Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tick Tock, goes the Meat-O-Meter at Euro Deli, Damansara Kim

My pork-eating days are numbered. I have been laid into some of the most persuasive literature for a meatless diet that I feel I would be doing the conviction proffered by the writers injustice if I didn’t at least try to revisit vegetarianism one more time.

So while I prepare myself for this potential switch back to vegetables, pulses and maybe, just maybe, a selection of mock meats, I am clocking in hazy, meaty jaunts with my favourite cuts.

Such as this recent jaunt to everyone's old German-Swiss favourite Euro Deli in Damansara Kim. We arrived on a Sunday evening, hungry from having performed zero to minimal brain activity all day and with nothing on our mind but pork. I flipped open the menu and immediately called the Mixed Roast Platter which featured a cut of the pork knuckle, ribs and belly. My friend conceded defeat and decided to have a go at the burger instead.



The Swiss Burger (RM19.50), OK to look and taste but ultimately inadequate. When you’re in that Sunday devil-may-care frame of mind, you really don’t want to stop your pork ritual at just a burger patty sandwiched between bland buns.


My glistening Mixed Roast Platter (RM32) of pork cuts arrived, doused in rather generic brown gravy. Let us study exactly what this platter proffered. The plate was topped with one crispy cracker of pork skin, perfect snack while watching repetitive plotwork on Californication (how many times can someone screw up screwing randomly?) or hell, just lying in bed on Sunday as per usual absorbing absolutely nothing at all.

Knuckle was tender and yielded to knife and fork easily, but I have had better. Not sure if it’s entirely a matter of taste but I feel knuckle needs to be consumed whole and when it’s served as a dainty cut as part of a sampler, it fails to convey to the innate beast in us.


Ribs were tougher and gamier than I like but they were fatty enough to inspire my friend to go for a second helping of Roast Pork Ribs (RM29) after his burger went down too fast.

The belly I liked was, for the crisp, deep rust edges and more pork skin, burnt and spurting fragrant juices. I would absolutely need to return for the rolled pork belly on its own. The Mixed Platter, while handsome in abundance, just doesn’t impart the necessary focus on the individual cuts of meat.

While the precise number of pork-eating days left is questionable (I’m thinking a big 6-figure timeline, depending on how fast and furious the literature keeps coming), I think I have a couple more visits to Euro Deli left in me before the Meat-O-Meter is tossed into the bonfire.

Reservations are recommended. The place has been spruced up real nice since my last visit - there's even nice woody bar out back where I can imagine knocking back a bottle or two at my next pork outing.

Euro Deli Shop
41, Jalan SS20/11
Damansara Kim
Tel: 03-7726 7495

16 comments:

Sean said...

knuckle, ribs, belly, skin ... almost enough to reconstruct a pig! albeit a headless, one-legged pig, but still. :D
yikes... would u also abandon seafood? i went off meat for several months nearly 10 years ago (by choice as well), but it really helped that i still ate fish, prawns, etc...

J said...

Abandon pork? SACRILEGE! :(

Rebecca Saw said...

Serious?
perhaps once a week? at the very least...

Lingzie said...

why??? what literature is this pray tell?
of course eating your vegs is good...but no need to abandon meat kua....

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

no meat?? thats probably on par with no alcohol, how can that be?

Ciki said...

u scream, i scream.. they all scream.. for erm, pork? LOL

HairyBerry said...

you'll emerge stronger than before and i can definitely imagine your return to the meats of one that's worth the ordeal. :)
 
i can't agree more on the knuckle being eaten in its entirety. if i want a cut, i'll order a pork chop!

minchow said...

Sean, baby steps, that's a thought. I def think going pesce will go a long way in helping to make the transition better. But still, several months were as long as you went meatless huh?

J, I know! I'm not 100% certain about it to be honest!

TNG, actually I do already do meatless days some days a week, but always with the carrot that I can overcompensate come the weekend! :-S

Lingzie, oh trust me, literature so convincing it's virtually propaganda! Health benefits galore if I go veg, apparently!

minchow said...

Joe, gahh!! But you're right - if I'm willing to give up certain types of food for the purported health benefits, I should bloody well be prepared to give up drink for the same. Food for thought. Let me mull over that with a drink or two...

Ciki, no need to scream! Just gnaw, chew and intermittently grunt! :-D

HairyBerry, haha love the way your mind works... imminent big bang return to meat be the ultimate reason for all this effort!

baDboyzs said...

Have no fear , once your 1st meat-o-meter is done with , we shall start a fresh new one just for you, satisfaction guaranteed or vegetables 4 life !

Kenny Mah said...

I'm with you on the benefits of a meatless diet... but meat is soooo delicious!

One of my colleagues have an SPCA sign on her cubicle: "Animals Matter To Me." And I said, "Me too! I love animals - they taste so good!"

She ran after me with a rather large stapler... :P

PerutBesi said...

minchow! I was at Euro Deli D'sara Kim last month & wasn't too happy with their food le...their pork knuckles was SO disappointing that my daddy didn't wanna eat & my sister didn't wanna touch it :( My mum & I were the ones struggling to finish it up...sigh...you can read more about it on my blog post la...perhaps it's one of those days or just 'bad luck' for that night...ergh...

worldwindows said...

Reminded to pen this down for a visit. Those porky goodness....

Big Boys Oven said...

great food, great portion! :)

fatboybakes said...

wah, give up meat ah? that's almost like becoming a nun wor. i think with sooo many porcine paradises around, euro deli has a tough fight ahead of them leh.

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

Well, I look forward to reading of your vegetarian escapades. I'm sure it will be an enjoyable one. Really. :-D