The idea for Top Burmese (map it) began long before the first restaurant opened. Both Poh and Kalvin grew up in Burma (now called Myanmar) where food was central to daily life and family connection.
“We both had very fond memories of growing up with food in Burma,” Kalvin said. “There is always a part of us that wants to bring that culture and share it.”
After immigrating to the United States the couple lived in California before settling in Oregon. It was there they noticed something missing.
“When we moved to Oregon there was no Burmese restaurant,” Kalvin said. “People here are more receptive so we thought maybe this is the time.”
With just $700, they began testing their idea in a shared commercial kitchen in Northwest Portland. They bought basic equipment and began selling food through delivery platforms. At the time there was no storefront dining room. There was only a single steel table in the kitchen where customers sometimes asked to sit and eat.
“We had one small table,” Kalvin said. “People would wait an hour just to sit there.”
The menu was simple in the beginning with dishes such as chicken curry samosas and a basic version of tea leaf salad. Over time, it evolved as ingredients became more accessible.
“We were not able to source everything at first,” Kalvin said. “The version you see today is much closer to what you would find in Burma.”
Burmese cuisine reflects its geography. Burma sits between India China Thailand Laos and Bangladesh which influences its flavors and cooking styles.
“It is a true melting pot,” Kalvin said. “All those culinary cultures come together.”
Recreating the Burmese flavors in Oregon required creativity and persistence. The team spent time sourcing ingredients from Asian markets across Portland, Seattle and San Francisco.
“We do a lot of legwork,” Kalvin said. “Tasting traveling going to markets and trying different ingredients.”
When they find something that works it becomes part of the creative process.
“We get so excited,” Poh said. “Every time we find something that works for our recipes.”
The idea for the restaurant also grew out of community experience. Poh often cooked Burmese meals at home for her children and their friends.
“If the kids liked our food I thought others would probably enjoy it too,” she said.
Those early gatherings included children from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and became an early sign that the food resonated beyond their own community.
“It did not start with dollars and cents,” Kalvin said. “It was passion first.”
That same sense of connection continues today in their Beaverton restaurant Top Burmese Bistro Royale. Located in a former post office built in the 1950s the space reflects both history and transformation.
The building has gone through several uses over the decades including retail and restaurant concepts before the couple took it over.
“It had history,” Kalvin said. “We wanted to keep that story, not tear it down.”
The Beaverton location opened during the pandemic which created unexpected challenges. Indoor dining was limited and the area was quiet.
“We were not sure if we made the right decision,” Kalvin said. “It was completely empty.”
Still they chose to move forward and adapt with a focus on takeout and delivery while continuing to refine the space.
“We used the time to really build it out carefully,” he said.
Over time the area around the restaurant began to change as more businesses opened and foot traffic increased. What was once a quiet stretch became a growing dining district.
“Eventually it became one of the hottest spots,” Kalvin said.
The Beaverton restaurant today is designed as a full dining experience with an emphasis on atmosphere and hospitality. The space draws inspiration from Yangon with a warm interior and garden-like aesthetic.
Guests can enjoy traditional Burmese dishes alongside cocktails and tea service in a relaxed setting that encourages lingering.
For Poh and Kalvin the restaurant is about more than food. It is about creating a place where people feel welcome and connected.
“It became a community of its own,” Poh said.
Looking back on their journey, the couple describes a path shaped by uncertainty but guided by persistence.
“We kept going,” Kalvin said. “And every challenge turned into something positive.”
They also see themselves as part of a larger pattern of revitalizing spaces and building something meaningful where others might not see potential.
“We look for undervalued places and turn them into something meaningful,” Kalvin said.
For both founders the guiding principle has remained the same from the beginning.
“When you put passion first and believe in people everything else follows,” Kalvin said.
