Review: Studio Restaurant brings together the best of the Scottish seas and Malaysian terroir

In a stark contrast to the vibrant hustle of the street’s eateries below it, Studio Restaurant sits above it all with its moody and classy space. Serving modern tasting menus with dishes driven by the Scottish seas and Malaysian terroir, Studio Restaurant’s fare strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and creativity. Christian Recomio is at the helm, leading a team of young talents—who you might recognise from its sister restaurants Alta Café and Alta Pizza. Meanwhile, hospitality expert Jenifer Kuah takes the reins at front of house. 

Every diner here is well taken care of and made to feel like they were over at a good friend’s home. Each menu is built upon with Recomio’s expert knowledge on flavour and texture, combining Scottish ingredients, European techniques, and Malaysian produce. Though its space and plating may be (tastefully) minimal, its flavours are anything but. Studio Restaurant offers, six-, eight-, and ten-course menus, plus an eight-course vegetarian option. During our trip there, we indulged in its most comprehensive menu and here’s how it went.

STARTING BITES

After being greeted by a neon green sign that reads Studio, we were shown to our seats with a clear view of the sleek open kitchen. Our meal kicks off strong with a surprise course of an oyster. The plump mollusc was topped with chamomile cream, dill oil, and Kaluga caviar. It  burst with sweetness that was delicately balanced with the salinity from the caviar and the aromatic dill oil. Tying things together was the silky chamomile cream that left floral and herby notes on our palates. 

Next, we were served a duo of starting bites: a Loch Duart salmon yuba tart and a braised duck ball with a torched fig slice. The former was embellished with expertly diced cucumber, crème fraîche, and an avocado disc. Each ingredient’s mild flavours complemented each other, despite having very distinct flavour profiles, making the tart the most delightful morself.

Meanwhile, the latter brought together four very strong flavours with foie gras, braised duck, smoked eel, and a torched fig. The sweetness of the fig was the perfect contrast to the rich and smokey flavours of the first three ingredients.

MOREL AND LOBSTER

Mastering the art of cooking with whole morels is one thing, but making a dish as alluring as this one with said mushrooms is another. To execute this dish, the team rehydrated the morels—which arrived dried—and stuffed them with a tarragon and lobster paste. They are served atop a glossy sabayon sauce, developed to loosely mimic a classic sauce américaine. 

The morels were crispy and still retained their faint nutty flavours, which held up well alongside the lobster and tarragon. Despite its simple appearance, this dish packed a subtle punch that made it one of the more sophisticated and refined bites I’ve had this year. 

POTATO AND BREAD

Moving on to the perennial resident on Studio Restaurant’s menus: its bread and potato course. The crispy potato slices were doused with a flavour-packed jus gras and topped with fragrant rosemary mascarpone. Despite being soaked in the liquid gold, the potatoes maintained their crispiness and the cold mascarpone offered a playful contrast in temperature. 

Meanwhile, the bread is served warm in all its soft and fluffy glory. With some butter, it proves that simplicity is key. Not many bread courses in Kuala Lumpur can top this one, which usually ends with me making sure not one drop of jus gras is left on my plate. 

VEGETABLE BROTH

Your vegetable intake of the day has never been tastier. Studio Restaurant’s way of putting local produce on display lies in this colourful and clear vegetable broth. The refreshing bowl combines Sancerre jelly, asparagus, mushrooms, shiso leaves, sour strawberries, and a medley of other local baby vegetables as well as herbs. Each spoonful was a delightful combination of tang and sweetness with a touch of umami. All of this was tied together with a drizzle of chamomile oil. 

SCOTTISH SCALLOP

You’ve never had scallops like this before. We were served a perfectly seared Scottish scallop, along with shredded leeks and yuba, smoked haddock, and caviar. The textures of each element went perfectly together, just as their flavours did. While the yuba offered a light creaminess to the dish, the caviar and haddock acted as the briny and smoky components respectively—all of which combined to mimic a fancy coleslaw to pair with the fresh scallop. 

NORTH SEA COD

For this course, Recomio chose to recreate a dish from his Aberdeen restaurant, Moonfish Café. It comprises a well-cooked North Sea cod, served with thinly sliced Korean pear, and a bright fennel and watercress purée. Finishing the dish is a unique chicken stock and white wine sauce, which was made even better with the addition of an unlikely ingredient: vanilla. 

This unorthodox combination put Recomio’s thorough understanding of flavours on display. The vanilla acted as a great partner to the sweet Korean pear, flaky fish, and deep purée. Anyone who is a fan of experimenting and exploring with their palates should make a reservation at Studio Restaurant immediately.

WAGYU BEEF

The final chapter of the meal’s mains was a medium-rare Wagyu beef medallion. It was presented with a tomato-pepper berry jam, Studio Restaurant’s take on an aji verde, and a beef bone reduction jus. While the jam was just the right amount of sweet, the aji verde—made with local jalapeños and parmesan—was pleasantly herbaceous and ever so slightly spicy. Despite having three distinct flavours, each of the beef’s accompaniments worked well to cut through its richness. 

PALATE CLEANSER

As a prelude to the main dessert, we were served a bright and tangy plum sorbet. It was served atop cardamom whipped yoghurt, homemade granola, and fig leaf oil. When combined with the light sorbet, the creaminess of the yoghurt and crunch from the granola made each bite extremely satisfying. Plus, the fig leaf oil added an element of curiousity to the dish with its vegetal and herby notes. 

DESSERT

The dessert course was a cloud-like cheese parfait, made with cream cheese, brie, and gorgonzola. It went hand in hand with the accompanying apples, walnuts, apple cider vinegar, local wild honey, and pickled rose vinaigrette. While honey and cheese are a well-known gastronomic couple, the addition of apples and walnuts added a new dimension to the cult favourite combination. 

PARTING GIFTS

Studio Restaurant’s petit four came in the form of handmade Scottish seaweed caramels, madeleines, and cheese with crackers. My personal favourite was the Scottish seaweed caramels, which I had more than my own fair share of. I also might have popped a couple into my bag to bring home—with permission from Kuah. The sweet and salty flavours sang in each little bite, ending the meal on a terrific note. 

As a whole, my meal at Studio Restaurant was nothing short of eye-opening. Consistency is something that restaurants struggle with. However, the team here seems to have perfected their craft, ensuring no meals are amiss. If you’re looking for a night with technically sound and eye-opening dishes, make your reservation at Studio Restaurant now. 

STUDIO RESTAURANT

Address: 38-1, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: 7pm to 12am (Fridays and Saturdays)

Contact: +6016 425 0773

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Click here for more food and drink reads.