His critique of a BBC Food video on how to make fried rice went viral in 2020, but diners can now try Uncle Roger’s version in Malaysia and see if it is up to snuff.
People queued for hours on Sept 11 to be among the first to try the food at Malaysia-born comedian Nigel Ng’s newly opened Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger restaurant, reported news outlet Malay Mail.
The 33-year-old is best known for his hilarious portrayal of a character called Uncle Roger, a middle-aged man who speaks deliberately broken English with an exaggerated Cantonese accent, and often features in videos in which he reviews chefs’ takes on Asian food. Ng has more than nine million subscribers on YouTube.
He was at the restaurant opening at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur mall, greeting fans and taking photos with some of the first people in line.
At the head of the queue was a 22-year-old university student, who told Malay Mail that he started queueing at 9.50am, hours before the 1pm opening.
He added that he was hoping to get at least a picture with Ng and buy a serving of fried rice before heading to his 2pm class.
Some fans also turned up in orange – a nod to Uncle Roger’s signature polo shirt.
The menu includes different versions of fried rice, priced between RM16 (S$4.80) and RM18. The restaurant also serves side dishes such as gyoza, fries and pickled cucumber.
Ng teased the opening of his restaurant in a July 1 video posted on his YouTube channel, in which he reviewed an episode of the late American chef Anthony Bourdain’s travel and food show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (2005 to 2012).
He described it as a “little secret just for loyal niece and nephew watching”.
As Uncle Roger, Ng refers to his followers and viewers as his “nieces” and “nephews”. In his videos, he also frequently uses Malaysian slang such as “fuiyoh”, an exclamation akin to “wow”, and the Cantonese phrase “haiyaa”, used to express disappointment or frustration.
“If you’re poor, just get this one, only RM18 in Pavilion,” Ng said in a video posted on the KL Foodie Facebook page, referring to Uncle Roger’s Special Fry Rice (Spicy) on the menu. “What can you get in Pavilion for RM18? Maybe one sock.”
