deconstruct has added a photo to the pool:
S.Wine@Ben's Independent Grocer@Publika.
The wooden black Iberico finisher pig at the front of the cafe brings back memories of my pig farming days in the 80-90s.
Those were very challenging years managing two commercial breeding/sow to finishers farms with a population of 12000 pigs.
The popular breeds then were Duroc, Large White, Hampshire,Spotted Poland China from USA, Yorkshire from Britain and Landrace from Denmark and Holland- all were bred for their robustness, meatiness and fast growth-no genetically modified pigs back then !
Up to today, I still don't know how my wife could bear the strong odor/stench on my clothes that smelt of pig's manure-everyday !! ha! ha!.
Anyway, S.Wine Cafe is a welcome change in the food scene and bold enough to be a non-halal place to serve strictly porky food with wine to compliment their dishes..
We were game and spoil for choices-choosing both local and western flavored food.
Service was OK.
Complimentary bun with butter-soft and pillowy. 
Hearty Vegetables Soup-tomato based vegetable soup with chunks of ham, cannellini beans, barley and sauteed vegetables, topped with Parmesan cheese and coriander leaves-real hearty-Rm14/ 
Pigs in a blanket- crispy bacon wrapped in mini garlic sausages-good as a snack-Rm18.90 
Momofuku inspired pork buns - more like Chinese style braised pork belly slices (nam yee pao )with pickled cucumber sandwiched in steamed flower mantao-Rm21. 
Pork satay with pineapple sauce-served with cucumber, onion and nasi impit-well marinated chunky pieces of pork belly-sauce need some improvement-Rm24/ 
Pork and pine nuts sausage roll-pork sausage meat with pine nuts, mushroom and garlic wra! pped in puff pastry and baked till golden brown served with arugula and tomato relish- flaky pastry skin with mouthful of tantalizing meat with every bite-Rm19/ 
Spaghetti tossed with garlic sausage and bacon chunks in tomato-capsicum concasse with cream- too rich and creamy-Rm26/ Total bill:Rm183/
Location: Lot 1A, 83-95,
Level UG1-Publika,
1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas,
Kuala Lumpur,
Tel:03-6209-1716.
My Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr !
I met Brady Barr! 
National Geographic reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr was in KL few days back and I got to met this engaging, affable and cheerful TV personality upclose and in person. What hit me most was Dr. Bradys passion for his job and that deeply resonates from his words and actions.
Meeting and seeing him in the flesh sure beats seeing him on the screen.
He hashas dedicated his life to educating the public about the wonders of the natural world and during the press conference, he very obviously enjoyed himself speaking, laughing and playing with the kids, kids here referring to both kids of age and mind!
Yes, there were many of us who are his fans and gone all berserk meeting him in person. Alright, if you still havent gotten the message, it means that the ADULTS were acting more like a kid then the actual kids! 
It was an amazing encounter with Dr Brady, with some bordering on dangerous as seen above!
His deepest passion is reserved for animals that most people view as terrifying monsters; crocodiles and alligators. During the press conference in Zoo Negara KL, he had wa! nted to go into the crocodile enclosure but thankfully it was only the snake one that he finally went into.
He is the only person in history to capture and study all 23 species a feat unlikely to ever be repeated, and one he uses to raise awareness for the plight of crocodilians everywhere.He has journeyed to five continents and over 70 countries and interacted with a menagerie of creatures from the Humboldt Squid to the Japanese Giant Salamander.
He is the only person in history to capture and study all 23 species a feat unlikely to ever be repeated, and one he uses to raise awareness for the plight of crocodilians everywhere.
Barr has been with National Geographic since 1997, when he became National Geographics resident herpetologist, and has since appeared in more than 100 National Geographic films.
Dr Brady is simply, I repeat amazing. I sat through his presentation and read his biodata with awe.
In 2009 together with a team of experts, he attached an untethered camera to a Humboldt Squid for the first time ever, revealing never before seen behaviour of these cannibalistic deep-sea creatures. Other recent achievements include filming a feeding frenzy of rarely-seen six gill sharks 1/3 of a mile down, taking DNA samples from an eight-foot electric Eel armed with 600 volts of zap, and using state of the art high speed cinematography to time the strike speed of the fastest ambush predators on the planet. He also developed full-size crocodile and hippo disguises in an effort to approach these dangerous animals and take scientific samples ! in a non -invasive way. In the name of science he applied a field toxicity test to various Salamander species he licked them; pronouncing the North American hellbender hands down the most disgusting. Most recently, Barr captured the second largest man-eating crocodile in the country of Uganda, where the beast had killed 21 people.
Heres the details of the show as below and make sure you stay glued to the TV!
Heres one last pimp of me in Nat Geo outfit! 
Not a host material obviously, but if Brady ever needs a porter during his trips maybe me? :P
Alright, whos a fan of Brady Barr??
My Elephant Thai @ Aman Suria
My Elephant has walked to other places in Klang Valley from their original base at Section 17 Petaling Jaya. She have reached Aman Suria at the same row with Kayu Nasi Kandar.
These were in front of me before the food was served.
5 pieces of Tod Man Plah - Bouncy handmade deep fried Thai fish cakes - it was a good food to start with.
Gai Tod Gratiam Prik Thai - Deep fried boneless chicken.
Tom Som - Clear Galangal lemongrass lime soup was such a gorgeous sou! p that I made sure nothing was left from the bowl.
Plah Nung Manow - Steamed siakap fish with lime chili padi garlic dressing.
Green Curry Chicken - yummy.
Brown rice was so fragrant and so nice the green curry chicken.My Elephant
22, Jalan PJU 1/43
Aman Suria
Petaling Jaya
GPS :3.122358,101.595168
Sundown Marathon 2012
What long-distance running is truly about is measuring ourselves against a challenge that exceeds simple arithmetic....It is about knowing how to cope when the world turns against you. Robin Harvie, Why We Run - A Story Of Obsession.
For the longest time, Id imagined running in the rain being an exhilarating, more liberating experience. And its true, as Id found out during my last pre-race run. A light shower turned torrential rain had me completing the last few km in thoroughly soaked shoes, accompanied by a concert of roaring thunder. I admit that it was, to a certain extent, an irresponsible and dangerous decision to proceed with my run but it was also undeniably fun; reminiscence of a carefree primary school kid playing in the rain.
The next few days were spent resting, in preparation for my first midnight marathon. Resting, to me, was also an opportunity to stuff myself silly with food, in the name of carbo-loading. Id been looking forward to this. From indulging in a seminars buffet (with free flow of cod fish!) to munching large bags of chips (I needed sodium, I really did!) to carelessly choosing fried noodles for lunch to having mee rebus for supper, it was as if Id forgotten how dreadful it was to have runners diarrhoea.
This was my fifth marathon. By now, Id learnt to pack my race bag systematically and managed to fully utilise the few hours prior to the race; by taking a short nap and stretching. When I left my house for the race site that night, I felt good. I wasnt aiming for a sub 4-hour finish given the humidity and odd running hours, but I thought Id trained enough to complete a 42.195 km run, injury-free. I could have been more excited had the organizer kept its promise to include the west coast highway route.
There were, of course, advantages to the changed route. Looping at the convenient East Coast Park meant that the elevations were minimal, which offers runners an opportunity to achieve a new personal record. Running along the! ECP was also undoubtedly safer than on the highway.
I was expecting chaos at the start line as both full and half marathoners were scheduled to begin their respective races on the same road AND at the same time. Id positioned myself nearest to the start line, to avoid the hassle of untangling myself from the massive middle pack.
And so, my run started off just fine. For the first 10 km, I clocked a sub 1-hour spilt. The supportive bar-goers and cooling air at the Marina Bay Sands made this an absolutely enjoyable stretch. By the 16th km, when the full marathoners headed for the ECP via the newly opened Gardens By The Bay, I still felt fresh although it was already 2 am.
By the 20th km, I was tailing the 4-hour pacers comfortably, hoping to overtake them in the end. That would have been ideal. But sadly, it did not materialise. Before reaching the Bedok Jetty, I was hit by bouts of gastrointestinal discomfort. It was disturbing and frightening at the same time. I had to fix this before it, literally, blows out of proportion. I was also disappointed with myself, for being so gluttonous in the past few days. That must have, somehow, contributed to this disaster. I entered the nearest toilet across the road to unload while watching the pacers sped off.
By the second toilet break (which, like the first one, failed to unload anything), Id lost sight of the 4-hour pacers completely. Frustration and the continuous discomfort made the run even harder now. The turning point came when Id reached the 25th km mark, where power gels were distributed. Interestingly, after consuming just one pack, the bowels reacted violently and I knew this time, I would be able to flush it out. And I did.
Exiting the toilet and returning to the marathon course, I felt lighter (obviously) and somehow reenergized. Id regained the enthusiasm to run this race. I turned on my MP3 player and quickened my pace. There was no room for remorse right now. I should enjoy this - the second hal! f of my first Sundown marathon.
As I ran, strong winds blew from all directions. Branches shook. Leaves started to fall. It didnt take long before the ECP was hit by a deluge of rain. For me, it started when I reached the 30th km mark. This will not stop me, Id decided, and assured myself that itd be more fun than my last pre-race run. Some had resorted to seeking shelter in the nearby tents while volunteers and traffic marshals braved the rain to provide support for the runners. It was inspiring. Thank you!
Exiting ECP and into a few construction sites, the water level was, at the lower points, ankle-deep. There were much fewer runners on the road now. I wasnt worried about the downpour or fatigued by the additional weight on my shoes and clothes. Rather, I was enjoying the cool it brought, and that I didnt have to stop at water stations to rehydrate anymore. Water from the sky was aplenty that morning. Titanium by David Guetta (featuring Sia) was playing repetitively on my MP3 player. Even now, when I hear that song, I am reminded of the rainy Sundown 2012. You shoot me down but I wont fall, I am titanium.....
The finish line was near when runners returned to the Nicoll Highway from the new Sports Hub. The rain had reduced now. Crossing the finish line a few minutes later, this time, Id remembered to flash a smile for the camera.
Many finishers, still wet, stayed in the large tent to avoid the incessant rain. The food stalls inside the tent were doing brisk business. I overheard some stalls ran out of stock! There was also a free massage session for all full marathoners, which was great. I took this opportunity to relieve my recovering ITBs.
The rain finally stopped around 6 am. I didnt head home right away. Instead, I dropped by the neighbourhood wet market for a hearty bowl of mee siam and some fried beehoon. A few hours ago, the people around me were runners, huffing and puffing their way to the finish line in the rain. Here, families were enjoying their Sund! ay break fast at a more relaxed pace. Strangely, Id found peace amidst the clatters.
At home, I managed to sleep for a good few hours. Later, waking up to a cool, grey late afternoon, I went grocery shopping for the new week ahead, wearing my new Sundown 2012 finisher's tee shirt. As much vanity there was in wearing the smart-looking tee shirt, I was, honestly, also celebrating the joy of having endured what some runners claimed as one of the toughest Sundown marathons ever, given the heavy rain. For me, toughest includes dealing with irritable bowels. Lesson learnt (yet again) - carbo-load, not overeat.
Dirty Nelly's @ Life Center
Dirty Nelly's has cultivated a reputation as a nice suburban watering hole over the past year, so it's cool to see it venture into the city, where its second branch recently opened at Life Center.
Entries on Dirty Nelly's @ Damansara Jaya: Feb. 2011 and March 2011.
Entries on Dirty Nelly's @ Damansara Jaya: Feb. 2011 and March 2011.
Hot, sweet comfort on a cold night: pumpkin and squash broth, thickly blended with nutmeg and topped with vanilla-laced sour cream. Should soothe both the stomach and the spirit.
Cock-A-Leekie soup, the traditional Scottish winter warmer, with chicken, leeks and prunes. Tastes relatively homemade; whether that's complimentary or not is arguable.
"William and Kate," wittily named _ the former referring (for reasons unknown) to the asparagus, the latter to the wrapping of butter-sauteed bacon. A harmonious (culinary)! union.< /div>
Good ol' British recipes rule at Dirty Nelly's, including the rarely-seen-in-KL beef cobbler, a meaty stew topped with buttery-cheesy scones. A terrific change from, say, shepherd's pie.
Sliced pork sausages with back bacon, chilies and onions. Sounds like run-of-the-mill pub grub, but it's deliciously executed. Spectacularly juicy, not sickeningly oily.
Lancashire hot pot, comprising lamb stew topped with golden-crisp baked potatoes. Soul food for carnivores and carb-whores alike.
Here comes the parade of pork, kicking off with some succulent ribs.
Pork chops with apple-cabb! age slaw and house-made passion fruit sauce. It's like the chef wondered what he should add to the menu, then thought to himself, "let's give 'em something to really sink their teeth into!"
Even the sea bass gets the pork treatment, smothered with bacon and clams for a flavor boost.
Pork escalopes, thin but tasty, with creamy potato mash and mushroom sauce.
Fish and chips, battered to perfect crispness, with mushy peas, tartar sauce and malt vinegar. The fish was fresh, though the fries buried below were forgettable.
Desserts here are as sinful as hell; check out the deep-fried chocolate bar with cream.
Sherry trifle, nothing to trifle with, as far as its calorie content is ! concerne d.
Wine is available, but only by the bottle so far.
Oh, and the long island iced tea, of course. A bit on the pricey side too.
Hennessy VSOP and Jack Daniels Bourbon.
But most of Dirty Nelly's customers stick to Guinness.
The choice of cocktails is also limited for now to classics like margarita and tequila sunrise.
The food and booze above were consumed on three sepa! rate eve nings since early May. Why did we keep returning? Because the dish we wanted to order _ Nelly's Belly, spice-braised pork belly _ was repeatedly unavailable. We've given up now; Nelly's Belly and ours are fated to never meet.
One more warning: the music at Dirty Nelly's can get pretty loud, pretty early in the evening.
Dirty Nelly's,
Life Center, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Life Center, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
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