Sunday, September 13, 2009

Joe's Burger, Desa Sri Hartamas (Yellow Submarine)

We had always heard about a burger stall that makes his own burger patties for years. It was only till we came across April's blog that we got the stall right. Burgers have experienced a culinary evolution with the proliferation of restaurants turning burgers into gourmet ones. Street burgers nonetheless have remained stoic to this revolution; as such we had to visit Joe’s immediately.

Joe's burger is located in the alley adjacent to the fire station in Sri Hartamas. Look out for a yellow submarine ... truck. There are plenty of tables and chairs for those that want to dine and cushions. Patrons can opt for a pseudo-Arabian nights experience. The burgers are not only scrumptious but also discerning. One bite will tell you straightaway this is no street burger. This is no sloppy mess leaving your fingers and thumbs covered in mayonnaise and chili, and the condiments do not crowd the taste of the patty.
The lesson here is sometimes doing the opposite can produce great results. This is a great burger at a great price.

Of course we couldn’t do a street burger review without tasting a Ramly burger but we were disappointed. Albeit singing praises for his gourmet burger, the Ramly burger was ordinary. That said we don’t think binge buddies are looking for a sloppy Joe as far as Joe is concern this time. Joe also serves a full menu and drinks so check that too.

Rating: 3½ stars
Address: Jalan 23/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, 50480
Operating Hours: NA
Tel: NA

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Mizi Burger, SS2 (Bomba Burger)

Mizi Burger (Bomba Burger) is another popular burger stall among PJ residents. This burger stall has been around for ten years and is located beside the fire station along the LDP.

A little-known secret about this burger stall is it makes a really nice special-special-special. There is an off menu item known as the "Ultimate Special". This is a special cheese with mustard and bbq sauce using a unique cooking method.

In the ultimate special, the egg and onions are prepared differently from the usual Ramly process of serving them. Onions are caramelized and the egg is cooked with the cheese to give a richer flavor. You can choose your patty from a variety of patties including venison, fish and prawn. We haven't tried them all but so far the venison seems to be a favorite among the foodies.The ultimate special can also be done in a number of combinations to suit on your order so be adventurous and don't be afraid to give you suggestions.

Asides that, the special is also fantastic and he makes one of the best hot dogs we've had by a burger stall. The same attention is paid to preparing the hot dog. We reckon a further strength of Bomba is his consistency. Binge buddies know that this is a problem with burger stalls. We've frequented Bomba burger for many years and there are no surprises with this burger stall. Every burger is prepared the same and you are never disappointed. In sum, we give him 4½ stars. Operating hours are erratic as he has a fulltime job so we recommend you keep trying or calling to avoid disappointment.

Rating: 4½ stars
Address: Jalan SS 2/113, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya
Operating hours: 20:30-00:00, closed Sunday
Tel: +60133470570

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The burger shop, Subang Jaya (near Inti College)

The burger shope has quickly become one of the top burger stalls on everybody's burger list. A google will reveal 464 results for "burger shop subang jaya". Fried chillies and Bangsar-bAbE have all highly recommend this burger stall and so do we.

The burger shop is located opposite a cybercafe in SS15, Subang Jaya. For those that are familiar with the Subang suburb the burger shop is near Inti College and Asia Cafe. We recommend the mushroom burger with egg, cheese and an extra beef patty for those that are visiting the burger shop the first time. This burger tastes like nothing we've ever had from a roadside burger stall. The beef patties are well grilled and not overloaded with condiments. In addition the burger shop makes its own brown sauce that makes the burger better than Burger King's Mushroom Swiss Burger. The pricing for the burger shop is also competitive and fair.

This burger stall not only has great burgers but also is efficiently run. Albeit the crowd, we never felt like we've waited long for our burgers. The wonderful manager keeps track of orders effortlessly and you don't have the to double-check. There is also a menu with pictures for customers to choose from.

The only disadvantage is burgers are put into Styrofoam food box that is not good for the environment. We reckon it adds to the efficiency but hope that they can use something different. In sum, we give the burger shop our first 5 stars for taking Ramly burgers to a whole new level.

Rating: 5 stars
Address: Jalan SS 15/8A, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500
Operating Hours: 18:00-04:30, closed on Sundays
Tel: +60173555040

Friday, July 31, 2009

Faizal Burger, Lucky Gardens, Bangsar

Bangsar-baAE made this recommendation on her blog. Faizal is a new incumbent to the roadside burger stall scene and is located in Lucky Gardens opposite the row of houses parallel to TMC. What makes this burger stall special is his use of a pineapples. Faizal uses preserved pineapples along with the usual onion and lettuce condiments to give his burgers a different flavor.

We arrived early since Faizal starts just in time for those leaving the office and wanting to pick up dinner on the way home. The stall is very well organized and Faizal seems to be in control and has a stoic presence when assembling orders. That said window dressing only goes so far and we were disappointed with the burger. Albeit the recommendations from Bangsar-bAbE, we found the taste bland and unmoving. We actually prefer the Selayang Burger as the pineapple taste was much poignant than Faizal’s. Nonetheless, we do commend Faizal for his effort and presentation but we hope he takes more time to improve the use of pineapples by moving to fresh pineapples as a start.

Rating: 2½ stars
Address: Lorong Ara Kiri 3, Lucky Garden, 59100, Bangsar
Operating Hours: 18:00-Late
Tel: +60102992946

Restaurant BBS Junction Burger, Bandar Baru Selayang (Stadium Selayang Burger)

Innovation has become an important feature among our top pick burger stalls. These burger stalls are experimenting with condiments and sauces by introducing new tastes to enhance the taste palette.

A surprising new ingredient is pineapple. This condiment has been a popular urban legend among binge buddies for years and ubiquitous with the Selayang Stadium Burger that was mentioned in The Star's SMS sender's pick for the best burger years ago. The Selayang burger is probably the only burger stall we have come across that has sprung from a make-shift stall to a full-blown restaurant that serves cooked food and drinks to patrons.

Overall the burger was acceptable but we felt the use of cabbage and chili masks the taste of the pineapple. We have personally considered this as one of the holy grails of condiments for burger stalls. Irrespective of the number of burger stalls that have added pineapple to their ingredients, they do not complement the burger. The nature of the ingredient is also difficult and consistency can be a problem for those that try to use this ingredient in their burgers.

The only satisfying pineapple burger has been the Teriyaki burger at Carl’s Jr. That said it is a worthwhile experience but we recommend binge buddies to be ordered correctly. We recommend chicken patties instead of beef patties as we found that it complemented the use of pineapple better. A further word of caution for the discerning binge buddy, we felt that the egg and cheese extras did not go very well with the burger but it’s a matter of personal preference. This is one of those where less is more.

Rating: 2¾ stars
Address: Jalan 2/8, Bandar Baru Selayang, 68100, Batu Caves
Operating Hours: 17:00-03:00

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

RnJ Burger, Jalan Alor (Opposite the ex-Movement parking lot)

RnJ burger is located opposite the parking lot parallel to Jalan Bukit Bintang. The burger stall is operated by a couple and has an operational kitchen that allows them to prepare food and drinks for patrons. Prices are attractive and the owner doesn’t cut corners in making his burgers. The burgers have more than the usual staple of cabbage and onions. There is plenty of fresh veggies and the burger patties are grilled on its own so you can get the full taste. We reckon this has to do with the Whooper-inspired pictures plastered on his stall.

Operating hours for RnJ is eratic. We had passed by two weeks in a row and noticed two observations. He opens late and closes early. Overall we recommend this to binge buddies in the Jalan Alor area. There are three burger stalls in the Jalan Alor area but only one is actually along Jalan Alor. Having tried all three burger stalls, we have to say that the burger at RnJ was satisfying. It was actually getting depressing after trying the one in front of the Changkat Bukit Bintang 7-11. We had our hopes up that this was the one as it always had a good crowd around but burgers were substandard. In sum, skip the other two as they are not worth your time and go to RnJ burger.

Rating: 2½ stars
Address: Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: Not available
Tel: Not available

Friday, June 19, 2009

A to Z burger, Taman Paramount (opposite Public Bank)

“A to Z burger” is one of those food truck burgers that is becoming more popular these days. The gerai is substituted with a vehicle on four wheels and is more efficiently run than the makeshift aluminum stalls that was ubiquitous with burger stalls once upon a time. Alas operating efficiency has its cost.

The shortcoming is quality easily becomes a trade-off. We found the double-special-cheese lacking albeit the competitive price of RM 4.50. Everything about the burger was substandard. The burger has only the basic condiments and nothing more. The taste is also overwhelmed by the margarine used to grill the burger patties.

In hindsight this is probably why OM excels for his burgers. Many burger stalls are experimenting with sauces and avoiding margarine such as using shortening to improve the taste but OM does well with neither. In sum, there are many options and combinations for burger stalls to experiment with but getting the science correct takes patience, perseverance and creativity.

Rating: 2 stars
Address: Jalan SS21/14, Taman Paramount. 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Operating Hours: Closed Sunday
Tel: +60123071147; +60122798056

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Suzi's Corner, Ampang (at the corner of Jalan Ampang and Jalan Hulu Kelang)

Chances are you won’t be visiting Suzi’s Corner for the burger. The “best hawker stall” in Ampang serves the best local steaks. But if it is Tuesday and there is nothing else you want to try on the menu, we recommend having a burger.

Suzi makes their burgers using full size onions. Tomatoes are cut in nice thick slices. We had the special cheese and it was so nice to have real onions for a change. Suzi's burgers are also less sloppy. In fact Suzi is light on the mayonnaise and chili. We reckon this can be a problem for those that enjoy the sloppiness synonymous with Ramly burgers. That said it does complement the crispy burger patties better and is easier on the pallet. Overall this burger stall is likely to be popular with the Otai crowd. It has the Otai trademarks but more. We also recommend onion-loving binge buddies to give it a shot.

Rating: 3 stars
Address: Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, 55000, Malaysia‎
Operating hours: 24 hours (Operating hours vary for stalls)
Tel: Not available

Binge buddy summary:
- The location: Literally at the corner of Jalan Ampang and Jalan Hulu Kelang. You have to park at the side of the road.
- The stall: Somebody will come and take your order
- The secret: Nice onion love and crispy beef patties. No shallots.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Jackson burger, Seksyen 14 (along Jalan Dato Abdul Aziz)

Jackson burger is an institution for PJ residents. The burger stall is operated by a Chinese couple from a food van in Seksyen 14. The Chinese couple started selling burgers 30 years ago and is said to be today one of PJ’s best kept secrets. Sadly we don’t know much about the Jackson’s history than that but we do know that the burgers are old school and legendary among PJ folks.

Jackson makes his burgers almost plain. Burgers are minimally smothered with sauces and condiments before he puts it into a drink bag and sends you off. This is preferred as too much sauce can spoil the taste of the burger patties Jackson uses. Moreover one of the mysteries of Jackson burger is that Jackson does not use Ramly burger patties. Jackson’s burger patties are very different from the sweet, flavored syrup red meat that is a de facto standard for Ramly burgers.

Jackson burger customers will swear that the burgers have a homemade quality that seems to be missing the chemicals and artificial flavorings we have got so used too. In fact the urban legend has it that Jackson makes them themselves. We can’t confirm this but we do know that this is what makes Jackson burger special. All in all, we give Jackson burger 4 stars and a bonus star for all that they have done for PJ folks for 30 years.

Rating: 4 stars (+1 star)
Address: Jalan Dato Abdul Aziz, Seksyen 14, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Operating hours: 11:00-17:00
Tel: Not available

Binge buddy summary:
- The location: Turn right at the mosque in Seksyen 14 and keep driving straight. The food van is underneath a tree along the road.
- The stall: White food van in front of residential houses and underneath a tree.
- The secret: Mystery “homemade” burger patties and old school burgers.

Ana Burger, Kemensah Heights (off Jalan Taman ZooView)

Finding Ana Burger is like every good food adventure. It involves a long drive, toll stations, and many left turns. In short, this is a burger stall not for the faint-of-heart.

Ana Burger is located in a housing estate near Zoo Negara in Taman Melawati. Head to Zoo Negara and turn into the entrance of the Zoo. Right next to the main enterance, turn left into the small road. The road has signs for Zoo parking lots along it. Keep driving straight for two minutes. Take a left turn at Jalan Satu and keep driving straight. Take a right turn then at Jalan L5. You will see the burger store on your left; it is in an unlikely location and the stalls lighting is green. Like an oasis in the dessert, you can't miss it.

A standout quality is the stall itself feels like the local neighborhood watering hole. Everybody knows everybody and it feels like a gathering of close friends. It's a unique atmosphere that you don't find at many burger stalls. Don't just have the burger to go, stay and chat abit with the customers.

What attracted us to this burger stall was its reputation for using green apples as burger condiments. Alongside the usual layers of shredded cabbage and onions, Ana puts slices of green apples in your burger. The difference can be subtle but to the discerning binge buddy; apples can be a surprising experience. The apple sweetens the chili and mayonnaise much like mustard
seasons the patties for that extra bite. Ana also has other food inventions including a Roti John using Ramly burger patties.

Overall we give Ana Burger 3½ stars only because we think Ana and Jack can do better in the near future. Ana Burger is a year old and they have already shown great innovation that we like to see more in other burger stalls. Directions are available here. We also like to say thank you to blogger boo_licious for reviewing Ana burger on her blog.

Rating: 3½ stars
Address:
Jalan L8, Taman Melawati, Phase 6A, Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours:17:30-23:30
Tel:+60172670924

Binge buddy summary:
- The location: Taman Melawati, near Zoo Negara.
- The stall: Friendly customers, stall is lighted green.
- The secret: Green apple slices in the burger.

D’Koboi Bai Corner, Taman OUG (opposite Restaurant Lucky and MJ Optical)

Bai Burger is known for its special home-made black pepper sauce and one of the Favorite Five (FF5) Street Burgers by Fried Chillies.

The true challenge in finding this FF5 Street Burger is locating it along Jalan 16 in Taman Overseas Union Garden (OUG). When you arrive at the 7-11 on Jalan 16, be careful not to go to the burger stall in front of the 7-11. Bai burger has actually relocated a few meters up and is opposite Restaurant Lucy and MJ Optical. If you are not sure, look at the sign before ordering. It will say D’Koboi Bai Corner.

We were impressed by the special-special-special. The D’Koboi Special Order as it says on the sign is the Tip Top Burger (TTB). The TTB is basically a double-double-double; double patty, double cheese and double egg. It's also great value for money at only RM6.80.

The TTB is a marvel that requires great skill to make. The construction off the TTB is remarkable.Two patties are butterflied (split down the center) and a cheese slice is placed into the center of each patty. An egg banjo is then place between the two patties and then it's all wrapped up in another layer of egg. Not many burger stalls can wrap two cheese patties and a benjo with such finesse and symmetry.

The TTB is also not smothered in sauce like other specials. This allows the flavor of the cheese, egg and patty to come out, enhanced by the home made black pepper sauce.

If you find the TTB too much, we strongly recommend taking a special but asking for the egg to be done benjo style. This soaks the home-made black pepper sauce better than a wrap does. And for all that, we have to give this cowboy burger 4 stars.

Rating: 4 stars
Address:
Jalan 16, Taman Overseas Union, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: 15:00-03:00
Tel: +60173416095

Binge buddy summary
:
- The location: Taman OUG, in front of Restaurant Lucky (NOT IN FRONT OF THE 7-11)
- The stall: Your average burger stall with a yellow umbrella!
- The secret: Home made black pepper sauce and great value for money; you won't find a cheaper double-double-double in KL.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Along Burger, Damansara Heights (Opposite Esso Station)

This burger stall has been recommended by many as the Esso burger. Along Burger/Esso Burger is conveniently located opposite the Esso Station nearby Pusat Bandar Damansara. The burger stall also has chairs and tables that give it a je ne sais quoi.

Unfortunately the special did not stand out in our experience from other burger stalls. Binge buddies are likely to agree that this burger stall is an acquired taste. Along uses a pungent chili sauce that becomes apparent on the third bite. Sad to say the chili sauce and the setup did not warrant our three star rating and we have to give Along Burger 2 stars.

Rating: 2 stars
Address: Jalan Johar, Bukit Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia‎
Operating hours: 19:00-01:00
Tel: +60126560351

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Brother John Burger, Damansara Utama (next to CIMB Wealth Advisors/Fusion Restaurant)

Brother John has all the basics of a good ramly burger and a little more.

Every burger comes with a generous serving of mustard and BBQ sauce to complement the chili and mayonnaise. This is a rarity even though mustard is becoming a quintessential ingredient for burger stalls just as mayonnaise did way back. The menu is also one of the most legible we've come across. This makes ordering easy for newbies. That said we were disappointed by the special-special-special aka Master Burger (two burger patties, egg and double cheese). It is nothing to scream about for the extra price. We recommend the double-special-cheese if that is your usual preference.

In sum, Brother John gets 3
½ stars for convenience and taste. The burger stall is located opposite the Damansara Uptown hawker center beside the Fusion restaurant. It can get busy late at night so expect to wait for your order. Bangsar-bAbe also reviewed Brother John Burger on her blog.

Rating: 3
½ stars
Address: Jalan SS 21/39, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya
Operating hours: 20:30-04:00
Tel: Not available