Burger stalls are a dime a dozen in Penang and while there certainly are gems waiting to be unearthed –– sometimes you may want something a little less greasy and homemade but you’re too lazy to make it on your own. Say hello to Dream Burger, started by the island-born Shirley Saw who wanted to improve her lifestyle by eating fresh and non-processed produce at the onset of the pandemic in April 2020.
The bubbly young woman managed to turn the lockdowns into a business opportunity by capitalising on the concept of making high-quality burgers and the boom of the food delivery industry. She also shared that she wanted “to bring connectivity to the people during quiet times, and I must say, the start of depressing times.” And hey, we remember being so bored that we spent hours making dalgona coffee and trying out workout videos that a fantastic burger would’ve cheered us up!
Starting the business solo when she was 21 yeas old, Shirley slogged at her 10 x 10 feet kitchen out of the flat that she lived in with her family members. It began with family members buying a few burgers from her and sales started growing to outsiders through Facebook advertising and word of mouth—encouraging her to drive the business as far as possible.
This writer remembers hearing about the burgers from family and friends and the images of the succulent burgers on their Instagram page. I made a 30-minute drive from my area to pick up my Dream Burger (far by Penang standards) and it was well worth the trip.
The early days were gruelling as Shirley shared, “I had to cook and get on my motorbike, ride all the way to Bayan Baru (southwest side of the island) and back to cook an order, and to finish the order, I was off to Batu Ferringhi (northwest side of the island). I faced personal struggles as any businessperson would. It took a toll on my physical body since it wasn't efficient to go back and forth to cook and deliver burgers throughout the whole of Penang Island. However, the emergence of third-party delivery platforms solved my problems. Then Dream Burger's business started booming again.”
Although the burgers received enthusiastic feedback, Shirley wasn’t content with settling with her recipe and continues to work on her recipe to this day, two years and nine months into her business. She started off by using ordinary commercial burger buns before sourcing brioche buns from a home baker. She was also keen on using the best ingredients for her 115-gram patties which are made from Australian beef brisket and A5 wagyu fat which results in juicier burgers.
Shirley said, “Our clientele comes to us because of the authentic quality of our burgers. They know everything is of great quality when they taste the buns, they taste it in the wagyu beef patties. Nothing artificial or highly processed ingredients are in our burgers, and it leaves you wanting more. But we keep improving according to our client's feedback and will improve it soon!”
Her business expanded beyond her flat with numerous pop-ups and collaborations including ones at Hin Bus Depot, a creative community hub known for its bustling weekend markets. Customers were drawn to the unique burgers that Shirley came up with including a Pastrami and Foie Gras burger that was part of a limited menu, which was a crowd favourite and is still requested by their regulars.
Shirley said, “We try to use ingredients not readily available for the public to indulge in and something simple to consume, which is a burger, and that will be our philosophy for the exciting upcoming ones too!”
She also had the idea of selling burger kits so customers could DIY their own burgers at home and providing catering for events so that they could whip up creations on the spot.
Although business was growing, it was also physically tiring for Shirley, so she had the idea of saving up for a physical store.
Dream Burger opened its doors on 12 November 2022 at COEX @Kilang Besi which is aptly housed within the space of the depot which helped them to make a name for themselves. The store is painted in a vibrant orange shade and has a single counter with an open kitchen and bar stools for those wanting to have a quick meal.
Besides a selection of burgers on their menu including a ‘Beef + Port’ burger, Sautéed Onion Wagyu, and ‘Jiken Karaage Burger’, they also offer a selection of sides such as their ‘Juicy Jiken Karaage’, chicken nuggets marinated twice with ABC soy sauce and fried to crunchy perfection. It is served with a special homemade sauce made up of mayonnaise, onion powder, garlic powder, and a good dose of paprika to give it a smoky flavour.
Now, Dream Burgers is just shy of the 10,000 burger mark since its commencement and they have no plans to stop, hoping to one day possibly establish their brand on the island as Burgerlab has done in the Klang Valley. “We plan to be less of a cafe but a fast-casual setting where people could come take a sit and grab and go! As much as Burgerlab is famous, we are going to create our own standard of quality burgers with our business model,” Shirley said.
Armed with a Diploma in International Business and the pluck needed by a woman to establish her own business at a young age, the 23-year-old isn’t looking to further her studies but to focus solely on bringing Dream Burgers to the next level. “I gathered that studying in International Business had nothing to offer me since I'd gained a substantial amount of work experience and international exposure of the world before going for my diploma. It added no additional benefit to pay for something I could've learned as I went about the world.”
Shirley is keen to establish Dream Burger’s name in the state and give back to the community with their ‘Homeless Food Project’. This was launched at a time when many homeless people went hungry due to the strict pandemic measures which prevented their usual food supplies from reaching them. Shirley said, “It all started when one of my friends couldn't have my burgers at the moment but still wanted to support me, so she suggested she buy my sandwiches, and I distributed them to the homeless people.”
Shirley is certainly living her dream through her burgers and is such an inspiration to young Malaysians everywhere!
You can order your own Dream Burger from their website or on Grab.
Dream Burger | Instagram
Address: 123B, Jalan Timah, COEX, 10150 George Town, Pulau Pinang