On Saturday, Studio East served up a tapas of Asian-inspired dishes as chefs Saronn Pov and Ray Bear offered a tapas-style sneak peek of the rich and flavourful menu in the rustic but modern space on Cunard Street. With her Cambodian roots, Pov was a longtime vendor at the Keith’s Brewery Market, but she is delighted to open her first restaurant. Tonight, all of Halifax is welcome to try it out. And based on what I tasted, you’ll be back. I know I will.
The menu features a complementary palette of Asian-inspired but locally produced meat and vegetarian dishes. The decor is inviting and cozy but contemporary and crisp. Fine art (including a portrait of Bill Murray) adorns the walls. The bar and kitchen is exposed, and the bright dining area features benches with low dining tables, while a community-style table centres the room.
For drinks, Studio East has well-priced local craft beers, ciders, cocktails and a wine selection from Valley wineries. The menu features dishes like Char Sui BBQ Pork Ramen, Cambodian banh mi, Korean beef bulgogi, raw oysters, warm sushi and more. The dishes are flavoured in fusion while maintaining an East Asian taste with fresh, local ingredients. Truly delicious.
For more information and hours, visit their Facebook site. Yum.
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This article appears in Oct 8-14, 2015.
The over promoted, Ray Bear, one would think he i the second coming!!! Or is it third….fourth???Disappointing, over priced fare.
Definitely not going back.
Ahhh, the great self promoting Ray Bear!! Back from the West Coast.
One would think he is the second coming, or is it third…….fourth???
Next getaway…..Nunavut!!
Definitely won’t be a regular!!!
Overpriced less than average grade fare, low budget decor, kinda like your junior high cafeteria on steroids.
No parking. Average Fare. Above average price.
Won’t be returning.
Hey @RealityMan… Why so many posts filled with vitriol? It seems odd, hope your days gets better soon.
I went with expectations. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
The food, in my opinion was not exceptional at all….the ambience…obviously on a budget.
Kudos for effort, but for the price and the hype, this establishment comes up short IMHO.
Best of luck though!
Finally someone is pointing out how totally middle of the road this place is.
The Halifax yuppies love this place because the plating not paper and Bear and his assistant use small amounts of ingredients people heard about on top chef (“Oh wow! Pork Bao!”) which lets them feel like they’re big shots. Pork is the cheapsest meat to serve, bao is a word that makes wannabes pay $15 for 1/2 a plate~
This place is about stroking the ego of not only Ray Bear, but also his target clientele of people desperate to live well above their means and who place an emphasis on style over substance.
Food was almost OK, not for the price, definitely not at the level that some people (including a notoriously dishonest reviewer in another publication) want to make it out to be.
Had the Warm Sushi and it was great. The place was packed and the server kept his cool and was super personable. I had no idea that Ray Bear opened the restaurant – I believe the assumption that individuals are going there just for that reason is giving people too much credit when it comes to caring. What’s your deal @RealityMan? You said the same thing four times.
I went in with low expectations, the overpriced food, horrible service.. first and last visit. Way too many awesome places to eat in the city to waste my money there.