This Pavilion newbie features plenty of potential; helmed by the Valiram Group (the purveyor of TWG tea & Godiva chocolates in this mall), Quivo is a Mediterranean-influenced restaurant & bar that's clearly pushing to become Pavilion's pinnacle of chic.
Quivo's secret entrance within the mall lies inside the flashily colourful Kate Spade boutique (a Valiram brand in Malaysia too); saunter into the store & search for a passageway at the end. Quivo also has an alfresco section outside, somewhat across the street-level corridor from La Bodega, but that wasn't open when we visited earlier this month.
Quivo's selection is sweeping, spanning everything from Philadelphia-style Wagyu beef steak sandwiches (RM28++) to bespoke blackened barramundi burgers (RM30++); highlights include paddle board pizzas, hand-tossed with ingredients like Roma vine-ripened tomato sauce, Milano mozzarella cheese & Portofino extra virgin olive oil.
We really like the Greek-inflected lamb kofta pizza (RM33++), layered with eggplant & halloumi cheese, well-balanced in its flavours on a crisp Sicilian semolina dough base prepared in a pine wood-fired oven. Who's the chef? Don't know his name, but he's Jordanian. Wondering what Quivo means? One explanation is that it's a combination of the words 'quirky' & 'nuevo.'
Quivo's seafood risotto (RM38++) scores for its wealth of fresh, sizeable prawns, its glorious tell-tale hue & aroma of saffron, & a tasty-thick sauce of tomato with mascarpone cream. The arborio rice could've been more al dente but we still enjoyed this.
Let's skip straight to the cocktails now: The scene-stealer's the Mangosteen Mai Tai, a true tropical treat with gold rum, orange liquor, almond syrup & lime juice, all topped with my absolute favourite fruit. RM29++.
Mex-Asia Margarita? Another classic with a twist: Reposado Tequila, Triple Sec & Margarita mix with lemongrass & lychee.
Finish on a spicy note, with this vodka martini blended with a Bloody Mary mix & adorned with a striking whole chilli. RM28++.
Our sole quibble: Regular water might not be available. We asked for it but were served bottles of Fiji 'natural artesian water' instead, several times more costly than local mineral water. On the bright side though, this tastes beautifully smooth & pure.
Quivo
3.09.02, Level Three, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
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