Instead of another long and full blog post, I would let the photos do the talking

EE Burger Trimula Café – located in a food stalls (medan selera) in Kuah at the back of Bella Vista Hotel. Ask the locals if you could not locate it as most likely they would be familiar with EE Burger.

EE Burger also sells other food such as Nasi Lemak and Goreng-goreng..

Come early to avoid dinner crowd.

Menu card is in a frame. Front side showing the entire western menu and the backside showing the normal goreng-goreng.

A closer look at the burgers and its prices.

Quench your thirst with EE Burger’s famous Gelas Besar juice.

EE Burger’s signature dish is actually this lovely Chicken Chop. I just love the combination of soft tender chicken with the homemade mushroom sauce.

I tasted the Burger as well – went for Burger Oblong Ayam Special Cheese. A mouthful!

Awesome staff! 4.5 s out of 5 stars for taste and value for money. 3 out of 5 stars for ambience. It’s really an updated and elaborated version of a typical burger ramly stall you can find all over Malaysia. A MUST VISIT if you’re in Langkawi!

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January 2009
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After the ‘best day of my life’ getting married, we had a great fantasy honeymoon in Santorini, Greece. Never have I imagined visiting this awesome place famous for its breathtaking view and the place where Sisterhood of Travelling Pants was filmed. Definitely a great way to start ‘a journey’ of being a husband. Click here to re-visit my blog post on our fantasy honeymoon.

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February 2009
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February was the month of settling down after the long and tiring wedding stuff and it’s also a ‘back-to-reality’ month which saw me going back to work after a month of leave. It was also a month of me adapting to sharing my personal space at home with my other half. This was the month when I discovered that weekends are much more enjoyable being married and one of the bliss of having a wife is enjoying her cooking during weekend.

I blogged about my wife’s cooking skills and surprisingly it was discovered by Asian Food Channel’s office in Singapore which sent us two sets of complimentary gifts! A sign that there are corporate people reading my blog! Click here to read about the whole cooking experience!

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March 2009
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It was a busy March for me this year. In short, three things happened. I had the opportunity to provide coverage for Nicol David Online on her match during CIMB KL Open 2009. A great 1st time experience!

March was also the time I ‘balik kampung’ for the first time to my wife’s hometown in JB. The experience was not as bad as I predicted and I actually had lots of fun and even squeezed in an exciting daytrip to Singapore for shopping! Click here to read about it.

March shall also be remembered as the month where my interest on writing on Firefly Airlines started. After flying to Johor Bahru on Firefly for so many times, I decided to write a simple review on the airlines. Little that I know that this one review developed into a good relationship between AzuanZahdi.com and the airline! Click here to re-visit my first review on Firefly Airlines.

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April 2009
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This is the month where I travelled to Kota Kinabalu and discovered the beautiful island of Manukan and the delicious seafood in Kota Kinabalu. Click here and here to read about my Kota Kinabalu experience. The trip has also inspired me to launch Kinabalu 2010 adventure which will be one of my 2010 resolution!

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May 2009
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May this year was one of the busiest months. I received an invitation to blog about the World Squash Day Celebration in Penang and did it within 12 hours. Click to read about the WSD Penang and 12-hours in Penang.

May was also the month my other half and I went for another holiday in Bali. Surprisingly it was not a good trip, maybe it was the weather or the crowd or the cheap hotel but we did not enjoy the place that much. My Bali trip report can be read here.

If there’s one thing to remember during the month of March, it must be the event of “A Night to Remember 09: Ride on Harley, Fly on Airbus”. It was really a great feeling to be able to combine my passion towards aviation and also giving back to the community.

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June 2009
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It was one of the slowest months for 2009. My focus was mainly on work as there were many tenders that need to be submitted. Nevertheless in this month, I had the chance to visit Batu Caves for the first time.

It was also the month where AzuanZahdi.com started a dedicated section on Firefly Review as a way for me to build up my capacity as an aviation blogger. Click here to read my Firefly Review series which so far has reached 18 episodes!

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July 2009
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Two big things happened in July this year. The first one being an invitation for me to judge for SIFE Malaysia National Competition. After years being away from SIFE, it was nice to be able to be back contributing my inputs. Click here to read on my Judging SIFE Competition experience.

Another big thing that happened in July was a trip to Singapore. This was not just another trip to Singapore as I was invited as an aviation blogger by Firefly Airlines to cover the launching of the Singapore route. I was the only blogger in a delegation of about 13 media people who were given a 2D1N all-expenses paid to cover the launching. It was definitely one of my key achievements in 2009! Click here to re-visit the experience I went through while covering the launch.

It was also the month when I had dinner with Dato’ Nicol David!

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August 2009
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Following my series of articles on aviation, I was invited by GRA Communication on behalf of Subang SkyPark Terminal to go on a media tour of the refurbished Subang SkyPark terminal. It was again an eye-opener and to some extend a recognition of my past effort to be invited as the sole blogger to go on the media tour. Click here to read about the media tour experience.

Also in August this year, I had the ‘rare’ experience of witnessing first hand the 1st stage selection of flight stewardess for Firefly Airlines at the walk-in interview in Subang Jaya. It is to date one of my favorites review on my Firefly Airlines series. Click here to read about that episode.

It was also the month where work has brought me all the way to My Tho City in Vietnam. Click here to read about my Vietnam Trip.

August was also unique because it was the first time that I went through fasting month at the side of my lovely wife.

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September
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In September, surely a memorable experience is my first Hari Raya as a married guy. It was a fun Hari Raya being able to celebrate it with my wife, family and my extended family. When it comes to celebration, it is always the more the merrier! Click here for my 2009 Hari Raya Experience!

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October
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In October, Thunderbirds came to Malaysia and I covered their show in my blog here. I also had the opportunity to witness a history in Malaysian sports by attending the Arena Nicol David Court Naming Ceremony.

Also in October, I had a taste of Saudi Arabia. An impromptu work trip brought me to Riyadh, Jeddah and also a side-trip to perform Umrah in Makkah and a quick visit to Madinah. A memorable experience that can be read here.

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November
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November is always about one and only one event, my BIRTHDAY! Turning 28 years old this year, I decided to do something different and something that I have always wanted to do for quite some time. Instead of normal parties and birthday BBQ, I opted for a fun birthday celebration with some kids in an orphanage in KL.

Simply my best birthday celebration ever! Click here to read about the experience.

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December
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It’s the holiday month! For every weekend in December, I was away exploring new places in Malaysia. I had my first LIMA experience, a quick Singapore Getaway and the most interesting is an early ‘Xmas gift’, a free trip to the Monsoon Cup. Click here to read about my once-in-a-lifetime experience being on the HOT Seat of an actual race in Monsoon Cup courtesy of Firefly Airlines.

Wrapping up a great year, we had our first anniversary celebration in Tanjung Jara Resort, a beautiful resort 90 minutes from Kuala Terengganu. Photos from the trip available here and blog post will be published this weekend.

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I had 11 great months in 2009 only to be disappointed by one bad news in December but I shall keep this to myself for the time being. In a nutshell, it has been a blasting year 2009 with what I consider huge achievements as far as my personal career, relationship and my blog are concern. I thank the mighty God, my wife, my family and friends for all their support and opportunities and look forward for an even better year 2010!

Happy New Year everyone!

In the meantime, in line with the Merdeka celebration, let’s have a closer look at one of the “Made-in-Malaysia” burger, the Otai Burger!

If you are a Malaysian or have been in Malaysia for quite some time, you most likely have seen burger stalls operating at night at many parts of cities and villages in Malaysia. Better known as ‘Burger Ramly’, these burger stalls are independently run by young home-based entrepreneurs. For many years, these burger stalls exist in popular hotspots, universities, housing areas, near 7-11 and many other populated areas. Leveraging on the consistent demand for these delicious burgers, Otai Burger was established as a local brand for a franchise programme for youngsters who want to have their own burger business.

Now with more than 300 outlets in Malaysia, Otai Burger has became a recognized brand in Malaysia’s burger scene and is a viable alternative to anyone who needs a quick, easy and cheap bite. I had the opportunity to try Otai Burger in one of its location in Section 6 Shah Alam and here’s what I think.

The location of this particular Otai Burger is very convenient. It is walking distance from housing areas and for those who prefer to drive; there are plenty of parking spaces. It is also conveniently located next to a 7-11, a 24-hours shop that caters for those who love to stay out late at night.

The main attraction of Otai Burger to me is the price. It is affordable and the best burger with extra cheese, egg or better known as ‘special cheese’ is still cheaper compared to the prices of western fast food outlets. This is definitely a plus point for those on tight budget (like me at the end of each month). However it is still slightly more expensive than those independent Burger Ramly stalls. Overall, I would give Otai Burger 4 out of 5 stars for pricing.

Otai Burger has different varieties of burgers and hot dogs freshly prepared from patties produced at Otai Burger’s supplier. There are options for chicken burger, beef burger, banjo (bun+egg), special, Otai special, extra cheese and many more. You can customize the burger to fit your taste bud and that’s a huge plus point.

Cleanliness and hygiene is always an issue for roadside stalls. However Otai Burger is an exception as its standard operating procedures ensure that cleanliness is a main priority. Compared to normal stalls, I can see that Otai Burger stalls are more organized, ingredients well stored, labels on ingredients and most important clean and professional looking (with uniform) burger flippers. 4 out of 5 stars for hygiene.

The customer service is also another plus point for this particular Otai Burger stall. The owners/staff are friendly and always approachable. Despite having many orders, they will usually engage in small talks to keep the customers entertained while waiting.

Appearance wise, it is simple with consistent minimal branding of Otai Burger. The burger does not look like those served in high-end burger chains but it’s not a big deal and this is expected for a road-side burger. An average 3 out of 5 stars for appearance.

The real test of how good a burger is of course lies on the taste of the burger itself. The burger surprisingly tastes good. I had Burger Otai Ayam Special and the combination of all the ingredients is just nice. The only complaint is the SIZE. If only they have burgers with bigger sizes for hungry guy like me. For taste I would give a 4 out of 5.

Otai Burger is a local brand that deserves to be acknowledged. Overall I would give 4 out of 5 stars to Otai Burger. It not only provides a viable alternative to Malaysians looking for food but also create many job and business opportunities that in the end provide financial independence for young Malaysians. I would strongly suggest everyone to give Otai Burger a try and who knows one day it will go beyond the borders of Malaysia or even become a ‘must-eat’ and ‘must-visit’ item in Malaysia’s tourism map.

Well done Otai Burger.

Wendy’s came into Malaysia quite recently, somewhere early this year of 2008. It originates from land of burgers, the United States since 1969. Personally I never heard of Wendy’s until I saw the buntings hanging by the roadside of Sunway Pyramid when it first opened few months back.

Fast forward a few months, the “Adik Beradik�? team gathered in Sunway Pyramid despite our busy schedule, to try out Wendy’s and write a full review about it. Wendy’s has a few outlets in Malaysia (Jaya 1, Kiara, Sunway, IOI Mall, Jalan Sultan Ismail) but we decided to try the 1st outlet as it is the nearest to Shah Alam.

The crowd was quite big inside and outside the outlet when we arrived.

It was lunch time and the fact that it’s located in a heavy traffic area does not help the crowded feeling that I felt. The area of the restaurant is quite small although pretty manageable during normal hours. The tables are arranged very close to each other, giving it a ‘cheap-fast-food’ ambience! NOT GOOD!

Next stop is Menu,

Wendy’s has a good variety of choices ranging from beef, chicken and seafood. For vegetarians and health conscious people out there, trouble not, there are variants of baked potatoes that guarantee to make you full. Chili Beef is another unique offerings served in Wendy’s. Another specialty of Wendy’s is the Frosty which are drinks mixed with ice cream. Two things that I like about the menu is the fact that they offer various sizes across the menu and the menu is simple enough for a ‘fast-food’ newbie. Well Done!

Waiting time was surprisingly minimal, thanks to hardworking, fast, yet friendly staff at the counter and the supervisor/manager that took orders while customers were queuing. The menu on the wall that is simple and straight forward helps to fasten the orders.

Nevertheless, Edy was hungry and can’t wait for FOOD!

To have an overall view, we decided to order different meals and share.

1st Stop, Chili Beef…..Ground beef with Chili, Baked Beans, Tomato? Etc….

It tasted quite good. How do we eat it? With fries, burgers, anything also can…

Next was Baked Potatoes…3 BAKED POTATOES! Ok it was my mistake, I thought the potatoes are those small cute ones served in western meals in fine dining restaurant. I was wrong as the size is quite big!

Chili and Cheese

Broccoli and Cheese

Sour Cream and Chives

Amongst all three, I think sour cream and chives are the top one. It is a classic choice! Going for the Chili and Cheese was again a bad choice as the chili is the same one served in Chili Beef.

Then it was time for the real test… THE BURGERS!

Edy had the kid’s meal, the normal fries+toy+cheese burger+ribena kind of meal. And he wasted no time at all!

On your mark…

Get Set

Ahhhhh……awesome..

My brother had Single Cheeseburger…

In terms of appearance and presentation, the burgers are well wrapped and well prepared. As you can see on the photo above, it has a nice delicious look and I can tell that the kitchen staff went all out to ensure the presentation of the burger to be as appealing as the photos on the menu. Well Done!

DELICIOUS!

Similarly I had the 1/2 pound cheeseburger and it was one heck of a meal. VERY HEAVY and not to forget unhealthy! (hehehe)

YUMMY

The burgers are well prepared, acceptable size and most important tasty. It taste differently from other fast-food burgers. Personally I think when it comes to signature dish of Beef Burger, the taste is good but not as superb as Carl’s Jr. But close enough!

But when it comes to Shrimp Burger, it’s a totally different story. Wendy’s Shrimp Burger ROCKS! My sister had the shrimp burger. It’s not so big but it’s a pocket dynamite. The moment you munch your first bite, you can feel the juicy shrimp and the soft burger buns…(drool…..)

Secret Weapon of Wendy’s SHRIMP BURGER…simple but delicious…

Feel it….

Finger licking good…

Price-wise, it offers “the bigger the burger, the more expensive the price�? which is a fair deal as not everyone wants to eat super huge and expensive burgers!

Overall Wendy’s is a restaurant for everyone. It has a range of menu wide enough to cater for different age groups and taste buds. The burgers are good and different sizes means flexibility. The beef burger might not be as tasty as the ones in Carl’s Jr but it has it’s own specialty!

I give Wendy’s a FIVE STAR!

Satisfied customers…

All the above made the news for being BIG about something! Human beings in particular the ‘competitive’ (some say kiasu) Malaysians love big stuff. We built big things, we drive big cars, we want to live in a big house and a job with a big fat pay cheque every month! Realizing this fact American fast food joint, Carl’s Jr. focuses on the size factor in making a re-entry to Malaysian fast food industry.

Carl’s Jr. was once upon a time an established fast-food chain in KL known for its famous outlet in the KL Bird Park. The joint used to be competing directly with more well known chains such as McDonald’s, KFC and A&W. After exiting Malaysian, market not less than 10 years ago, Carl’s Jr. made a re-entry, this time with a new image of “SIZE DOES MATTER!�?

My search for the best fast-food burger in Malaysia begins with a trip to One Utama Shopping Center; in particular the Carl’s Jr. outlet.

Joining me for this inaugural “Adik Beradik Best Burger Hunt�? is my partner-in-crime brother with his Alpha 700 DSLR Camera (you can see his review here), younger sister and sister in-law and my ‘big-eater’ nephew

Let the review wallap-ing begins!

First stop, menu. Carl’s Jr. offers wide range of burger selections. From charbroiled to fish burgers, all are prepared fresh once you place your order.

Making a choice can be tricky for first timers. As for me, I simply want to taste the high-end burger in the menu so I went for the second most-expensive burger which is the Portobello Mushroom Burger. In burger world, more expensive means bigger and better food so I gave it a shot.

Queuing is easy enough as you only have to place order & pay and the food will be delivered to your table. The only thing is Malaysians tend to spend some time browsing the unfamiliar menu making the queue a bit long at certain times.

Waiting time was not too bad. Considering the burgers are freshly made, we waited for about 15 minutes before all the food arrived.

Every mili-seconds of waiting for the burger and unwrapping the burger wrap, my mind kept imagining the juiciness and crispness of the burger shown on the menu, wow yummy, I was 110% excited and super hungry.

Few seconds later, I was brought back to reality. My expectation of a nicely prepared and juicy thick burger crashed within seconds. I was served Portobello Mushroom burger “Sumbat style�?. Every ingredient seems to be stuffed in between and hastily wrapped hence the poor appearance.

Really “Indah Khabar dari Rupa�?

Same goes for my brother’s Famous Star with Cheese. Average appearance and packaging. They could have at least invested some money on real paper box pack for packaging of the burgers.

Let’s face it, a guy always go for look first before taste when it comes to woman food.

However, things start to look good the moment I had my first bite. I felt in love with the burger immediately. It seems like the recipe is just right and flavor of the mushroom, meat, fresh green lettuce and onions can be felt on every bite. Yummy!

Similarly the Famous Star with Cheese burger is quite tasty. The beef burger used is really good quality and has a unique taste that draws closer towards ‘home-made’ burgers. Close your eyes and have a few bites and you will forgot that you are in a fast food joint.

Besides burger, they serve bottomless drinks (soft drinks and ice lemon tea) and other side menus. Chili Beef Fries is not too bad For weight and health conscious people, there’s not much information on calories of the burgers but you can stick to salad or simply stay away from this place!

Ambience is quite good. Due to the pricing, you would not see people with laptops or group of students and youngsters lepaking while enjoying their burgers and making lots of noise. Carl’s Jr has a quite nice interior decorations with wallpaper and furniture that bring the mood of a typical burger joint in the US. It is so relaxing that one can take a short nap after ‘wallap-ing’ a burger

Unfortunately, in life, good things come with a high price. Same goes with Carl’s Jr burgers. The cheapest burger is at RM7.95+ and top it with a drink and fries it’s RM12.45 as the cheapest burger combo set. In order words, stay away if you only have RM10 in the pocket. I strongly believe it should not be this expensive. I cannot register in my mind the fact that a burger can cost me RM18. Not when I can get a similar burger from a real restauraunt like TGI Fridays for about the same price.

Carl’s Jr. is so expensive that customer can pay using credit card. (sigh~!!)

To be fair, Carl’s Jr’s main strength is the taste and freshness of the burger itself. Every bite is being cherished and the ambience makes it even better. The only drawback is the price. I believe Carl’s Jr will be a main contender for “Adik Beradik Best Burger Challenge�? top spot simply for its taste.

How about the size? Are the burgers really that big? No. It’s slightly bigger than normal fast food burgers, but it’s not “Pamela Anderson�? kind of big, but Asians love Asian size. Yes, I’m talking about burgers.

Overall Review:

Menu: 4 out of 5
Apperance/Packaging: 2 out of 5
Taste: 5 out of 5
Ambience: 5 out of 5
Price: 1 out of 5

Overall 3.5 out of 5

Tummy Thumbs up!

Coming soon: Leg 2 of the challenge. The search continues….

Over the next few weeks my brother and i will eat, review and blog about the biggest, best burgers available in Malaysia.

Here’s our initial list progress as of 31/12/2010:

1) Wendy’s – Click here to read
2) Burger King
3) McDonalds
4) Carl’s Jr – Click Here to Read
5) A&W
6) KFC
7) Otai Burger – Click Here to Read
EE Burger – Click Here to Read

Who will win? Our reviews will be on our own personal taste. So basically you will have two reviews on two different blogs..Jom Jalan Jalan Cari Makan

p/s: feel free to join the fun and review any of the burger, all u need is a blog and a camera and a big appetite suitable for ‘heartbreak’ therapy