It’s always a bit of a shock to find yourself in Lan Kwai Fong during broad daylight. A sky-high brunch (HK$488 per person) at CE LA VI, however, definitely softens the blow.
Indeed, LKF quickly feels very far away once you’ve been whisked 25 floors up in the lift of the California Tower on D’Aguilar Street. The view is, needless to say, amazing. It can be enjoyed either from the tables indoors or out on the open terrace where it seems at least five degrees cooler than on the street.
The brunch is a progressive one that begins with a selection of tasting platters and is followed by your choices of à la carte dishes from the menu. You can opt for a free-flow option (from $298), as we did, because, well, brunch.
A progression of platters
Seafood is the star of the platters, which are delivered to our table. Many of the dishes have elements of Asian influences courtesy of executive chef Kun Young Pak. Prawns come with wasabi and chilli, and potato salad features Kewpie mayonnaise. Hot dishes included in the platters are crowd-pleasing shrimp tempura and creamy prawns served with Korean dressing.
We then moved on to the second stage of the brunch, which showcased a wide range of styles and flavours. Dishes includedKorean-style fried chicken served with a spicy raspberry jam and waffles to eggs Benedict and short-rib lettuce wraps.
Finally, a trio of impressive desserts brought proceedings to a close. The vibe is fun, the tunes are funky and the value is fantastic at CÉ LA VI. This is a brunch that is perfect for a group of friends or for taking visitors from out-of-town to enjoy food with a view in the heart of Hong Kong.
CÉ LA VI
25/F, California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar Street, Central
This article first appeared in the August/September 2017 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
