Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch – MTP, Bukit Damansara
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Meat The Porkers, a friendly neighbourhood non-halal Indian restaurant, has introduced a new Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch on Sundays. Available from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, they serve a banana leaf rice set with free-flow everything, have two-for-one cocktail deals, and a collaboration with The Chamber sees wine and spirits sold at retail prices.
Meat The Porkers – Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch
Located on the first floor of a corner lot in Bukit Damansara, Meat The Porkers (MTP) benefits from tree-top-level views from the large windows that wrap around two sides of the restaurant. The leafy-green panoramas are supported by navy blue walls livened with warm lighting and colourful pig murals. Vases of bright yellow blooms and vibrant pink orchids add happy splashes of colour. It’s a welcoming place made even more agreeable by friendly staff.
Banana Leaf Rice Set
The Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch features a Banana Leaf Rice Set (RM28) with four veggies of the day with fried onion, bitter gourd, rasam, mango pickle, pappadam and basmati white rice. Guests can choose pork bacon curry, chicken curry, fish curry or dal (gravies only). If you want to make it a bit more special, you can upgrade to plain biryani, which MTP has an awesome reputation for, for an additional RM10.
It’s a beautiful spread on a giant banana leaf. With pork a rarity on Indian menus, we all get repeat servings of the pork bacon curry, and the dal is a close contender (for balance, obviously). We appreciate the change of textures in the veg, with some crisp and deep-fried and others steamed but not overly soft. Staff are quick to refill our plates. It’s a darn good deal for the setting and quality of the food.
Non-halal A La Carte Menu
If you want more than banana leaf, there are plenty of a la carte options we recommend. Of course, the pork recipes are standouts you won’t find elsewhere. The Claypot Pork Ribs Curry (RM50) looks rustic, a warm orange in the clay pot. It’s generous, saucy, and perfect, along with some side orders of naan. Pork Belly 65 (RM40) uses a seasoning usually paired with chicken (garlic, curry leaves and chillies), but it does just as well with pork. The deep-fried coat is thin, crunchy and salty in the finish. Another hot pick is the Mutton Ghee Roast (RM48), a favourite of the owner’s family, who regularly returns to Chennai. It has rich, deep flavours thanks to a lengthy cooking time that concentrates the flavours alongside plentiful red and green chillies and loads of ghee.
If you want to finish with something sweet, a variety of Kufli (RM14) is just the thing. While the primary ingredient is dairy, kulfi is not whipped like ice cream, resulting in a denser dessert that melts slowly. Our favourite is the pistachio flavour.
Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch
The boozy part comes into play with specials on cocktails and beer, and a wine and spirit list at retail prices. Two-for-one cocktails see a handful of classics and MTP twists for the sipping. We try the Malibu Mango Lassi (RM38), Mem’Saab (RM38), Sangria (RM 38), and an Old Fashioned (RM 38).
As you may have guessed, the first is basically a traditional mango lassi shaken together with Malibu coconut rum. It’s sweet, thick and fruity. Mem’Saab means ‘lady boss’ in English. Named after the owner’s wife’s favourite drink, it’s a cool concoction of gin, bitter lemon, fresh orange and mint leaves. The last two are classics. Fruity Sangria, in red or white versions, is an easy partner to spicy Indian cuisine, and the Old Fashioned is a time-honoured mix of bourbon, orange peel, Angostura bitters and sugar.
Furthermore, a collaboration with The Chamber sees spirits and wine available at retail prices. There is a bunch of decent drops for under RM200 a bottle and a few finer wines and Champagne in the mix, too. Close to 50 whiskies are supported by a handful of other spirits such as rum, tequila and gin. You could easily settle in for an afternoon of imbibement and good food.
Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch
In a period where too many choices are stressing our lives, the simplicity of MTP’s Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch is a welcome event. It’s perfect for an enjoying a relaxing afternoon of good food supported by affordable drinks. Staff are friendly, the setting is pleasant, and the food and beverages are tasty and good value for money – what more could you want?
Reasons to try the Porky & Boozy Banana Leaf Brunch at MTP: great value-for-money refillable banana leaf set; a rare kitchen serving porky Indian recipes; approachable drink prices; pleasing setting with green views and lots of natural light.
Meat the Porkers at Plaza Damansara – Porky Indian Cuisine
9M, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Meat the Porkers on Google Maps
+6019 987 1945
Instagram @meattheporkers
Meat the Porkers Opening Hours
Wednesday to Monday: 11:30 am -3:00 pm & 6:00 pm -10:00 pm
Tuesday: Closed
Find more restaurants that serve pork in Kuala Lumpur here, and stay up to date on the latest gourmet travel finds via The Yum List on Instagram and The Yum List on Facebook.