicken (12,000 kyats). The beef in the morning glory was a little chewy, but overall delicious. The chicken was sweet and succulent and was wonderfully complimented by a tart yoghurt and cucumber sauce. Sofaer’s “signature roti” was a little greasy and became soggy as it was served underneath the chicken. A lighter, crispier bread on the side would’ve been preferable.

The richness of Sofaer’s dishes is perhaps a thorn in the restaurant’s side. Even though I tried to opt for lighter options, I found the amount of oil, sugar, and salt began to drag by the end. Also, after trying four dishes, I became tired by the constant garnishes of Thai basil and deep fried shallot.

Overall, however, Sofaer & Co is one of my favorite dining options in Myanmar. I will certainly be back back to try more of the well-cooked, well-presented, and well-priced items on the menu.

Photos by the writer. 

Address:  60 Pansodan Street, Lower Block, Kyauktada Township, Yangon

Hours: 8am to 11pm

Phone: 09 44833 3499