Larger Than Life
Not for the faint of heart is Cé La Vi Kuala Lumpur. For starters, it’s on the 37th floor of Ilham Tower, which means it offers a 360-degree view of the city’s skyline, not to mention a daring al fresco seating section. Inside the restaurant, murals of women with animal tattoos are sprawled across the grained marble and dark wood interior, while gold and silver koi circle the wall above the sushi bar from which premium assorted sashimi platters (RM388) frequently emerge.
The Malaysian edition of Cé La Vi is a partnership between restaurateur and entrepreneur Modesto Marini, and L Catterton Asia, which means that its menu is no stranger to the finer things in life (including a RM10,000 portion of Beluga caviar). Amongst a selection of contemporary Asian dishes, there’s an emphasis on Japanese classics like Bento set lunches, richly marbled Kuroge Wagyu, a trio of matcha-infused desserts, and cod baked with red miso and Negi onions.
Even if you’re heading to the lounge or club section of Cé La Vi (or ducking into their cigar room), do consider stopping by to whet your appetite with their ice plant salad or Beijing-style duck koh-pau. Certain club nights feature live mermaids and mermen lazing in the paddling pool on the outside lounge deck, so you’ll certainly want a CLV Martini in your hand and something to nibble on while you’re taking in the view.
