It’s a scene typical of any roadside burger stall, but what makes Eerah Burger stand out is that Jaheerah, who does a large portion of the work, is a member of the disabled community. “Eerah”, as you might have guessed, is her nickname.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, her father said she was placed in an incubator for three weeks after being born by C-section, during which time she developed jaundice. But that was nothing compared to when Eerah choked on milk after he and his wife took her home. The resultant deprivation of oxygen to the left side of her brain led to her current condition.
“The doctor said her development and movements would be slow,” her 67-year-old father said.
“While other babies started walking less than one year in, she only did so at two and a half years old. Even then, she crawled on her knees, and could not yet walk on her feet.”
Eerah was also diagnosed with dyslexia later, he added.
These conditions meant Eerah required extra time and effort to understand what people were saying and to reply to them.
Despite that, Nadzri said, she was a happy child, always wearing a bright smile and having a can-do attitude. This was evident in her persistence to learn how to make burgers, something she had watched her father do when he ran his own stall for many years.
Eerah is now 30 and Eerah Burger will soon celebrate its second anniversary of operation.
Since it opened in August 2022, the stall has garnered much support from patrons near and far, touched by how Eerah rises up against her disabilities and works for her living.
Eerah is active on social media and posts about her burger stall went viral at one point, catapulting sales from 50 to about 200 burgers a day.
Some customers have come from as far as Penang, Melaka and Singapore to try her burgers. And when they do, she is happy to pose with them for pictures.
“Technically she’s the boss,” Nadzri said. “Me and her brothers are just here to support her since it’s hard for her to do it all.”
But this isn’t Eerah’s first business venture. She previously sold cupcakes, nasi lemak and chilli paste. However, those items failed to gain traction.
She found minor success selling honey cornflake biscuits, but it proved profitable only during the Raya periods. It was the dwindling demand that prompted the switch to burgers.
What makes her burgers special is the secret sauce she uses, the recipe for which was passed down to her by her late mother.
“It may not be 100% the same, but whenever I miss Eerah’s mother, I taste the sauce to remember her,” Nadzri said with a glint in his eyes.
When asked what’s good on the menu, Eerah smiled shyly and said: “Burger Kahwin.”
Burger Kahwin contains both chicken and beef patties as well as an egg, a slice of cheese and the secret sauce. FMT Lifestyle tried it and it delivered exactly as promised, each bite bursting with flavours that complement one another to form a filling meal.
Other items on the menu include Burger Benjo, Burger Daging Special and Burger Ayam Cheese.
Don’t take this to mean Eerah is all work and no play. One of her hobbies is playing petanque, a sport in which participants roll metal balls and try to hit a target ball.
In fact, she was in the running to represent Selangor in Para Sukma years ago, but she missed her chance to compete because the event coincided with her family’s haj pilgrimage.
“I still take her out to play the sport when we have time,” Nadzri said.
Follow Eerah on her Instagram and TikTok.
Eerah Burger
41, Jalan Warisan Megah 1/5
Kota Warisan
43900 Sepang
Selangor
Business hours: 6pm-12am (Closed on Saturdays)
For location, click here.