“This is Life” is certainly the correct way to describe the Rooftop bar, lounge and restaurant atop the Kingsbury Hotel. Offering nothing but world class entertainment, new dimensions in cuisine and an extravagant setting, Ce La Vie Restaurant and Lounge has gained well deserved prominence and is renowned as one of the leading rooftop bars and restaurants in Colombo by both food lovers and party goers. Although the lounge and bar are an attraction in itself the focus on this article will be on the restaurant.   

Ambience 

The entrance to the restaurant is through a corridor which is decorated with elegant architecture and prepares you for the beauty of the actual restaurant. The sitting area is divided into two sections, The formal sitting area and the exclusive teppanyaki table. The live action space provides a breathtaking view of Galle Face green and the Indian ocean. But what makes it stand out from other rooftop bar views is that it also boasts a premium view of the rapidly expanding Port city, which although is still in the early stage of development still offers a spectacular sight. This allows the guests to enjoy double the entertainment with a magnificent view and the expert culinary finesse. 

Drinks 

Offering an extensive selection of drinks it must be noted that the flavour and consistency of the drinks are rivaled only by the sheer number of options available. From hard liquor to rich wines, from cocktails and mocktails to juices, coffee and milkshakes Ce La Vie offers it all. Having been there during the height of the day we decided to try out their mocktails - Strawberry Basil Crush and the Pineapple Coco Crush.  A perfect blend of fresh strawberry and basil, lime juice, simple syrup and crushed ice, the Strawberry Basil Crush was an absolute delight. Both the drinks were very refreshing and the perfect choice to combat the heat at that time of day.  

Food 

Being focused predominantly on Asian cuisine,  Ce La Vie offers an A’ La Carte menu that has an extensive selection for exquisite fine dining. However having opted for this the last time we were here, we decided to check out their live action table. 

It was truly a fascinating experience to watch the chef's artistic performance and skill while preparing the meal. Throw that in with the eye catching view and you are already satisfied before even tasting the food. 

Miso Soup and a Green salad were the start of our mouthwatering culinary journey. Teppan vegetables, salmon, chicken, lamb chops, prawns and a mixed vegetable rice followed in close suit. Mesmerising us with his unparalleled skills with the knives and spatula the chef did a fabulous job of setting everything in front of us in less than 20 minutes.

The food was an absolute mouthwatering delight! The meat items were full of flavour, right seasoning and had an abundance of soy sauce. The vegetables were a perfect complement for the meats but quite honestly they were good enough to stand alone. Even the rice was beyond amazing and even without any complements it tasted super. But coupled up with the meats and veggies, it's truly a mind blowing experience. 

Aspiring to give you nothing but the best Ce La Vie gives you the chance to experience the sensory adventure of this modern Asian cuisine for just Rs. 5000 per head.

Providing you with an exquisite fine dining experience, it's the perfect place to spend some quality time with your family, surprise your significant other on a lovely date or even take out your business partner for a formal meal.  

Pics: Waruna Wanniarachchi