Hi!!! I’m back as promised with a review of the restaurant where we celebrated my mom’s birthday. My mom has been talking about coming back to this place since trying it last year with some of her girlfriends during restaurant week last year- except, we never got a chance. Well, what better place to take her for her birthday!

Sun Studio

Sun Studio is a Western find dining  restaurant on the third floor of Sun Chateau. Sun Chateau is a domed glass building located right on the bank of the beautiful Western Bund. It’s a large, round glass dome, hence its nickname Drop of Water. The waterfront location and beautiful views make this “drop of water” the perfect location for weddings- or a special scenic dinner.

I hadn’t been, but based on mom’s excitement, I could not have been more excited. We also had a good family friend join us, which added to the experience

Food

To Start

Cold Cut Platter with Iberico Ham and Spanish Sausage- I love cold cuts, but at most places, the ham is overpriced and sub- par. This dish was anything but. The ham was incredibly fragrant and well aged. I could really taste the complexity of umami that comes with maturity. The sausage (actually pepperoni) had a delightful, smoky, spicy flavour. The platter also came with the most delicious pickled ginger, olives and melon slices that really complemented the meat, adding depth with the sweetness.

Cauliflower Jelly with Sea Urchin- I’m always up for trying new things, so when one of my favorite delicacies is combined with an innovative technique, I just can’t resist. This dish definitely didn’t disappoint either in appearance or flavour. The sea urchin was incredibly fresh and vibrant- better than most I’ve had at Japanese restaurants. The “jelly” burst with a vibrant fresh taste that really highlighted the sweet richness of the uni. Most impressively, the restaurant had the restraint not to season either aggressively, allowing the natural flavours to shine

4- Person Seafood Platter- I LOVE seafood, so I couldn’t pass up this dish of oysters, scallops, lobster, shrimp, crab and mussels. I must say, I didn’t think it was worth the price. The seafood, particularly the oysters and scallops, was incredibly fresh. However, the cooked items- shrimp, crab and lobster- were a bit overcooked- which took away from the incredible taste. However, I must say, the cocktail sauce was AMAZING and really saved the shrimp.

Mains

Grilled Red Snapper- I usually pride myself on my menu choices- this dish took me down a couple rungs. The fish itself was incredibly fresh and pretty well cooked. However, it was severely under-seasoned. Worse, the skin was rubbery- a cardinal sin. The veggies were also mediocre at best- barely roasted and essentially unseasoned.

Lobster Angel Hair Pasta- My dad always sticks to the simplest dish, but this time it payed off. Needless to say, the lobster was incredibly fresh. While most pastas with cream sauces come off overwhelmingly greasy, this dish showed clear restraint and really allowed the natural sweet richness of the lobster to shine. The pasta was  also well done. It was incredibly thin, but still had the quintessential  al dente texture

Grilled Cod- Our family friend also took the seafood route with grilled cod on sautéed spinach. She was gracious enough to let me try some. I must say, she made a much better decision than me. The cod was so buttery, it practically melted. The seasoning was also on point. However, the skin wasn’t crisp, but at least it wasn’t rubbery like my snapper’s was

Grilled Australian Wagyu Ribeye- My mom LOVES steak, so we pushed her to pull out the stops and order the best Sun Studio had. Not surprisingly, her dish turned out to be the best of the night. The steak was a perfect medium rare as expected. What really set this steak apart was the incredible mouthfeel. Each bite melted in an explosion of buttery, beefy flavour. I’m usually not a fan of fatty steaks, but this steak was simply magical. The thinness also afforded the steak a bit of crust and much needed texture

Service and Atmosphere

Aside from the glow of celebrating mom’s birthday, the service and atmosphere were honestly the highlight of the dinner. The restaurant had a upscale and elegant but swanky vibe. Everything had an air of exculsivity, but with a sense of calm relaxation rather than uptight formality. They also offer a variety of seating options and holiday menus, so it’s perfect for all occasions!

Also, CHECK OUT THE VIEW!!!

Even though the weather wasn’t the best, we still got a full view of both sides of the bund lighting! I only wish it was warmer, so we could have taken advantage of balcony seating, but our window side table was good enough.

The service was also impeccable. To start, the wait staff were extremely attentive and the food came out quite quickly as expected. More impressively, they showed real decorum- waiting for us to ask instead of hovering, offering us beverages and providing very good recommendations. They really made the dinner feel very comfortable.

Overall Impression

Overall, I really enjoyed Sun Studio. It’s great for a nice celebration, but the experience kind of comes at the expense of the food. Maybe We just ordered wrong (ie my snapper), but I don’t think I can justify the price of going back to test this theory, especially with so many other places wanting a taste.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope everyone has a great week. I’ll be back on the recipe train next week. Until then, Bye!

 

 

 

 

• Dining