Australian Brand Calia Arrives In Malaysia, Bringing Along Its Signature Japanese Menu
By Robb Report
Writer: Renyi Lim
My first taste of Calia came during a trip to Melbourne, where an acquaintance insisted on taking me to their gleaming, black-clad outlet in Chadstone Shopping Centre, then ordering their signature crispy roast pork with ginger sauce and umami fries. As we feasted with gold cutlery at a white marble table, greedily peeking at our neighbouring table’s Wagyu bowls, I understood completely why Australians had taken so affectionately to Calia’s dining concept, which managed to be at once relaxed and sophisticated.
Four years after Calia launched in Melbourne, its arrival in Malaysia in the middle of 2020 marked the first step of its plans for international expansion (an outlet in Jakarta is expected to open soon in 2021). On the sixth floor of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Calia has created a ficus-framed space filled with floral and feather arrangements, faithfully following the matte metal and marble aesthetic of its Australian counterparts. A 180-degree view of Bukit Bintang through tall windows renders the restaurant light-filled and lively – a marvellous place to meet friends or host a polished working lunch.
