Tandoori Pork Ribs, Pork Vindaloo Mantou & More: Meat The Porkers Takes Menu Up A Notch
More than just siew yoke biryani, the restaurant has since added 35 small plates to its menu.
By Tamara Jayne
As one of the first to open a restaurant in Malaysia specialising in pork-based North Indian cuisine, Meat The Porkers has certainly come a long way since its siew yoke biryani days
Having spent several years in Publika, co-founders Herukh and his wife Aahana shared that they decided to move the restaurant to a bigger space in Damansara Heights in 2019 and have been there ever since.
The couple, who also founded Fierce Curry House in Bangsar, explained that the initial smaller space made them feel like customers needed to rush whenever they ate, as others would often hover for a seat.
Instead, the couple wanted customers to be able to relax over drinks and enjoy good food. That's when they moved to their current space at Plaza Damansara.
The restaurant now also includes a private room which customers can book to celebrate special occasions. It comes with its own sound system and can fit up to 24 pax with the current standard operating procedures.
There's a bar located on one end of the restaurant, making it a great space for a night out with friends.
To further encourage customers to take their time and enjoy their meals, Herukh introduced a small plates menu with 35 dishes, including vegetarian options
He invited us to try some of the signatures on the menu and started us off with barbecue pork belly:
Named Herukh's BBQ pork belly, these came as chunks of meat coated in a special fennel barbecue sauce and garnished with crushed peanuts for an added crunch.
It wasn't too sweet and had the perfect ratio of fat to meat. A true pork lover's dream.
Although Meat The Porkers retained the main items on its menu, Herukh shared that the idea behind small plates is to let customers try a variety of different dishes and share them together
Similar to 'Pigs In A Blanket', their Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tikka is marinated in yoghurt, ginger, garlic, and spices, then wrapped in streaky bacon.
During our meal, Herukh revealed his cooking inspiration from cuisines all over the world, especially places he's travelled to. He came up with Palak Fish Tacos after a trip to California with his wife where they ate tacos every day.
When they returned, he came up with Palak Fish Tacos, which are made with battered fried cod coated in spinach gravy and salsa, then wrapped in a soft tortilla.
To the chef, North Indian food in Malaysia doesn't need to be limited to one style of cooking. So he adds his own twist to each dish that somehow works, such as these Pork Vindaloo Mantao:
Marrying two cultures into one, Herukh stuffed Goan pork curry into steamed mantao. He also added his own take on panipuri.
Every dish is full of flavour. Take these Tandoori Pork Ribs on the main menu, for example. Each rib was individually massaged and marinated with spices over the course of two days.
Having served it as a rack in the past, Herukh noticed that once you slice it up, the meat on the inside misses out on the marinade. Although it tasted good, he wanted to improve the flavour to ensure that every bite is worth it.
The meat on the ribs was tender and melted off the bone as we ate it. It came with a mint sauce and a 'kai fan' chilli blend (chicken rice chilli), which he added on the side because several customers would often request for a kick of spice.
Although TBH, the ribs were perfect without the sauces.
You can just sense that every dish is made with love and though it comes in smaller portions enough for three to four people, there's something comforting about each bite.
Using his grandmother's recipe, Herukh added these Lamb Keema Cakes to the menu – a specialty which he said isn't commonly found in restaurants in Malaysia.
One dish that stole the show for me personally was the Spicy Mutton with Naan Crisps
This can be shared with multiple people and is the perfect snack to pair with alcohol.
Even if you're not drinking, the flavours really blend together – almost as if you're eating your mum's curry the day after it's been cooked when the spices have fused together overnight.
If you drink, the bar serves beers, wine, and cocktails, including lassis with a little extra something added in. ;)
There are also alcohol-free drinks such as fruit juices, lassis, and more.
If you prefer a full meal, the restaurant offers butter chicken, palak paneer, naans, and other main dishes. Of course, not forgetting its signature – Siew Yoke Biryani.
We washed all the spices down with four bowls of kulfi (traditional Indian ice cream), which was a pleasant, cool treat to end the night with.
He offered four flavours: saffron, pistachio, almond, and mango.
Not only is this a great place for a chilled night out, but the restaurant is also doing deliveries during this time so you can enjoy a satisfying meal in the comfort of your home.
Plus, it's a bonus that it has vegetarian options.
Meat The Porkers is located on the first floor above Chiqui Don at Plaza Damansara
Address:
9M, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara
504490 Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours:
11.30am - 3pm, 5pm - 10.30pm (Daily)
Closed on Tuesdays.
