PUBLISHED June 11th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED August 26th, 2021 04:42 pm
Known for sky-high views, clubbing, and cool vibes, CÉ LA VI Singapore was the prime spot for nightlife lovers. But it’s still thriving on tasty new menu creations and tipples that keep you coming back for more – even after the party’s over. The new menu by Group Executive Chef Joey Sergentakis introduces small, large, and premium large sharing plates for friends or family to enjoy together.
To start, the Momotaro Tomato & Burrata Salad (S$29) is fresh with slices of large red tomatoes and creamy from the dollop of burrata in the middle. And although the dish is Italian in origin, CÉ LA VI changes things up with the addition XO sauce and furikake-flavoured focaccia, putting a Cantonese spin on this classic appetiser.
Another refreshing small plate to bite into was the Marinated Big Eye Tuna (S$30/80g, S$50/160g) tossed in sudachi ponzu and orange segments. Though slightly acidic on the palate, the richness from pairing it with a slice of avocado balances out the sensation well. One of their new creations came in the form of Steamed Blue Mussels with Sauce “Rica Rica” (S$28/250g, S$48/500g) – a nod to the Indonesian dish that shares its name. The rica-rica sauce was a punch in the gut, flavourful from a combination of chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, and shallots.
On to larger plates for our main meal, this is where you get more bang for your buck – CÉ LA VI isn’t kidding when they mean “large” plates. We were presented with the Rice Flake Crusted Maine Lobster – Whole (S$138/500g, S$228/1kg) and the Korean BBQ Short Rib (S$188, 1.3kg). That is after all, the entire idea behind their new shareable menu. If you like a juicy but clean cut of meat, the BBQ short rib is just the right fit, slow-cooked for 48 hours until it’s positively tender and falling off the bone, and served with lettuce cups, Ssamjang sauce, along with kimchi. Eat it just as it is, or load your plate up and eat it Korean style all in one go, like at traditional Korean BBQ restaurants.
Steamed or grilled, lobster is usually the cleaner tasting type of meat between red meat and seafood, but CÉ LA VI turns the tables and stuffed our Maine lobster with everything but the kitchen sink: bell pepper and pineapple fricassee, and Chinese sausage are just some of the things you’ll find while digging into the lobster. Even after the lobster meat was cleaned from our plates, remnants of bell pepper and pineapple fricassee were still available to nip at once we finished our mains.
Dessert also takes on a sharing plate form. CÉ LA VI makes sure you can sample all their desserts with the Celebration Platters (from S$28 for small), a collection of Chef’s favourite dessert creations. My personal favourite was the Margarita Key Lime Pearls, which looked like a de-constructed key lime pie, with a large key lime pearl perched atop vanilla almond cake, served to us in an oyster shell for effect. Sweet and sour, it’s an ideal refresher to your palate after indulging in such heavy mains.
Of course, if you’re a fan of equally decadent desserts, the Celebration Platter spoils you with slices of Hazelnut Brownie, Earl Grey Tea – Hibiscus Opera Tea, and in tribute to our piece of tropical paradise, the Coconut Pandan, each served with their respective ice cream and sorbet.
CÉ LA VI is located at Marina Bay Sands Singapore, 1 Bayfront Avenue Marina Bay Sands Hotel Tower3, 018971, p. +65 6508 2188. Open Monday to Friday, 4pm – 9.30pm, Saturday, 12pm – 10.30pm, Sunday, 12pm – 9pm.
Top image: CÉ LA VI