Before we talk about the food, there are two things you need to know about Strato before you first step foot into the space. The first tip is for the ladies – Strato is situated above Claret Wine Bar and is accessible via a spiralling staircase that is steep and open to full view of the Claret patrons below.  So if you are a girl with a penchant for stilettos and miniskirts, you might want to rethink your outfit before arriving at the vicinity. Secondly, Strato does not accept reservations for dinner so if you are attempting to have a meal here, do make the effort to be early; otherwise, you can always lounge with a good drink at Claret before a seat is made available for you.

Of course, we can hear the questions already – is Strato worth it then? Yes, it is. Decorated to look like an urban and modern trattoria, the ambience here goes harmoniously with the floor-to-ceiling view of the city. Strato’s crown jewels are their pastas and pizzas – authentic and made fresh daily. The talented Chef Chris Bauer is the man presiding over the restaurant’s menu with meticulous flair. It can take you awhile to decide what to have (as everything on the menu is tempting) so do take your time and mull over your decision with a refreshing drink like the smooth and sweet cantaloupe juice, a signature here at Troika Sky Dining.

Under the direction of the talented Chef Chris Bauer, the food at Strato is simple and tasty, while honouring the fresh produces that form the backbone of Italian cuisine at the same time. A good example is Strato’s roast baby octopus with lemon aioli and lobster oil -- succulent and zesty at the same time, a combination that is addictive to this writer. The dish of scallops with duck bacon, cannellini beans, orange segments and apricot chutney is another winner. The tanginess of the citrus condiments somehow gels with the handmade, smoky duck bacon and melt-in-the-mouth scallops.

Yet, if it is something extraordinary you seek, you can find it in the homemade swordfish polpette in tomato sauce. Inspired by its owners’ trip to Sicily, the polpettes has a sharp and distinct flavour that melds beautifully with the pure tomato sauce.

For the pastas, start off with a big bang with the potato gnocchi with braised chicken ragu and shared cured foie gras. Robust with the flavours of the sauce, the floury potato gnocchi is both starchy and soft at the same time. From the full-bodied flavours of the gnocchi, move on to the linguine with crab meat, chilli, rocket, crab sauce and garlic chips. Shreds of crab meat and garlic chips anchor the flavours of the pasta broth, while the sprinkles of chilli and rocket on the al dante, handmade linguine rounds up the flavour of this dish nicely.

We learn that perfecting the restaurant’s pizza dough is a task that Strato’s owners and chefs attend to with great seriousness and critical attention. This dedication to perfection comes across in our only pizza dish of our visit. Topped with seared lamb loin, tomato salsa, romaine lettuce garlic oil and brie cheese, the pizza dough is both doughy and crispy at the same time, although we recommend you eat it fresh off the oven to truly discover its winning points.

Desserts at Strato are mostly decadent selections and worthy of exceeding your calorie count. The chocolate mousse cake is rich and incredibly precise in the chocolate and cheese ratio, complete with crispy base. Texture-wise, the moist semolina mascarpone cake lives up to its name – it easily glides on the tongue with every bite. If you are still hesitant to indulge too much for desserts, then go on and have the banana and coffee tiramisu to cap your meal at Strato.

 

Strato, Level 23A, Troika Sky Dining, The Troika, Persiaran KLCC, Lorong Binjai, Tel: +603-2162 0886