Ce La Vi, Dubai: Is It Worth It?

We order several items across the menu to get a variety of different dishes. Our waitress brings us their bread and butter set (AED65) of warm, sweet bread rolls (like a brioche) with yuzu labneh with pistachio verde and a chicken liver mousse with lychee marmalade. At first, I was unclear why we would pay AED65 for what usually costs €2 in Europe. Yet, hats off to the yuzu labneh brimming with brilliant verdant pools; the pistachio crumbs add much-needed texture and the yuzu helps balance out labneh which, at times, I find coats your mouth like a paint. Lovely stuff but seeing me eat labneh is like watching a labrador try to get peanut butter out of its teeth. The chicken liver mousse is divisive as not everyone enjoys that robust, iron-rich offal taste.

We start with the hokkaido scallop ceviche (AED110) and yellowfin tuna crudo (AED110). The scallop ceviche is presented in the shell over crushed ice. The scallop is subtle; a hum of ginger builds but cooled by the crunch and sweetness of the apple-like jicama. This is a tasty dish but not bold on flavour. Our yellowfin tuna crudo is beautifully-plated. A crimson and plum plate of raw tuna and watermelon radish directionally sweet. Fennel shavings provide crunch to an otherwise soft-textured dish. A strong iron-like, green vegetable taste is the lasting impression.

The Main Courses

Immediately I regret the number of main courses ordered. Ce La Vi wins top points for portion sizes. Couples coming here are well-advised to proceed with caution. There is a lot to be said for sticking to the starters and, at best, ordering the main course to share. It does mean that some of the main courses are a better value proposition.

The kitchen presents its food well. Aesthetics are important at Ce La Vi with its beautiful views, decor and diners milling around. All dishes land on our table with audible admiration. A cornucopia of mains and side dishes assemble and there is a sense of generosity that I seldom see at once in restaurants of this type outside of brunches (save for Coya).

Our roasted black cod (AED210), tomahawk steak (AED950), garlic prawns (AED350) and a side of grilled broccolini (AED55). The tomahawk steak arrives with beef bacon fried rice, boy choy kimchi, lettuce wraps and Korean spicy dip. The table groans under the weight of all the main courses.

The main courses are directionally good but occasionally a touch confused or without a clear focus. The tomahawk steak is actually a T-Bone when it arrives. I enjoy a T-bone so I was not disappointed when it arrives but I recommend the service let diners know. People can be particular about their steak cuts especially when paying AED950. It is cooked medium as requested. Enjoyable but quite underseasoned. The side dishes are pleasant but also under-seasoned and it would not take very much to lift them to have some personality of their own.

The garlic prawns are visually striking. A collapsed heap of glistening prawns on a platter under bright fresh herbs. It feels generous and looks glorious reminiscent of Thai food where the seafood is topped with herbs and aromatics. The prawns are sweet. I would encourage the kitchen to pair this with a sauce on the side to help lean into the punchy garlic flavour.

The roasted black cod is slightly sweet, well cooked and in a puddle of fork-licking miso beurre blanc. It is accompanied by a sweet corn pudding and grilled spring onions as bedfellows. I like the direction but the contrast of the black cod with the sweet corn pudding is too jarring where a less sweet polenta or sweetcorn puree would be better. I recommend braising the spring onions in the miso beurre blanc to reduce their acidity and raise their natural sweetness. Two-thirds of the dish is in the right direction (the cod and spring onions) whereas the sweetcorn pudding stands out awkwardly. It is tricky business to make this kind of dish because there are so many frames of reference including Nobu, Morimoto and even a Chilean seabass dish at Coya. I still prefer those version.

Ce La Vi: And then there was dessert

The dessert menu continues the trend of adapting classics with an Asian theme. We debated ordering the imaginative Ce La Vie Foie Gras ‘Snickers’ Candy Bar (AED65). A divisive bit of adventure among the group (to be clear, I was pro-choosing it). The dark chocolate fondant with beetroot ice cream (AED65) provided enough intrigue about the ice cream and it requires a 15-minute wait. The 15 minute grace period would afford us time to resuscitate from the main courses. We also ordered the cheesecake creme brûlée with speculoos, mango coulis and passion fruit (AED65).

The fondant does its job to satiate a warm, baked chocolate need among the group. The beetroot ice cream is intriguing, punchy and distinctively earthy. We debated whether it was a perfect pairing with the fondant. The cheesecake creme brulee is also divisive among the group. Hutong still provided my favourite dessert in an Asian-style restaurant so far this year.

Would I Return to Ce La Vi?

Ce La Vi excels in its core proposition as a soaring bar with panoramic views across Downtown Dubai. There is still a special occasion vibe about Ce La Vi. The opportunity to sip champagne or brisk cocktails on their terrace should be taken with both hands. I would return with Mrs EatGoSee to do precisely this and select carefully from the starters or sharing starters.

Overall the menu is heading in the right direction but some dishes would benefit from adjustments to their overall balance from more seasoning to pairings with side dishes like sweetcorn pudding. There are other side dishes such as the broccolini and the beef bacon rice that are not yet their best versions. Howard Ko is French Laundry and DANIEL alumni among other notable previous heavyweight restaurants. The capability is there, the kitchen just needs time to refine the menu.

Ce La Vi needs to decide whether it is truly serious about leading with food or supporting with food. I doubt people come to Ce La Vi for meals first. It is very likely they come for views, vibes and good times. There is a plethora of upmarket Asian restaurants sprouting up around Dubai even in the last 2-3 years: Morimoto, Hutong, Maiden Shanghai, Indochine together with stalwarts like Nobu and Toshi. If you love upmarket Asian food, you have a lot of choice in Dubai right now and more so than in recent years. Customers can afford to be choosy and will be choosy as they are more sensitive to their spend. Right now, the food at Ce La Vi good but not great and no amount of panoramic views will save this (especially when you cannot see the view well from your table). The good news is that minor adjustments will take it further and, I sense, the ability is there to make it happen.

Who Should Go to Ce La Vi?

Couples looking for date nights together in an upmarket or glamorous setting. You are looking for a first date and you want to make a positive first impression with views and drinks. People visiting Dubai with only one night out looking for a maximum impact place for drinks. Avid Dubai brunchers looking for somewhere new to try in a group. Diners looking for a fixed price lunch menu.