Sipping a “This Is the Life” cocktail (hibiscus water, rosehip liqueur, peach liqueur and pureed pear topped off with a splash of champagne) in the circular whirlpool on the rooftop of Cé La Vi, it’s hard to imagine that it took a courageous decision to make this hip location in Hong Kong’s trendy Lan Kwai Fong Street a reality.

Allan Zeman, who was born in Germany and grew up in modest circumstances in Canada before becoming a legend as a nightlife impresario in Hong Kong, took a considerable risk when he had the California Tower demolished in 2010. The highrise on LKF, as locals like to call the narrow street in Hong Kong’s Central district, had been a symbol of the Asian metropolis’ legendary nightlife during the 1980s.

Much More Than Just a Club

The club has just about everything, including a restaurant, a rooftop bar and a club. Those dressed well enough (think a higher level of sophisticated urban chic) can dine in the restaurant, a wood-panelled room with chandeliers sprouting exotic plants. There’s seating for up to 62 diners who can enjoy fine Asian cuisine, with sushi appetizers, chicken skewers and Hokkaido oysters.

Music Is As Important Here as Food and Drinks

The man responsible for the club’s outstanding sound technology is Joshua Pillai, alias DJ Joshua P, Cé La Vi’s entertainment manager. Pillai began his DJ career at the end of the 1990s and still places great emphasis on sound quality. Of particular importance at Cé La Vi is the stereo imaging. “In the conception phase, we took pains to ensure the perfect distribution of the speakers in the club,” says Pillai. Sound tuning also plays a central role. It’s been done in a way that doesn’t make the music feel too invasive but still ensures that there’s pulsating energy. “Instead of just playing music loudly, we tune it so that you get all the highs, the mid-range tones and the bass,” says Pillai. At Cé La Vi, the music is at least as important as eating and drinking well. “We’re fastidious about achieving the right sound balance,” the entertainment manager says.

If you get tired from all the dancing and need a short break, a spiral staircase leads up to the Skybar on the rooftop, where you can soak in the whirlpool bubbles or chill in one of the wicker chairs. Young women in high heels and men in black suits take selfies here with the skyline as their backdrop.

In theory, a person could spend the entire evening and night at Cé La Vi, starting with an aperitif in the Skybar, followed by dinner in the restaurant and a cocktail in the club. That would set you back about 1,000 Hong Kong dollars, or about €115. Despite its high prices, Cé La Vi is still draws a good crowd, perhaps because the California Tower, even after being rebuilt, remains a nightlife symbol. But it might also be because it’s not easy to surprise people with a new club in populous Hong Kong. Cé La Vi has managed to do exactly that.

Address: 25/F, California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong
Capacity: Restaurant seats 62, Skybar seats 90 and the club lounge seats 60.
Musik: Hip Hop, House, Electro, Party Pop, RnB
Dress code: sophisticated city chic
Opening times:
• Restaurant: Mondays to Fridays between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• Club Lounge/SkyBar: From midday – DJs begin spinning at 6 p.m. during the week and at 10 p.m. on Saturdays.
Website: http://hk.celavi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/celavihongkong