Bar of the month: Cé La Vi

The view is spectacular, but does the food match up at this sky-high bar?

When we first announced that Cé La Vi would be coming to Dubai’s equally anticipated Address Sky View, there was many an excited squeal. Famous in its own right, but made even more so by the hit Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians, Cé La Vi, is synonymous with glamorous rooftop cocktails and elegant fine-dining plates.

For those of us that appreciate an impressive backdrop for our next Insta-shot, it doesn’t get much better than a full Burj Khalifa view behind an elegant floral swing seat.

Cé La Vi is located on the 54th floor of the newly opened hotel, with panoramic views of the surrounding Downtown area.

We visit on a Thursday night and it’s bustling, but we suspect that it’s equally busy most nights of the week. Our table is positioned in the doorway so one side looks into the restaurant and the other can enjoy the Burj Khalifa view.

The menu is surprisingly extensive, although it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific cuisine.

The seaweed parker rolls (Dhs56) are freshly baked and easy to tear and share. You can choose two spreads, which are both delicious: the chicken liver mousse with lychee marmalade and the European butter with date honey make superb accompaniments. Equally tasty is the burrata heirloom tomato salad (Dhs84), balanced with crunchy almonds.

The sweet and savoury shitake mushroom donuts (Dhs42) are an intriguing small plate. Small dough balls are supposedly filled with mushroom and beef bacon, although we struggled to find the filling. Dipping them in creamy melted raclette cheese was enough of a delight though.

You also won’t regret opting for the black truffle ‘sushi rice’ risotto (Dhs120). The creamy dish is elegantly drizzled in parmesan mousse, with small squash chunks contrasting with the creamy rice. If that’s not lavish enough, large shavings of black truffle covered the plate like a blanket.

End the night with the dark chocolate fondant (Dhs58), which is baked to perfection. The warm filling is soft and creamy, balanced with the cold scoop of ice cream and crunchy tuile slices lightly resting on top.

The vibe doesn’t dip at any point throughout the night, so if you’re looking for a bar with really nice atmosphere, Cé La Vi, is a win.

Level 54, Address Sky View, Downtown Dubai, Sun to Thur noon to 3pm, 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 582 6111. celavi.com

Images: Provided