SHAH ALAM, March 19 — There was a time when people would queue for hours for Chef Ammar Al Ali’s Nasi Arab at the Ramadan bazaar in Stadium Shah Alam here, braving the afternoon heat just to get their hands on his famed lamb shank rice dish.
It’s been three years since and the scene today is vastly different; the long lines have vanished and customers need to wait only three to five minutes to be served.
The Palestinian has also opened another stall in Putrajaya’s Presint 3 Ramadan bazaar where demand for his food persists.
But the frantic rush for his food in the national administrative capital, like the one in Shah Alam, has noticeably eased.
“The preparation is the same as last year, but there’s a challenge,” Chef Ammar admitted to Malay Mail.
“This year, we are short on lamb shank because the whole of Malaysia wants to make it too. So, I will introduce a new menu item,” he teased.
“Now, business and habits have changed. There are no queues now because the Ramadan bazaars and schools are happening at the same time. The first week is slow, but by the second and third week, I believe it will pick up significantly,” he said.
Chef Ammar is a firm believer in quality and transparency, and gestures to the customers in front of his stall, saying they were return customers and the measure of his success.
He also said sales have been steady despite the fleeting nature of viral trends, adding that his team of 25 workers is prepared for a rush should his new menu item prove a hit later.
“Every year, we improve. In 2022, we had two 20-by-20 tents. Now we have six. This is the healthy way of doing business,” he said after he returned from taking photos with several customers.
Chef Ammar Al Ali is famed for his lamb shank’s Nasi Arab at Stadium Shah Alam’s Ramadan Bazaar. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
Viral sensation turns to fading hype
Last year, Mohammad Nor Farhan made waves with his Mac Mafia cheese wheel macaroni at the Shah Alam Stadium Ramadan bazaar.
Mixing macaroni inside a giant Grana Padano cheese wheel was a spectacle that drew large crowds who were eager to experience the rich, creamy indulgence.
But the hype is looks to have faded.
“I’ve toured all of Malaysia. Maybe people have already tried it, and I haven’t had the chance to introduce a new menu. I expected this because cheese can be muak,” the 38-year-old told Malay Mail, using the Malay word for saturation.
Farhan, who has been in the hotel industry for a while and had even been a chef for the National Sports Council up to 2015, built his business when the cheese craze went viral, but understands that such trends do not always translate into lasting success.
“Going viral doesn’t necessarily mean your sales will go up; it’s just for your brand. People will know about it,” he said.
A cheese wheel costs between RM6,000 and RM8,000, and Farhan acknowledges that Malaysian consumers typically prefer rice-based meals.
“Last year, we got our first customer at 2pm. This year, it was after 3pm,” he said.
A line forms in front of Muhammad Edy’s Chinese beef roti stall at the Stadium Shah Alam’s Ramadan Bazaar. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
The new viral star
But as stalls appear and disappear, just like the queues of customers, there will be others that climb to the top spot.
One such case is Muhammad Edy who sells Chinese beef roti at the Shah Alam Stadium Ramadan bazaar.
Last year, his stall had a steady crowd. This year, the queues are longer than ever.
“I already expected more customers this year. That’s why I’m preparing more than 3,000 pieces a day. Last year about 1,000 pieces,” the 38-year-old told Malay Mail while handing a wrapped beef roti to a customer in the long line that had formed.
Edy said he learnt how to make the beef roti in Guangzhou, China, adding that it was from a recipe that had been handed down over 1,200 years.
Why roti?
He first saw the hype in Bukit Bintang and knew he had to bring it to the Ramadan bazaar.
“This involves art; it’s not something you can easily make,” he said.
By 6pm on the day Malay Mail visited, a long line of people were still waiting to buy from Edy’s stall even as his stock for the day was almost out.
