Penang, Malaysia is known for their exquisite cuisine. I didn’t come to Malaysia to partake of a burger, something I could get in the United States. I came to eat prawn mee, chicken rice, duck noodles, nasi kandoor, fish curry, and roti canai along with other epicurean wondrosities.
Yet walking down the street I was struck by a street hawker cart serving up Manchester United Burgers (click here if you don’t know who Manchester United are, and start supporting them). Could this possibly compete with the Double Hut Special, from Burger Hut, Nairobi, Kenya, arguably the greatest burger and establishment on earth? I had to sacrifice a bit of space in my stomach to find out.
I ordered the Double Old Trafford. The cook immediately threw 2 reddish, unknown meat (possibly a little dog, goat, and beef) patties on the grill, frying them in butter. To make things better, he sliced each patty in half to get an extra side of friedness (great idea!). The bun was also seared in a healthy portion of lard.
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No more than 3 minutes later, the Double Old Trafford appeared from the cart, mystery patties, lettuce, onion, and doused in Malaysian hot sauce. It slid down with ease, the saucy combination and the unknown reddish tinged meat were vibrantly flavorful.
Although the Double Old Trafford burger was excellent to say the least, I’m sad to say, it had nothing on the Double Hut. However, I have zero regrets of eating the Manchester United Burger.
-Mark Wiens
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Serhat Engul
8 years ago
Look delicious man. The food-seller is so smart to find this appealing name.
Hisham
8 years ago
Sorry but I would like it if you rewrite your posting. Firstly, the Malaysian roadside burger stalls are 99.999 per cent operated by Muslim Malays. Hence, only beef and chicken burgers are served. Dog meat is forbidden to Muslims and goat meat is actually more expensive than beef or chicken so it is seldom sold as burgers. Secondly, the meat may appear suspect..but actually it is primarily spiced beef or chicken meat and fat mixed with soya protein. If it is red, it is beef due to the added colouring, if it is a pale shade of yellow, it is chicken. Thirdly, being Muslims, the burger sellers would NEVER use lard from pigs. Instead they usually use a popular local palm oil based veggie shortening called Planta.
The local burger stalls are often called Ramly burger stalls due the dominance of the Ramly brand of burgers used. They normally operated at nite often outside 24 hour convenience stalls such Seven Eleven. The ease of finding such burger stalls in Malaysia attest to their popularity among Malaysians.
Wombat Burgerman
7 years ago
Fair points. I’m surprised that Mark would write these things, I think they are beneath him. Yes, the burger carts here in Penang are all halal. I have to wonder if he was having a really off night because I doubt that they were ever using butter here either, due to its price. I ate at this place tonight and they definitely did not use any butter. There was no hot sauce either, my burger took over 20 minutes (even though I waited until it was quiet and there was no-one ahead of me and nothing cooking). I ordered wedges too. Over 30 minutes later, after I had finished my burger, I was given some really disgusting crinkle cut oven chips which had been deep fried in luke warm oil for a long time and then drowned in a sweet tomato sauce and foul commercial mayo. I wanted to like this place but it’s the worst burger and by far the worst chips I’ve had in Penang.
David
11 years ago
Quality! Ha. Man United probs best footy team in the world!
Faizal
11 years ago
obviously u havent found the best street burger in Malaysia.. u should try bob burger or om burger in kl if u’re coming back to kl..
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Hey Faizal, great, thank you for the suggestion. I’ll try to get there when I come back to KL next time!
Brian
14 years ago
When I lived in George Town for five months, I ate chicken burgers, with egg and cheese (no lard or butter) from a neighbor’s ‘Barcelona Burger’ cart for RM 3.80 ($1.10).
Mark Wiens
14 years ago
Sounds great, if I make it back to George Town anytime soon will definitely be sure to eat at Barcelona!
halim
15 years ago
best burger in penang