An overlooked rooftop dining option
Troika Sky Dining unites four of KLCC’s top fine dining restaurants under one roof. Sitting on the 24th floor of The Troika building are 2 Latino eateries, a French restaurant, and Strato, the Italian branch of the complex.
How to Get to Troika Sky Dining
Troika Sky Dining is easily accessible on foot from Suria KLCC and the park. There will be sandwich board signs at the intersection of Persiaran KLCC/Jalan Binjai that point the way to Tower B. Once inside the tower, head to the elevators on the left. Inform the guard which restaurant you’re going to, and he’ll let you up. All four restaurants at Troika Sky Dining are on level 23A.
Ambience & Amenities
The patio at Strato is the obvious place to be. It has a view of KLCC Park, KL Tower and Merdeka 118. The area is small, with fewer than ten tables. The restaurant may close the patio during rainy weather since it is minimally protected, so be prepared for disappointment.
Inside, there is a small dining area behind the spiral staircase, and couches facing the large window (but the bar is in the way of the view). There’s a private room in the restaurant’s wine cellar. It can seat up to four guests, and it looked like there was a balcony as well. Although this is all part of Strato, “Claret” is still stamped on the walls – a remnant of the wine bar that once occupied the space.
The toilets are by the elevators next to the reception desk. There are two roomy stalls in the women’s room with sitting toilets. The sink had nice soap and hand lotion.
Menu at Troika Sky Dining
Click on menu pictures to enlarge
Strato’s menu includes a variety of pizzas, pastas and mains. The top left corner has an ongoing prix-fixe option. I was excited to see a dedicated gelato section, with different and interesting flavours for once. You wouldn’t think it with all the mentions of salami and sausage on the menu, but Strato is pork-free.
The back is an entire page of cocktails and liquors. The beer selection is far from authentic, but there is one Italian lager, Menabrea. The wine menu is in a separate booklet. The restaurant will naturally push still or sparkling water (which is usually an extra cost), but filtered tap water is free.
Food at Troika Sky Dining
To whet our appetite, we sipped on a Menabrea (RM54) and The Vampire (RM52), a sweet yet herbaceous cocktail. A complimentary bread basket with olive oil and tapenade arrived after we ordered.
The Arancini (RM33 for 4 pieces) might be some of the best arancini we’ve had in recent memory. Instead of the classic pomodoro, the sauce is Calabrian style with a rose-like richness and is lightly spiced. There’s only a small bite of tiger prawn in each ball, but the briny flavour infuses into the well-cooked risotto.
The use of a duck egg on the Bigoli Carbonara (RM55) is something I’ve never seen before. After we mixed everything, the duck egg melted and smothered the pasta in its own version of buttery carbonara. The noodles reminded me of udon, but firmer. There’s a good share of smoked duck bacon. Once we cut it into smaller pieces, there was enough to have a piece with every bite.
The Hazelnut Tiramisu (RM38) doesn’t look like much, but it is filling. It’s certainly not the traditional tiramisu with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and heaps of cocoa powder. The base is dacquoise, a nutty, spongy disc, with two hefty layers of hazelnut mascarpone and whipped cream on top. The glazed, candied hazelnuts give a crunch that is missing from the usual version. Though I’m not a big fan of tiramisu to begin with, I prefer the stronger flavours of the classic version. This one got a bit repetitive with the hazelnut, over and over.
The Cioccolata Gelato (RM20) came with two generous scoops. I usually hate chocolate ice cream – it always tastes so fake to me – but I actually liked this. The white dollop is the orange mascarpone, with a velvety smooth texture and bursting with citrus zing. I only needed a small lump to turn the slightly bitter dark chocolate gelato into a multi-layered taste sensation.
Saturday Worthy?
Anytime you’re eating two levels or above from the ground, expect to pay a lot. Strato doesn’t break the bank as badly as Cielo or Marini’s on 57, and even the other restaurants at Troika Sky Dining (Fuego, Fritz & Mr. Chew’s Chino Latino Bar) would probably end up being more expensive to get a full meal. The alcohol is the real killer, though, and what will drive up your final bill.
It might not have the same calibre of breathtaking view or picture-worthy vibe, but Strato is a decent rooftop dining experience with great food. I appreciate that they put a new spin on traditional Italian cuisine to create a unique dish. We intend to return when we are celebrating a mini occasion and willing to spend a bit more.
Price for 2 Pax: RM294.45
Menabrea: RM54.00
The Vampire: RM52.00
Arancini: RM33.00
Bigoli Carbonara: RM55.00
Hazelnut Tiramisu: RM38.00
Cioccolata Gelato: RM20.00
10% Service: RM25.20
6% SST (Food): RM8.76
8% SST (Alcohol): RM8.48
Rounding: RM0.01
Troika Sky Dining
Address: Level 23a, Tower B, The Troika, 19 Persiaran KLCC, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 6pm – 12am Daily
Alcohol Served: Yes
