New Yorkers Are Paying RM51 for a Ramly Burger

By JUICE Malaysia • 20 Oct 2017 in News

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Our favourite late night snack, the infamous Ramly Burger, has made it to the Big Apple! On 4 June 2016, a group of likeminded Malaysians founded The Malaysian Project (TMP) with a mission to “serve food that reminds us of home as well as our culture.” Today, the brand is as strong as ever.

So far, they have received an outpouring of support, having been featured in the New York Times newspaper and lifestyle-centric sites such as INSIDER, whose video feature on the ‘Malaysian-style burger’ can be viewed below:

“Back home, we usually call it Ramly burger, but here we call it the Malaysian-style burger,” TMP owner Calvin Leong says in the video.

Their burgers are served with the patty wrapped in a fried egg, similar to our popular Burger Special here. But the food stand does not use the traditional Maggi seasoning and chilli sauce, opting instead for curry seasoning, spicy mayo, and Worcestershire sauce.

“It’s spicy, it’s savoury, loaded with a bunch of seasonings, umami flavour, condensed, packed. I had this burger when I was a little kid. We had it everywhere around the roadside back home in Malaysia,” Leong adds.

A simple Ramly Burger Special can go as low as RM3 or as high as RM6 depending on individual stalls. In New York, however, these can go up to USD12.

TMP also serves up freshly-made soursop juice for USD4 (RM17), which is advertised as “Malaysian sensation #1.” Other options include the “toasted challah bread with coconut and pandan custard” a.k.a. classic kaya toast for USD6 (RM25).

Malaysians living in New York who are hungry for a taste of home finally know where to go, should they start craving those tasty patties.

Check out TMP’s feature in this video showing the highlights of Queens Night Market:

This isn’t the first time Malaysian cuisine has penetrated the American market. Ipoh native Keith Cheang who migrated to the US about 15 years ago, made the headlines last year when his Seattle-based Mamak Truck (serving roti canai, roti telur, nasi lemak, kuew teoh goreng, chicken rice, string beans cooked in belacan, chicken curry, curry tofu and occasionally asam laksa) caught the attention of local foodies.