Taste Colombo

La Rambla

2008-06-30T14:02:00.001-04:00

18 Tickell Road
Colombo 8.
Tel: 94-11-2685992

The rather beautiful entrance to the restaurant renders a feel of entering a home in Rajasthan, India, but it’s actually a Spanish (or not so Spanish) restaurant situated within the building’s walls.

Apart from a limited choice of Spanish items, such as Paella and Tapas, the rest of the menu does not stand out as particularly Spanish. The food is above average but not extraordinary. The prices range from moderate to expensive, and there are some good deals such as roast lamb or grilled pork chop for under US$10. While the lamb contains a fair bit of fat, the price is still good for what it offers.

The indoor seating provides a cooler atmosphere, but the outdoor tables allow you to enjoy the beautiful setting by the pool.

The service has one large complaint: the waiters don’t seem to like to give you sufficient space or time to browse through the menus at ease. Even with a subtle hint for more time, you may find your waiter hanging out right behind your chair until you are ready to place your order.

Exterior of La Rambla

Outdoor seating

Poolside

Grilled Pork Chop

Roast Lamb

Crab Cakes

LA RAMBLA MENU

Kids Menu
Corkscrew pasta in Cheesy Cream Sauce with grilled sausages 400
Chicken Maryland – crumb fried chicken wings and legs with fries 500
Fish and Chips 500

Specialties
Crab Cakes – fresh crab meat lightly crumb fried, served on a bed of mash, cucumber and mint salad with yogurt dip 875
Fresh Fish Tacos – three soft corn tortillas filled with fresh grilled fish, spicy avocado cream and a spicy tomato salad served with black beans and guacamole 800

Lunch Menu
Cajun Jambalaya Rice - our most popular seafood dish! Shrimp, cuttlefish, and fish sautéed with onions, peppers, mushrooms in a very spicy Cajun coconut sauce 800
Chicken Piccata – crispy parmesan crusted chicken breast served on a bed of pasta with green bean and coleslaw 750
Devilled Chicken/Pork/Prawns – served with steamed rice 700

Starters and Appetizers
Chicken Bockwurst risotto with pickled bell pepper and eggplant with garlic mayonnaise 500
Smoked salmon on a bed of mixed greens with lemon and mustard sauce 650
Tortilla with mozzarella cheese, Mexican salsa and shrimp (4 pcs.) 425
Mushroom fritters served with chili and garlic mayonnaise 400
Shrimp cocktail 475

Salads
Greek salad 450
Caesar Salad with grilled chicken/bacon/shrimp 400
Taco salad 500

Soups
Cream of chicken and asparagus 400
Spicy tomato and cilantro soup 375
Spicy gingered carrot soup 375

Spanish delight
Paella – authentic Spanish style risotto of fresh seafood, chicken and sliced spicy sausage cooked in wine flavored stock, topped with bell pepper, green peas and fresh lemon (for two) 1750

Tapas (4 pcs. each)
Roast beef fillet – with garlic mash, sautéed spinach and tomato with Chardonnay cream sauce 550
Liver wrapped in bacon – with pineapple and pickled beetroot 500
Shrimp and avocado bruchetta – sliced French bread, frilled and topped with guacamole, fresh basil, and olive oil with pan seared shrimp topped with Parmesan cheese 500
Stuffed crab claws – with guacamole and sour cream 650
Spicy sausage and mash with spinach – with buttered spinach, black olives drizzled with chopped fresh cilantro and mozzarella 525
Crepes stuffed with crab meat with mozzarella and kalamata olives 500
Tomato, eggplant, mozzarella drizzled with basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar 500

Seafood
Salmon fillet – pan fried and served on bed of fettuccine with mustard and lemon butter sauce topped with mango salsa 1850
Grilled modha fillet – coconut crusted on a bed of grilled potato with creamy shrimp and rosemary sauce 850
King prawns – cooked in Moroccan spice BBQ sauce with spring onions and chopped peanuts served with parsley rice 950
Seafood platter – lemon and honey marinated prawns, calamari, fish and baked crab served with garden salad and sweet chili sauce 1500
La Rambla special baked crab (two crabs) – served on bed of Spanish rice with green fruity salad 950
Crab cakes – fresh crab meat lightly crumb fried served on a bed of mash, cucumber and mint salad with yoghurt dip 875

Chicken
Honey glazed grilled chicken – in creamy mushroom sauce with mash, mushrooms and asparagus 700
Rolled stuffed chicken – with bourbon sauce served with pasta 750
Chicken fajita - stir fried strips of chicken wrapped in a giant tortilla with guacamole and sour cream, mixed beans topped with tomato mole and cheese sauce 750
BBQ chicken skewers – honey ginger marinated BBQ chicken skewers served with Spanish rice and mango salad 750
La Rambla grill – ultimate La Rambla feast! Tender char grilled chicken covered in bourbon glaze, a succulent steak, garlic bockwurst and grilled fish, chicken liver flavored with our steak seasoning served with roast potato, cabbage and apple salad topped with back bacon and peppery red wine sauce 1500

Beef
Steak – prime char grilled Australian sirloin steak lightly dusted with our steak seasoning and grilled to your taste, served with a sprinkle of frizzled red onions, cheesy mash and buttered vegetables 1450
Roast beef – on a bed or garlic mash with beet and cranberry sauce 750
Minced beef (spicy) – with red beans and mozzarella cheese with sour cream and Mexican salsa served in stuffed tortilla 750

Lamb
Diced grilled lamb – with rustic sherry and mint gravy served with spinach stuffed crepes 900
Roast lamb – with orange and mint sauce served with vegetable couscous 900

Pork
Grilled pork chop – rustic sherry and pineapple sauce served with pasta and vegetable parcels 800
Moroccan spiced BBQ pork fillet – served with pickled red radish, olives, and cherry tomato on a bed of grilled potato 800

Vegetarian
Vegetable stuffed crepes – gratin with mozzarella served with tomato, red beans and green peas tossed in balsamic dressing 600
Cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin and eggplant - tossed in spicy lemongrass flavored coconut sauce, sprinkled with steam rice served in a taco shell 600
Leek and potato soufflé – with basil and parmesan 600
Pasta – prepared to your choice of combination 600
Ravioli - with spinach and ricotta cheese in tomato and oregano sauce 700

Pasta
Pasta da Vinci - sautéed chicken, mushroom, onions and garlic on a delicious Madeira wine sauce tossed with penne pasta and parmesan 700
Thai chicken pasta – sautéed chicken, julienne carrots, green onions, roasted peanuts and a spicy hot peanut sauce 700
Penne pasta with creamy cheese sauce – topped with chicken and Parmesan 700
Chicken tortellini – with champagne cream sauce 700
Ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese – with tomato and oregano sauce 700
Spaghetti carbonara 600
Spaghetti bolognaise 750
Pasta neopolitan 500

Deserts
Blueberry cheesecake 400
Tiramisu 400
Chocolate and rum Pavlova 400
Fruit platter 300
Ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts 250
Chocolate fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream 325
Hot bread pudding with vanilla rum custard 300

Tao

2008-06-30T14:01:00.001-04:00

77 Galle Road
Colombo 3.
Tel: 2497369, 2437437, 2320001

Mediocre food and a waste of a beautiful outdoor ambiance. One expects more from Tao, given its location at the Five Star Cinnamon Grand Hotel and situated next door to the top notch seafood restaurant, The Lagoon. But this fusion restaurant is a huge disappointment. The fusion in the cooking does nothing to bring out the subtleties of the ethnic flavors in dishes. The prices on the menu are reasonable for a high-end hotel restaurant, but unfortunately what arrives on your plate will not give you nearly enough satisfaction even for such prices. If you find yourself at the Cinnamon Grand for a meal, don’t think twice about checking out one of the hotel’s other restaurants.

Bars Cafe

2008-06-11T05:47:00.002-04:00

24 Deal Place
Colombo 3.
Tel: 94-11-2575157

It’s an unassuming place during the day, but at night when the trees outside Bars are adorned with Christmas lights, you want to take a second look. And it’s worth taking more than just a second look.

This relaxed café overlooking Duplication road offers great food for very reasonable prices. One wonders how it even survives. With the exception of a few tables inside the air-conditioned section, most seating is outdoors. When the traffic is busy on Duplication road, therefore, quiet conversation can be difficult.

The menu choice is expansive and includes curries, stews, pizzas, and wraps. Alcohol is not served, but the fresh fruit juices offered are probably a better choice for a typical humid evening in Colombo. The food is well presented, but service is slow.

This is a place where you find excellent value for money, and you won’t be going home with a dent in your wallet.

Bay Leaf

2008-03-31T04:57:00.002-04:00

79 Gregory’s Road
Colombo 7
Tel: 94-11-5359653
Hours: 11am-11pm daily

An Italian restaurant in a not-so-Italian setting. Bay Leaf is set in a converted colonial house with tables laid out in the spacious front garden, in the veranda and balcony, as well as indoors. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the clientele consists mostly of Colombo’s expatriate community.

Enjoy a drink at the bar before your meal, while you watch Lionel Richie’s music videos playing on the big screen. The music is not overbearingly loud even on weekend nights, so this bar makes for an ideal venue for pre-dinner catch-up.

The food does not quite come up to par with Hilton’s Il Ponte, but is a step above Cinnamon Grand’s Ecko. The pasta selection is large and it will take you a bit of time to peruse through. The dishes vary in price from moderate to expensive.

Tintagel

2008-02-08T05:03:00.002-05:00

65 Rosmead Place
Colombo 7.
Tel: 94-11-4602060
Fax: 94-11-4602168
E-mail: info@tintagelcolombo.com
Website: http://www.tintagelcolombo.com

Vision. Detail. Excellence. These three words exemplify restaurateur, hotelier, and store owner Shanth Fernando’s latest creation on Rosmead Place. This 1929 colonial residence, named ‘Tintagel’, once housed one of Sri Lanka’s famous political families through most of its history, until it was converted into its new personage of a unique private hotel in 2007.

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining spaces, each embodying a different character. The small indoor area, with its ebony colored walls and tables, white table runners, and silver chandeliers, has a chique, yet more serious undertone in comparison to the hotel’s outdoor, more casual seating area, where you can relax into a cane chair at one the of the canopy-covered tables, perhaps even unbutton your collar, and enjoy the hanging-vines on the walls.

Given its BYOB and reservation-only policy, you may find that you are one of a few diners. Despite an army of waiters the service is not uncomfortably attentive, which allows for an enjoyable meal – although the lapse in service arises when it’s time to top up your water glass.

Among the starters is the delicious Chilled Cucumber and Avocado soup with Prawn Salsa - a refreshingly smooth gazpacho-like soup (without the tomato), with a kick of crunchy salsa that adds an exciting, contrasting consistency. The Lobster and Prawn Laksa, a Chinese-Malay noodle soup with a coconut milk base, bean sprouts, tofu, and a picked quail egg, on the other hand, is rather bland, lacking sufficient flavor and spice. The Potato Gnocchi with Blue Cheese Sauce appetizer is a rather doughy in texture, but the Walnut and Fetta stuffed Mushrooms wrapped in Bacon contains a pleasant and balanced mix of both flavors and textures. For the mains, both the Braised Lamb Shanks with Oyster Sauce and Dates in Chinese Wine, and the Ossu Bucco with Semolina Gnocchi, are highly recommended: the meats are cooked to perfection, and their accompaniments add positively to the overall pleasure of the course. On par with the excellence at its sibling restaurant, Paradise Road Gallery Café, Tintagel’s desserts are a must-try. Try the signature dessert – the rich Paradise Road Chocolate cake with Vanilla Ice Cream - or the light Carrot Cake with Lime Icing. But, avoid the Chocolate Mousse Tart with Orange Jelly and Caramelized Orange: the hard consistency of the jelly is a detraction from the rich, soft chocolate mousse.

Despite a few shortcomings on the menu, an evening at Tintagel is a unique experience for those searching for high quality in food and a one-of-a-kind ambiance in Colombo.

Entrance facade

Living area of hotel

Indoor dining area

Outdoor dining area

Stairway to bedroom suites

Swimming pool

Virgin Pina colada

Chilled cucumber and avocado soup with prawn salsa

Lobster and prawn laksa

Potato gnocchi with blue cheese sauce

Walnut and feta stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon

Osso bucco with semonlia gnocchi

Braised lamb shanks in oyster sauce and dates in Chinese wine

Carrot cake with lime icing

Chocolate mousse tart with orange jelly and caramelized orange

TINTAGEL MENU

Soups
Lobster and prawn laksa 695
Chilled cucumber and avocado with prawn salsa 475
Roasted tomato soup with basil emulsion 385
Vegetable consommé with parsley ravioli 365

Entrées
Smoked salmon with vodka crème and caviar 965
Yellow Fin Tuna wrapped in white radish with picked ginger
and wasabi 535
Walnut and feta stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon 735
Olive frittata with cream cheese 525
Potato gnocchi with blue cheese sauce 535

Mains
Braised lamb shanks with oyster sauce and dates in Chinese wine 2250
Osso bucco with semolina gnocchi 1235
Seared tuna steak with miso mustard sabayon and a white radish
and ginger coulis 785
Grilled lobster with garlic butter and saffron rice 3260
Braised pork belly on grilled shiitake mushrooms with a poached
egg and picked ginger mayonnaise 1250
Open lasagna on beans with rocket and feta tortellini 595
Mushroom risotto with thyme 725
Squid ink risotto 767
Beef tenderloin with onion jus on mashed potatoes and green beans 2865
Pan-roasted salmon with balsamic vinegar and cauliflower purée 1235

Dessert
Paradise Road chocolate cake with homemade vanilla ice cream 365
Marbled cream and chocolate mousse cake 395
Orange cake with homemade marmalade 325
Chocolate mousse tart with orange jelly and caramelized orange 425
Carrot cake with lime icing 325
Boca negra with shipped cream 435
Dark chocolate mousse with tiramisu crème and almond
coffee-chocolate purée 395
Fresh strawberries and cream 525
Vanilla panna cotta with strawberry compote 465
Caramel pot of cream 365
Homemade ice creams (vanilla bean, chocolate, passion fruit,
cinnamon-jaggery) 375
Fresh fruit platter 450
Curd and palm sugar treacle 325

Spices - Hilton Hotel

2008-02-08T04:59:00.001-05:00

2 Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha
Colombo 2.
Tel: 94-11-249249
Fax: 94-11-2544657
Website: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/COLHITW-Hilton-Colombo-hotel/
dining.do;jsessionid=2230879C1E2EC68500431BB7AF0077EC.etc56#4

On a lazy weekend afternoon, when you desire a change from the rushed and boring lunches that you usually eat during the week, step into the cool and relaxed atmosphere of Spices Restaurant at the Hilton hotel and unwind over a long buffet brunch. While overlooking the large pond of fish and swans, leisurely enjoy a vast array of foods that taste even better than they look.

One note of forewarning to those who are looking for a classic Continental breakfast of bacon and eggs: the “br” of the “brunch” is limited (consisting mainly of fruit, muesli, and pancakes), although the “unch” will make up for it.

On offer are choices of fresh fruit juice, delicate appetizers, salads and cheeses, soups, sushi and sashmini, fresh seafood platters, curries, roasts, stir-fries, and desserts. The bite-sized starters, served in Asian soup spoons, offer well-marinated and garnished choices of beef, chicken, tuna, and tofu with accompaniments such as goat cheese and grapes. The smoked salmon, salamis, and cheeses are of excellent quality, as are the assortment of sushi and sashimi, raw oysters, and steamed crab. The roasts are tender (usually imported from New Zealand or Australia), and the curries are authentic and delicious. The dessert table offers about a dozen choices of delectable sweets, but don’t be too tempted by the gelatinous looking options: unfortunately, even the Hilton hotel, while it holds an excellent and well-deserved reputation for its food, still enjoys using too much gelatin in several deserts, which creates an end-product that underwhelms the tongue as much as it had overwhelmed the eyes.

The waiters are not discerning when it comes to filling water glasses and offering guests coffee and tea, but nevertheless pleasant and courteous.

The Spices weekend brunch attracts a faithful clientele, which attests to its consistency in quality. Its menu changes regularly, so call in to find out what will be served when you decide to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon at the Hilton.

Bread and soup station

Seafood

Selection of appetizers

Desert table

Assortment of picks from buffet

Green Cabin

2008-02-08T04:47:00.001-05:00

453 Galle Road
Colombo 3
Tel: 2588811; 2591841

Although it has had gone through some rough patches over the past few decades, Green Cabin has now sprung back into popularity and gained the reputation it used to attract in the 40s and 50s, this time with the addition of a new restaurant to its long established bakery.

This restaurant, which serves a diverse selection of traditional Sri Lankan food, seats about 30 people in the veranda of the old building that houses the bakery, with a lackluster ambiance of dim fluorescent lighting and a lack of music. The food, however, is simply fantastic, served by old-school Sri Lankan waiters in sarongs.

This is an ideal place to dine out family-style with friends or family. Start off your meal with a glass of the popular sweet and milky Sri Lankan iced coffee. Get a portion of plain hoppers and egg hoppers (a crisp, concave pancake made of rice flour, with a choice of an egg in the center). These light “appam” (the local word for “hopper”) are best eaten with a few curries and a sambol (a spicy condiment eaten as a side dish). Try the godhamba rotti – a soft, chewy pancake – also eaten with curries, since it does not have much taste on its own. Order the mouth-watering cadju curry - a mustard colored cashew nut curry – and the tomato curry. As for meat choices, choose the chicken curry or the fish ambulthiyal (a sour, dry fish curry). And to accompany your meal, try the sweet and spicy seeni sambol (made of onions). The portions of the curries are small: about 3 or 4 curries and a couple of sambols will be sufficient for two people, and will provide a gamut of delicious Sri Lankan flavors.

If the bakery is open, step next door to end your meal with a chocolate éclair. They taste just as good as they did back in the day (apparently).

Barefoot Cafe

2008-02-08T04:24:00.001-05:00

704 Galle Road Colombo 3
Tel: 94-11-2580114
Fax: 94-11-2576936
E-mail: warehouse@barefoot.lk
Website: http://www.barefootceylon.com/home.htm

A hot spot for those looking for a cool and laid-back atmosphere, the unpretentious Barefoot café is the popular locale to grab lunch or to relax with a chill drink on a humid afternoon. Yet, despite the kitchen being run by Sri Lanka’s famous chef Koluu (perhaps better known for his cross-dressing hobby), it’s the café ambiance, and not its food, that draws people with enthusiasm.

Situated behind the Barefoot shop, in the courtyard of its Colonial-style building, the not-too-serious café adopts an ultra casual atmosphere with its brightly colored table clothes – typical of the bright array of home ware sold at the shop – and flanked by multi-colored pillars emerging from a cement floor.

Currently only a day-time spot (it’s still working on creating a market for evening diners), the café serves a rather unimaginative and limited list of sandwiches and salads daily, alongside several other ‘specials’ of the day, such as rice and curry, quiche, and grilled fish. The daily items are priced low, while the prices of the specials are double this, and the desert prices stand in-between. One of the more satisfying dishes on the regular menu is the Falafel with pitta bread, which is both tasty and filling. The Roast pork sandwich, on the other hand, while attempting to use a mustard sauce for flavor, tastes simply like slices of roast pork in a dull bun. The Quiche specials are good, served with a delicious salad, although the price is relatively high for the quantity and quality. The milkshakes and deserts are wonderful. Try a chocolate, vanilla, and coffee milkshake, and for desert, opt for the rich Frozen chocolate mousse, or the Nut pie, which contains a tree’s worth of cashew nuts, smothered in a kithul-treacle base, and is eaten best with the vanilla ice cream served with it.

The waiters, dressed in colorful Barefoot shirts, are friendly, but not overly concerned with service. The rhythmic lounge music, while not overbearingly loud, nevertheless fails to harmonize with the unassuming feel of the café.

Barefoot café is a good stop for tea and desert, to energize yourself before entering the shop, or to revitalize yourself after shopping, while writing to friends on the stunning Barefoot postcards.

Colorful Barefoot tablecloth

Seating area

Quiche and salad

Roast Pork Sandwich

Nut pie and ice cream

Coffee milkshake

BAREFOOT MENU

MAINS
Roast pork sandwich 375
Devilled corned beef sandwich 375
Cheese and tomato sandwich 375
Spicy Chicken and Mayo Sandwich 375
Tuna Fish Sandwich 375
Waffles with sausage 350
Waffles with syrup 350
Falafel with pitta bread 475
Portion of Chinese rolls (fish/beef) 90
Hummus salad with raw vegetables 500
Tuna salad 550
Green salad 450

DESERTS
Nut pie and ice cream 450
Torte with chocolate sauce and ice cream 450
Chocolate/banana/carrot cake 300
Frozen chocolate mousse 450
Triple layer chocolate mousse 500
Cheese cake with blackberry topping 450
Chocolate brownie with ice cream 500
Fresh strawberries and cream 500
Margarita pie 450
Chocolate pie 450
Strawberry torte 450
Mocha mousse tart 500
Queen of Sheba 450

The Lagoon seafood restaurant - Cinnamon Grand Hotel

2008-01-14T03:19:00.001-05:00

77 Galle Road
Colombo 3.
Tel: 94-11-2437437

Website: http://www.cinnamonhotels.com/Grand/Lagoon.htm

You’re at the fish market: you choose your fish, the fishmonger weighs and wraps it up for you, you put it in your shopping cart and take it home. But what if you could also get it cooked and served to you right there without the usual fish market stink?

That is what Cinnamon Grand Hotel’s sophisticated seafood restaurant, The Lagoon, has tried to capture at its classy, yet casual, restaurant, located at the hotel’s garden level next to the water pond. Take a visual tour of the table of ice, stacked with fish and shellfish and, with the help of your waiter (whose service will undoubtedly be both friendly and efficient), pick your catch for the evening.

While sitting inside the restaurant gives you the chance to view the chefs at work in the open-style kitchen, you may choose to sit outside by the water pond, where seats are more limited, and enjoy a more romantic ambiance.

The seafood, ranging in variety from local seer fish to imported mussels, is prepared for you according to your personal tastes for sauces and ethnic flavors, including Indian, Thai and Italian, and will be prepared in a variety of ways, including spiced, steamed, grilled and fried. If you feel like you may not be the best judge, your waiter will be happy to help you make an informed decision about what choice of sauce goes best with what type of seafood. The sauces, including Italian salsa verde, sweet chili, lemon butter, and tamarind, are simple, yet flavorful, yielding a dish that is perfectly balanced in texture and taste. The Tempura style Prawns are an appetizing start to a meal. The famous Thai Red Curry Sauce makes a delicious base for a Seer Fish Curry, as does the Tamarind Sauce for the Cuttlefish. The Chili Crab sadly does not contain sufficient meat to call it ‘crab’, although the sweet chili sauce adds a welcomed spicy kick. And for something to soak up all that gravy, order the tasty Crab Rice.

The wine list is vast and the fresh fruit juices are wonderfully refreshing. There is not a lot of excitement in the dessert menu, although the Sago pudding certainly stands out in a class of its own and provides a delicious coda for your meal.

Going to your local fish market will never be the same again.

Number 18

2008-01-14T02:36:00.001-05:00

18 Cambridge Place
Colombo 7
Tel: 94-11-2694000

Number 18 is that hip sort of restaurant that does not use more then three colors for its decor, and refuses to capitalize anything on its menu. The tables are wide and the seats comfortable at this spacious, haute cuisine creation of Taru Fonseka, which offers a variety of popular cuisines, including Thai, Sri Lankan, Japanese, and Italian, with some dishes incorporating a fusion touch. While most of the menu offers delicious creations of harmoniously blending flavors, beautifully presented with a careful eye to detail, not every item is guaranteed to be so.

The Tuna Tataki appetizer seared with sesame is of excellent quality, served with a delicious dollop of guacamole on the side. The Grilled Peaches with goat cheese and Parma ham strike a unique blending of diverse flavors and textures: the mix of firm, moist peaches with dry, salted ham and savory cheese is a treat. As for soups, the Chicken Mulligitawny is a delectable chicken-based soup flavored with Sri Lankan spices and coconut milk. And the Seafood Laksa is a spicy noodle-soup flavored from Singapore with coriander and lemongrass, whose hearty potion makes it sufficient for a light meal.

Among the main items, the Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli with mascarpone and herbed brown butter is a good choice, as is the Sri Lankan fish curry with accompaniments, and the Duck Breast with wasabi mash and black cherry purée, which offers a succulent duck breast that blends well with the purée (although the overdose of wasabi in the rather dry mash has the potential to spoil the overall pleasure of the meal) However, not all items match this same quality, such as the Gnocchi with basil and sun dried tomato, which contains an overdose of salt and lacks sufficient flavor, as does the Linguine tossed with shrimp tomato basil and chili flakes.

The dessert menu offers a less enticing array, but does contain some winners (and interestingly, all tending to incorporate passion fruit), such as the Panacotta with passion fruit coulis, the Crème Brulée topped with passion fruit, and the Passion fruit sorbet with grilled mango cheek. The ice creams, on the other hand, lack a necessary sweetness, and much of the rest of the desert menu does not offer a lot to rave about.

The waiters are courteous and attentive, opening doors for you with gentle smiles and polite nods, reducing the gusting air-conditioning when you so request, or lowering the level of the music.

If you are not able to make it to Number 18 for a meal, at least stop by to enjoy the fantastic lychee martini (or a sweet lassi, for a non-alcoholic option) on the outdoor patio.

Indoor dining area

Outdoor patio

Bar

Sri Lankan fish curry

Tandoori chicken wrap

Beef burger

Seafood Laksa

Panna cotta

Creme Brulee

NUMBER 18 LUNCH MENU

BREAD
Garlic bread 125
Focaccia 150
Cheese toast 125

SIDE ORDERS
Potato wedges/fries 250
Potato mash 250
Garden salad 350
Sautéed oyster mushrooms 250
Sautéed green beans 250
Steamed rice 100

SOUPS AND SALADS
Thai style pumpkin soup 400
Roasted tomato and bell pepper soup with garlic croutons 400
Seafood laksa 650
Caesars salad 550
Chicken Caesar salad 600
Rocket, walnut and pear salad with shaved parmesan 450
Roasted beetroot, orange and watercress salad with fetta cheese 450

PIES AND PASTA
Leek, potato and mushroom pie 600
Chicken, cashew nut and sweet corn pie 650
Fettuccine with sliced pork and plum sauce 700
Spaghetti with chili chicken and veggies 700

RICE DISHES
Sri Lankan fish curry served with steamed jasmine rice, brinjole,
cucumber salad, coconut sambol, dhal curry and papadam 700
Sri Lankan chicken curry served with steamed jasmine rice,
brinjole, cucumber salad, coconut sambol, dhal curry and papadam 700
Combination of calamari, fish and shrimp rice 750
Combination of chicken, pork, beef, and bacon rice 750
Vegetable stir fry with peanut sauce over rice 650
Ginger beef and watercress stir fry over steamed rice 700
Black belly pork curry with steamed rice, tomato salad, lentils,
coconut sambol and chutney 750
Thai green chicken curry with tomato salad and steamed rice 700
Thai red prawn curry with coconut flavoured steamed rice and
green mango salad 950

MAINS
Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with french fries 550
Tandoori chicken wrap with cucumber, onions, and yogurt 550
Steak sandwich with salad and potato wedges 700
Smoked salmon, cream cheese, onion rings, and capers on toasted bagel 650
Number 18 hot dog (pork/chicken bokwurst, caramelized onions,
mustard, ketchup, jalapenõs and gerkins) 450
Beef burger with the full works 600
Club sandwich with potato wedges 600
Fish cakes with cucumber relish 550
Honey roasted pumpkin ravioli with mascarpone and herbed brown butter 650
Linguine tossed with shrimp tomato basil and chili flakes
Fish and chips with tartar sauce 650
Cajun spiced seared tuna with green beans, tomato and coriander salad 700
Spinach quiche with garden salad 550

DESERTS
Hot chocolate and ginger pudding 350
Vanilla ice bomb with blueberry compote 350
New York cheesecake with lemon curd 350
Number 18 cassata 350
Crème brulée topped with passion fruit 350
Chocolate decadence 400
Poached pear with vanilla ice cream 400
Mixed berry crumble with warm custard 400
Strawberries and fresh cream 450
Jaggery sundae 350
Chocolate meringue in hazelnut praline 400
Pavlova 400
Café affogato (espresso with sambucca and ice cream) 700
Cookies and cream cheesecake with crème angalise 350
Tiramisu 350
Passion fruit sorbet with grilled mango cheek 350
After-dinner chocolate and mint mousse 400
Panna cotta with passion fruit coulis 350
Choice of homemade ice cream (2 scoops):
espresso 300
hazelnut and honey 350
lemon curd 350

Nihonbashi Japanese restaurant

2008-01-14T01:23:00.002-05:00

11 Galle Face Terrace
Colombo 3.
Tel: 94-11-2323847

Transport yourself to Tokyo at this Japanese restaurant on Galle Road opposite the Galle Face Hotel. Choose to sit Japanese-style in a more intimate private room or pick a regular table by the calming indoor water pond. Then get ready for raw freshness.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the extensive menu, calm your nerves with some Japanese Green Tea, order the particularly delicious Miso Soup, and then ponder what you might like to have next. The one dish that requires no deliberation, though, is the Shake no Aburi Sushi. This marinated Norwegian Salmon Sushi, the fat of which is slightly melted before it is brought to the table, is mouthwatering and full of flavor. The menu also offers classic favorites such as California Rolls, Tempura Moriawase (seafood tempura), and Seafood Yakisoba (ramen-style noodles). For an exciting alternate to the standard round-shaped sushi rolls, try the conical-shaped Kanikama Maki (crab stick roll). And if you haven’t already had enough wasabi to satisfy your appetite, end your meal with the unusually delectable Wasabi Ice cream.

An ideal place for family dinners or business gatherings, Nihonbashi is one of the two superior locales offering authentic Japanese cuisine in Colombo (the other is Ginza Hosen at the Hilton Hotel). But the service, while courteous, can be slow.

For a change in scene the next time you visit Nihonbashi, check out the restaurant’s branch at the Hilton Colombo Residence, or the smaller outlet located inside Odel Unlimited shopping center.

Nihonbashi branches also located at:
Hilton Colombo Residence
200 Union Place
Colombo 2
Tel: 94-11-2300642

and

Odel Unlimited
5 Alexandra Road
Colombo 7
Tel: 94-11-2682712

Seating area - Odel branch

Seating area - Odel branch

Sashimi lunch platter

Chicken lunch platter

Sushi

Hand roll

Gallery Cafe

2008-01-13T14:21:00.007-05:00

2 Alfred House Road
Off Alfred House Gardens
Colombo 3.
Tel: 94-11-2582162, 94-11-2556563
Fax: 94-11-2556564
E-mail: gallerycafe@paradiseroadsl.com
Website: http://www.paradiseroadsl.com/Main.html

Set in an open air and terra cotta tiled one-story building is the unique and trendy restaurant, Gallery Café. Although the former office space of Sri Lanka’s most prominent architect, Geoffrey Bawa, the restaurant’s ambiance will swiftly take your mind away from your work. The entry’s short passageway leads you to a Sri Lankan Lotus pond, flanked on both sides by an elegant arcade. View the art exhibition, featuring paintings of local artists, before making your way to the dining space.

Suitable for business lunches, romantic dinners, or afternoon tea, this refined eatery incorporates a decor that is stark, yet sophisticated, and displays some of Colombo’s finest culinary and aesthetic talent.

The menu, which has not changed a great deal since the restaurant’s opening, indulges in several cuisines: French, Italian, Spanish, Thai and Sri Lankan. Portions are satisfactory, but often look dainty in comparison to their expansive plates. To start off your meal, try the innovative Sri Lankan Fish Head Soup, or the creamy Baked Crab cooked with a mustard and white wine. Move on to the Roast Leg of Lamb cooked in a thyme sauce, laid on top of a walnut and blue cheese risotto, or the Butter Prawns with Basmati Rice; or, to satisfy a craving for local spices, have the Black Pork Curry. For equally delectable vegetarian options, go for the Spinach Crepes, filled with mushrooms and cheese, or the Pumpkin Gnocchi. But above all, make sure you leave room for some of the best dessert that Colombo has to offer. The Chocolate Nemesis, Chocolate Fondant, and one of the newest items on the desert menu – Chocolate and Caramel duet - are unequivocal musts for chocolate-lovers, sublime slivers of heaven, as are the Traditional Bread Pudding, Trifle, and the homemade Jaggery Ice Cream with sugar floss. And to end your meal, instead of the espresso that you will already be thinking of ordering, try a cup of Chai – an Indian tea infused with spices.

Service is often painfully long and the hip music too loud, so take that into consideration when your intention is to have a “quick bite”. Just be sure to prod your friendly waiter along once in a while so you don’t end up having a 4-hour long meal (and you have your water glass regularly re-filled).

And on your way out, take a glimpse into the Paradise Road shop, to take home a decorative souvenir.

Dining area

Entrance

Seating area

Tamarind martini

Strawberry margarita

Baked crab

Spinach crepes

Black pork curry

Butter prawns

Chocolate nemesis

Trifle

GALLERY CAFÉ MENU

SOUPS
Sweet pumpkin soup with pesto and pumpkin crisps 365
Chilled zucchini soup with parmesan and basil 365
Gazpacho - chilled tomato and celery soup with croutons 365
Pink seafood soup 495
Sri Lankan fish head soup 365

SALADS
Mixed salad 335

MAINS-VEGETARIAN
Chili-salt crumbled tofu with stir-fried broccoli and mushrooms 595
Spaghetti with black olives and feta 835
Spaghetti pesto 645
Pumpkin gnocchi 535
Vegetable lasagna 485
Spinach crepes with mushroom filling on creamy cheese sauce 565
Champagne risotto with broccoli and mushrooms 585
Feta and black olive ravioli with pesto cream sauce and
sun dried tomato concassé 695
Carrot gnocchi with cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms on
herb cream sauce 535

MAINS
Indian butter chicken with raita and chapatti 735
Lemongrass and ginger chicken with spinach and potato mash 785
Chicken breast with bacon and cream cheese filling with potato mash
and salad 825
Spaghetti bolognaise 535
Steak sandwich with French fries, salad, onions and mushrooms 965
Grilled fillet steak with potato wedges or french fries, green salad
or vegetables, choice béarnaise, green pepper, hollandaise sauce, garlic
or anchovy butter 2650
Grilled sirloin steak with potato wedges or french fries, green salad
or vegetables, choice béarnaise, green pepper, hollandaise sauce, garlic
or anchovy butter 1865
Black pork curry with brinjal pahi, cucumber raita, gotukola sambol
and rice 735
Pan-fried pork chops with potato mash and paprika sauce 795
Grilled garlic jumbo prawns with potato wedges or french fries,
green salad or vegetables and garlic butter 1785
Butter prawns with basmati rice 825
Prawn curry with sautéed kankung, onion sambol and rice 895
Pan-friend butterfly prawns with tamarind relish,
green papaya-carrot salad and coconut risotto 1765
Phad thai – thai fried noodles with chicken and prawns 675
Fish and chips with tartar sauce 685
Fettuccine with lobster and prawns with dash of chili 1495
Fettuccine with smoked salmon 965
Baked crab with mustard and white wine cream sauce on
potato mash with vegetables 645 (small); 825 (medium)
Grilled seer fish (Spanish mackerel) with coconut risotto,
curried apple sauce and ratatouille 835
Tuna stacks with salsa verde on aubergine, tomato, basil and mozzarella 665
Pan-fried sole with rösti on a bed of spinach 625
Grilled lamb cutlets with potato wedges, french fries of potato mash,
vegetables and mint sauce 1985
Roast leg of lamb on walnut and blue cheese risotto with garlic and
thyme jus 1875

ACCOMPANIMENTS
French fries 265
Potato wedges 265
Crusty onion rings 235
Peppery garlic toast 165
Mixed salad 335
Crumb friend oyster mushrooms 265
Mashed potato 265

SWEETS
Paradise road chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream 365
Double chocolate cheese cake – baked dark and white chocolate
cake with vanilla custard 375
Chocolate walnut brownie with vanilla ice cream 350
Lemon meringue pie – tangy lemon cream in biscuit crust with
meringue topping 320
Pecan pie with vanilla ice cream 425
Chocolate nemesis – light baked chocolate mouse with
apricot coulis and whipped cream 410
Chocolate fondant with orange ice cream 425
Chocolate and caramel duet with fresh whipped cream 410
Mocha pot – rich and dark chocolate mousse 350
Tiramisu 385
Passion fruit mousse 365
Vanilla panna cotta with strawberry coulis 425
Crème brûlée 385
Paradise road banana split – scoops of jaggery and coconut ice cream
with banana, whipped cream, treacle, and nuts 375
Traditional bread pudding with brandied sultanas, toasted nuts,
topped with lyle’s golden syrup and cream 375
Jaggery icea cream – home-made palm sugar ice cream with sugar floss 365
Coffee ice cream 335
Yogurt ice cream 335
Strawberry sundae – strawberry red wine ice cream with mascarpone,
fresh strawberries, red wine and almond praline 510
Ginger ice cream with chocolate sauce and biscotti 375
Coconut ice cream with tropical fruit 375
Cinnamon ice cream 335
Tropical fruit platter with passion fruit and white wine dip 425
Fresh strawberries and cream 495
Curd with cinnamon infused tropical fruit or with treacle 325

Hotel de Pilawoos

2008-01-13T13:58:00.001-05:00

Galle Road, Colombo 3.

You don't want to be seen here before 2am – it's a faux pas.

Despite its froo froo sounding name, Hotel de Pilawoos is neither a hotel nor French, and generally unappealing to the sober mind and the hygiene-conscious. But after a late night out at Tramps nightclub, with Rum and Cokes having clouded their judgment, this 24-hour roadside joint - possibly the only eating spot in Colombo where the high-rollers dine with the blue-collared - becomes the most popular place among Colombo party goers to grab a bite of local fare and satiate their drunken appetites. If you're a regular, the waiter might even take your order from your car.

Kottu rotti – a dish made from a thick Sri Lankan pancake known as godhamba rotti – is a house specialty. And there are variations to choose from, including chicken, mutton, and vegetable with the spice level notched up or down to your desire. With the addition of onions and several local Sri Lankan spices (and most recently an option to add cheese), the ingredients are chopped up with two wide metal blades, one held in each hand, while cooking on a hot metal surface.

The Cheese Rotti is another must-try, consisting of chicken and a load of red onions, smothered in a spicy sauce, rolled up inside a godhamba rotti layered with cheese. You might want to order more than one roll though, especially if your friend plans on having a bite of yours.

The waiters are exceptionally friendly and efficient. But don't ask too much of the decor. With pale blue walls and neon lighting, you really only go there for the food.

PS. You might also want to have some Pepto-Bismol ready for the next day.