Malaysian Restaurant Coming to South Side
Former owners of restaurant in Asia opening Malaysian-Burmese-Thai place.
3101 S. 15th Pl. Photo taken Aug. 7, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
Taste Amir’s Roti, housed in an eye-catching, bright green truck, has been serving meals on wheels since 2020. Now, owners of the mobile restaurant plan to open a new, permanent location on the South Side.
Owners Amir Ahmad Bin Mohamed Ali and Majedah Yusuf are preparing to launch a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 3101 S. 15th Pl. It would mark the first Milwaukee location for husband-and-wife team, who previously owned a restaurant in Malaysia.
The restaurant would offer an expanded menu with options for both dine-in and takeout, building on the concept’s Malaysian and American focus to include dishes from Burmese and Thai cuisines.
Currently, Taste Amir’s Roti is known for its namesake dish, a round flatbread with roots in India, often served as an accompaniment to grilled meats, stews and curries. Other popular items include fried noodles, coconut rice and biryani.
The new restaurant plans to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, according to a license application. It will also function as the home base and commercial kitchen for the couple’s food truck.
The upcoming location is a second attempt for the couple, who initially planned to open a restaurant at 5306 S. 27th St. in 2023; however, the project did not come to fruition.
The southside building was previously home to JJ Stripes, which closed in early 2024 after roughly three decades in operation. James Dorangrichia, former owner of the longstanding corner tavern, sold the property to Ali and Yusuf in 2023 for $165,000, according to city records.
Since then, the couple have installed signage and kitchen equipment, with plans to complete a series of additional upgrades before opening.
When reached by Urban Milwaukee, Ali declined to comment on his plans for the restaurant. However, the husband-and-wife team have advertised the upcoming location on Facebook.
A license application for Taste Amir’s Roti is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council.
The restaurant’s proposed hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. daily.
The food truck, serving Malaysian dishes and American foods such as burgers and fried chicken, remains in operation, and can typically be found Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the 3300 block of S. 13th St.
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