Earlier this month, this humble burger was featured in the New York Times, along with 10 other interesting variations from throughout the US – all thanks to Malaysian Angelina Branca, who serves her version of Ramly burger in Kampar, her Philadelphia-based restaurant.
“Malaysians know how good a Ramly burger is, but this is halfway around the world. It makes me really happy and proud that it’s making its mark in a country that made the original burger,” Angelina, 51, told FMT Lifestyle during a Zoom interview.
Branca’s burgers are made with house-made patties and sauces, and served within a soft sweet potato bun.
She shared that burgers were also included in the menu of her first restaurant called Sate Kampar. It was during the pandemic, she said, and she wanted something that people could enjoy on the go. Even after she closed the restaurant, she sold these burgers at pop-up events.
When she opened Kampar in March this year, she placed her famous burgers on the menu again. She also keeps the Malaysian (food) flag flying high with other favourites like nasi lemak, rendang, acar, maggi mee goreng, and roti canai.
Paying homage to her father’s Hakka heritage, she serves Hakka-style “Suen Poon Chi” or abacus seed, and chilli pan-mee.
“The Americans love these flavours so much. Malaysians will travel from other states, and I’m always delighted to see them,” said Branca, who runs the restaurant with her husband, John.
The name Kampar, she revealed, was inspired by her parents’ hometown. “We used to ‘balik kampung’ every chance we got, and I loved my time there, playing with my cousins. It was very liberating being in a small town where everyone knew each other,” she said.
“I decorated the restaurant based on my memories of Malaysia. When I’m in my restaurant, it’s a little like ‘balik kampung’ for me.”
Branca first arrived in the US in 2000 as a business consultant with Deloitte. She worked in two other companies later but realised that while she enjoyed corporate life, she loved cooking more.
“I grew up with really good food. The women in my family were really amazing cooks. I remember being in the kitchen with my grandmother when I was about five years old, learning to cut onions and crying in the process!”
So, in 2016, she took a leap of faith into the food and beverage industry with Sate Kampar. The restaurant quickly became popular and was nominated for the “Best New Restaurant” award by the James Beard Foundation, an organisation which celebrates and supports individuals behind America’s food culture.
Remembering the muhibah spirit she experienced in Malaysia, she also started “Muhibah Dinners,” bringing in chefs from diverse backgrounds to cook dishes that represented their cultures.
“The proceeds from these dinners were donated to non-profit organisations in the US that worked with immigrants and refugees,” she explained. For her effort, she received the Solas Award in 2020 from The Welcoming Centre, a non-profit organisation in Philadelphia.
After the pandemic hit, she continued helping chefs who weren’t cooking mainstream American food but needed support by starting a virtual platform called “Kampar Kitchen.”
“I launched an Instagram page and got my followers to join. Daily, we featured a meal from a different chef, and I delivered the food all over Philadelphia.”
It’s clear that Branca has come full circle with her restaurant Kampar, and it’s a testimony of her perseverance to realise her dream. Indeed, making it to the New York Times six months after they opened is the cherry on her cake.
“Our life is always a journey of experiences, and this has been a very good one for me. It’s been fun and I’m very happy that I get a chance to do what I’m passionate about,” she concluded.
Learn more about Kampar on its website, Facebook and Instagram.