Three's not a crowd at Troika Sky Dining, where Italian establishment Strato & wine bar Claret have blossomed this month, combining forces with avant-garde restaurant Cantaloupe to form a triumphant triumvirate on The Troika's 24th floor.
Strato: Very likely KL's best new Italian eatery in more than two years, with robust flavors taking center stage in recipes that brilliantly balance tradition & temerity.
Claret: Elegant & elevated, intimate & inviting, comely & comfortable for after-work soirees; expect this bar to soon be bustling every evening.
We'll delve deeper into Strato's menu in the months ahead, but here's a sampling of the starters: Swordfish polpette (RM25++), meaty balls in tangy-savory tomato sauce.
Our should-eat sense tingles for Strato's house-made ravioli (RM55++), stuffed with a rich blend of Wagyu beef cheek & trotter that melts like some sort of divine dew on the tongue, slicked up with sage butter, preserved lemon & fried onions.
Strato opens for dinner for now, but call before coming, since renovations remain incomplete.
Cruising over to Claret, where Dutchman Rick is the young & dangerous bartender, whipping up cocktails on demand with his arsenal of alcohol.
Herbal Hendrick's (RM36++): Gin, cointreau, egg white, maraschino liquor & thyme.
Valentine's Vow (RM48++): Prosecco, fresh raspberries & lemon juice.
Milky Way (RM33++): Cruzan rum, vanilla, cinnamon, milk & frangelico hazelnut liquor.
The Last Word (RM36++): Gin, green chartreuse & lime juice.
Scarlet Fever (RM33++): Grapefruit, creme de cassis, gin & mint.
Claret's wine collection represents international producers known & trusted by the bar's owners.
By the glass, the house red & white hover at RM30, while prosecco clocks in north of RM40.
Sip sweetly on Late Harvest (RM140++) as midnight falls; latecomers will be heartened to hear that Claret opens 5pm through at least 1am everyday.
With a piano by the side, Claret's owners & their friends might regale customers some nights ...
... with Barbra-to-Bette renditions of everything from "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" to "The Rose."
Strato Italian restaurant & Claret wine bar,
Level 23A, Tower B, The Troika, Persiaran KLCC, Lorong Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2162-0886
