Friday night rolls round and you’re wondering where to go to end the week. Sometimes a mediocre meal just won’t do and it’s not often you find beautifully prepared food at a price that won’t cause palpitations. The Friday night monthly tasting menus at Sitka Studio – it’s upstairs from the door next to the restaurant – are priced at RM195 for five courses, and we say it’s well worth the price.
April’s menu comprises an assortment of fresh local ingredients (sourced from within a few miles of the city) and adventurous combinations that shouldn’t work in theory but do. Chef / owner Christian Recomio will never be accused of being a shrinking violet when it comes to his cooking. It’s all about pushing taste boundaries, being experimental and a little cheeky.
On To The Food...
Reading the menu can be daunting and unless you’re a real gourmet (or show-off) who knows your cavatelli from your manicotti, it’s nice to know that every course is explained in detail and you can ask questions too. We began with a chicken parfait in a yuba (tofu) skin tart topped with thinly-sliced pickled grape – this sets the mood for the rest of the meal. Surprising, novel and very pretty to look at. Next came grilled baby kailan with kelp glaze and smoked confit yolk, followed by a fantastic steamed sea bass (whatever’s freshly delivered that day gets prepared) with calamansi vinegar butter, trout roe and prawns.
Yuba tart
Photo: Sitka Studio
The pasta course came in the form of cavatelli with smoked garlic and a creamy goat’s milk sauce. Pasta must always be al dente, so top marks for getting that right! The goat milk sauce could be a little overwhelming for some, but the portion is very manageable. Dessert is Kom brûlée (pictured above) – a play on words and another successfully odd combination of baked jasmine flavoured custard, candied kombu (edible kelp, a recent superfood star) and puffed pumpkin seeds. A genial end to a wonderful dinner.
There’s also an option of going for two more courses including a cheese course at an RM80 supplement. Make a date for April 13, 20 and 27 to try this menu (reservations highly recommended), and keep checking on what Christian comes up with each month for Friday nights at Sitka Studio.
Sitka Studio
8-5A Jalan Batai, Damansara Heights
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 017-277 7848
www.sitkarestaurant.com/studio
