Lavo is an Italian restaurant that offers authentic Italian cuisine complemented with the perfect night view of the Singapore skyline. Those looking for a romantic night out would find this a great venue but as they are highly popular, reservations need to be made way in advance. Situated at tower 1 of the MBS hotel, there is a small reception counter at level 1 where you can check in for your reservations before you are allowed into the lift lobby. Located on the same floor as the infinity pool, you can catch a glimpse of the famous pool and wonderful skyline of Singapore while entering the garden-inspired patio of the restaurant which has endless photo spots. There is another small service counter at the actual entrance of the restaurant where the servers will bring you to your table.
The restaurant itself is parted into different areas although there is no clear differentiation by furnishings. The first area you will see when you first enter the restaurant will be the lounge area which is filled with more low sofa seats and tables. The next area is the bar area where you can see the long counter bar seats as well as other booth seats. The main dining area which is a few steps down from the bar area is filled with both booth seats and window seats. The entire restaurant is dressed in warm orange hues so it feels very cozy and welcoming. The window seats have the clearest view of the skyline although the booth seats also have a partial view of the skyline. I think the booth seats are a much better choice compared to the window ones, so do ask for a booth seat when making your reservations.
My starter was the Charred Octopus, which really lived up to its name as it was crusty and smokey on the outside, while the flesh was bouncy with just the right bite.
The ricotta cheese just melted right into the tomato sauce, while the one-pound mix of grand imperial wagyu, veal, and Italian sausage was inexplicably juicy.
When asked about how such tenderness was achieved, we were told that the dish was oven-baked. With such a hearty start to the meal, we had to hold back our spoons from finishing it off, just to save room for much more. The next dish of Truffle Gnocchi was absolutely divine, in both taste and aroma. It had a generous amount of truffle shavings, and the chicken stock that was used gave the dish a depth that you don’t often get with pasta dishes.
I’d heard so much about this cake, I didn’t actually realize how imposing it’d be in real life. The 20-Layer Chocolate Cake is larger than the size of my hands (fingers included) and is decked out with alternate layers of chocolate devil’s food cake and peanut butter mascarpone. I love both things individually, but when eaten together.
It had to be, hands down, the thickest, sweetest, and most decadent cake I’ve ever had the honor of trying. Be warned, it will take a small army of diners to completely finish this, especially considering the size of the mains that LAVO serves up.
Finally, the view of the restaurant was awesome. There was an outdoor patio where customers can walk to and take pictures after their dinner which is pretty romantic as it is dimly lit and the entire Singapore night skyline is just in front of your eyes.
Overall, the restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and is perfect for a romantic date or special occasion.
