S. Wine Cafe, Publika Solaris Dutamas

Here's The BIG Group's first eatery that's promiscuously porky.

Momofuku-inspired pork buns. Finger-scorching steamed mantao, sandwiching irredeemably sinful sponges of Dongpo pork belly. We'll pause for a moment to give thanks to the Song Dynasty Poet Su Dongpo, whose culinary creation of red-braised pork still supplies so much satisfaction nearly a millennium after his lifetime.

Going belly-up with our orders, all of which utilize a single, singular part of the pig's anatomy: smoky-juicy pork belly satay with kitchen-made peanut-pineapple sauce.

Five-spice Chinese roast pork belly with Japanese cucumber & pineapple chili sauce. If this looks a little too lean for your liking, it might be worth begging S.Wine's staff for a more lardy cut.

What's S.Wine's pork burger like? Sloppy & juicy, thanks to a Mexican-style pulled pork topping; it might not win the award for KL's best pork burger, but it should get nominated. No nitpicking possible about the plump patty & buttered brioche bun.

Geographical boundaries count for nothing at S.Wine. The menu features Italian favorites like this traditional preparation of spaghetti carbonara, replete with a raw-&-risky egg yolk, roughly torn prosciutto & pancetta chunks ...

... alongside mainstays of Malaysia's heritage: Hainanese pork chop flooded in tomato sauce & festooned with peas, corn, carrots & coriander. Would it be sacrilegious to say this is as satisfying as Yut Kee's Worcestershire-sauce version? 

Wine bought at Ben's Independent Grocer can be consumed without a corkage charge here.

S.Wine Cafe Deli @ Ben's Independent Grocer,
Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Open through 10pm, starting 11am weekdays & 9am weekends.