Sophisticated yet informal
The nonsense name keeps everything about this place a mystery until you finally have to look it up or sit down at the restaurant. Quivo is an upscale Mediterranean restaurant in Pavilion Mall. Embodying the fun and relaxed nature of the region, Quivo wants to bring more than just great food and drinks to their guests, but a way of life.
Ambience & Amenities
Quivo is frustratingly vague about its location when searching online. It is in the connection at Pavilion Mall, the same open-air strip where Weissbrau is. It’s at the end, next to the exit that leads to the bridge to the KL Convention Centre.
Quivo is narrow, with a strip of tables set up inside. The tables on the “patio” are similarly only one deep and wrap around the side of the restaurant. There is no toilet or handwashing station at the restaurant. There are Pavilion facilities nearby directly across the corridor.
Menu
Quivo’s menu has a lot of Italian influence, but cuisines from most of the Mediterranean are represented. The thin-crust paddle board pizzas looked like the speciality of the restaurant.
Click on menu pictures to enlarge
Quivo’s drink menu is much more extensive than the food menu. The Happy Hour deal is generous, running from 12 pm to 8 pm, along with an all-day gin and tonic special. There are the typical beer, wine and spirit selections, but Quivo puts more focus on their cocktails from their in-house mixologists.
Food
We ordered the all-day gin special, which was three glasses for RM75. This is a great price for the area, as we’re used to paying around RM40 for one gin cocktail at place like The Alchemy. The downside of this special is that you can only choose one type of gin for all three glasses. We thought we’d be able to try three different gins, but no such luck.
The Wagyu (RM58) doesn’t look particularly upscale, considering the price. We chose medium doneness for the burger. It arrived well done, but the patty was still so moist that juices leaked out onto the plate when biting into it. The rest of the burger toppings are nothing special. The Wagyu is a scrumptious burger, but the “Wagyu” aspect doesn’t send the flavours to new heights. We’ve had other burgers just as good for half the price.
Everything about the Parmesan-Crusted Salmon (RM68) came in smaller portions than I was expecting, but I was full after finishing the plate. The salmon was moist and boneless inside with lots of sharp, parmesan flavour. There were four clams in a garlic veloute sauce, but honestly, these didn’t add anything to the dish. They were a pain to eat, and the sauce got all over my fingers. Instead of the clams, I think this dish could have used more greenery. The only vegetable content was a handful of rocket leaves.
Saturday Worthy?
The food at Quivo was good, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression on us. It was pretty expensive too, so we won’t be returning. I wouldn’t write off this place, though. Most of the other restaurants in the Pavilion Mall Connection are monocultural, but Quivo offers a variety of cuisines. Some dishes are very casual like burgers, while others are more upscale like the surf and turf. Quivo would be an ideal place for a big group so that everyone can get what they want.
Price for 2 Pax: RM233.15
Gin Special: RM75.00
The Wagyu: RM58.00
Parmesan-Crusted Salmon: RM68.00
10% Service: RM20.10
6% SST: RM12.06
Rounding: (RM0.01)
Quivo
Address: Lot 3.09.02, Level 3 (Connection), Pavilion Mall, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am – 2am
Alcohol Served: Yes