Bar with a Bite

Spicy cocktails, tasty fare and blood-red decor give The Blind Tiger an atmosphere all of its own

By CLAUDIA SOSA / YANGON

If you’re going to go on a date at The Blind Tiger, take someone you like. The cocktails are spicy enough that a single splash on someone’s face would burn to high heaven.

Here’s a suggestion for how to start the evening: ask the Thai mixologist, Addy, to whip you up a “Burma Strawberry.” At first, this strawberry and chili infused vodka cocktail is sweet and refreshing. It then turns punishing, with a kick that’s strong enough to surprise but is just shy of overdone. Not for the faint of heart—or stomach—it ranks alongside Gekko’s “Horse’s Neck” as best cocktail in Yangon.

Blind Tiger owner Sophie Barry was a camerawoman for much of her life before she ran the Mexicanthemed “La Cantina” in Kabul from 2009 to 2011. She later settled in Yangon to be close to her sister, and quickly realized that the Yaw Min Gyi neighborhood could do with a good bar. When she saw the former cyber café space on the ground floor of United Condo, Ms. Barry embraced the concept of a speakeasy and set out to soundproof the walls.

Visitors who arrive at the nondescript building that sits on the corner of Nawaday and Alain Pyar Road must “follow the paws” on the graffiti-filled walls of the ground floor and navigate a couple of tricky hallways before knocking on a heavy wooden door marked only by the image of a tiger smoking a cigarette.

One of the Myanmar bar staff— many of whom previously worked in Dubai—will peep through the eyehole before welcoming guests inside. The venue itself is a mixture of dark and luxurious, with sparkly bead curtains and provocative art contrasting nicely with the Bordeaux walls and heavy wooden furniture. All in all, it’s easy to settle in for the night and allow the music and the hours to pass by.

If you are jolted back to reality by the sudden realization that the bathroom is talking to you, don’t worry: It’s not the alcohol, but speakers installed to play a looped recording about the history of speakeasies as patrons, well, take care of business.

Open until 10:30 pm, the kitchen at The Blind Tiger caters to all degrees of hunger—from the “I’ll just have a few dainty garlic shrimps with my ginger mojito” to the “I’m desperate; bring me a burger large enough to feed a small family, please.”

The half-burger, a recent addition to the menu, is still quite a mouthful, and is served on a brioche bun accompanied by a bounty of caramelized onions, bacon, your choice of cheese (camembert, blue cheese, cheddar) and a selection of sauces. It hits all the right notes and stands out among other Yangon burger offerings, though it could have been juicier.

Other highlights on the menu include the meatballs—these are rich and flavorful—and the crab cakes, which are sublime, even if the portion size is a little too European.

Consider yourself forewarned: with its insulated, soundproofed walls that keep the outside world at bay, The Blind Tiger lends itself to arriving early, staying for dinner, losing track of time and emerging late with a fuller belly and a lighter wallet, the soul all the merrier for it. 

THE BLIND TIGER is on the corner of Nawaday Street and Alain Pyar Road in South Dagon Township. Opening hours 5 pm to 1 am. Ph: 092-5091-5806