Kitchen

It’s a crazy porky affair at Pazzo Sandwich

PETALING JAYA: What makes the perfect sandwich? It sounds like an age-old question.

“It's almost impossible to go wrong with the sandwich because the bread holds everything you already want; there's no way you're going to offend yourself, because you chose it yourself, right?”

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PETALING JAYA: What makes the perfect sandwich? It sounds like an age-old question.

For chef Suren Krishnan, however, the answer is not as clear-cut as ordering a prime steak. “It’s almost impossible to go wrong with the sandwich because the bread holds everything you already want; there’s no way you’re going to offend yourself, because you chose it yourself, right?” mused the 43-year-old owner of Pazzo Sandwich.

Located away from the main stretch of eateries in Section 17 here, the sandwich shop serves seven porky, layered creations, all built around ciabatta and accompanied by homemade hot sauce, fermented mustard, and other house-made condiments. “When I build a sandwich, what I’m doing is putting a bit of thought between the moment you get the sandwich and the time you finish eating it.

How’s the ‘chew’ texture? What’s the flavour profile that’s playing in your mouth?

How can I make this fun and interesting?” Before Pazzo Sandwich, Suren ran Tipsy Boar – a restaurant known for its pork-centric creations – in the same location for nearly eight years.

“Many of the dishes here, a lot of the ingredients and recipes, are developed from Tipsy Boar,” Suren revealed. The shop itself is hard to miss, with its bright blue-and-yellow colour scheme and large windows at the entrance that let plenty of sunlight into the space. Suren joked that some customers have even told him the interior reminds them of Ikea.

As for the name, Suren explained that “pazzo” means “crazy” in Italian. “When I started doing the sandwiches, I didn’t want to corner myself or put myself into a box.

I wanted to have that freedom to not be fixed with something and just let my mind go with possibilities of what sandwich flavours could be,” he said. “So I thought ‘pazzo’ was quite a fitting name for what I wanted to do.”

With seven sandwiches on the menu, each offering its own combination of flavours and textures, the real test is deciding which ones are worth coming back for. The first bite of Crunch Time, Pazzo’s bestseller, delivers plenty of flavour.

The pork belly porchetta is tender and fatty, almost melting in the mouth without tasting overwhelmingly porky. Its crisp, crusty edges provide a satisfying contrast to the meat. The ciabatta is equally well judged: crunchy when you bite into it, but soft and yielding once you get through the crust.

Then there’s the Highlander: roast Black Angus beef layered with caramelised onions, Gouda, homemade fermented wholegrain mustard, arugula and roast garlic aioli. The beef is tender and flavourful, while the caramelised onions add a subtle sweetness.

The fermented mustard brings a pleasant tang that cuts through the richness and pairs particularly well with the beef. Peter Porker gives the classic pork sandwich a distinctly Malaysian touch, pairing a meaty roast with spicy-sour greens, Gouda, arugula, and garlic aioli.

The greens, reminiscent of the spicy-sour vegetable accompaniment found in chicken rice dishes, add a punchy contrast to the meat and cheese. The pork roast itself is nicely cooked, making this an interesting local spin on the sandwich. Pazzo Sandwich may be built around a simple idea, but there is little that feels ordinary about its offerings.

Suren’s experience at Tipsy Boar shows in the confident handling of pork, while the thoughtful layering of textures, acidity and richness keeps each sandwich from becoming one-dimensional. For those who like their sandwiches indulgent, inventive and unapologetically meaty, Pazzo Sandwich is a worthy addition to Section 17’s food scene.

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