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UPALI’S CAFE ON THE 5TH

Upali’s has always been a favourite for Sri Lankan Cafe on the 5th is yet another popular aappa joint comfort food. The hoppers here are made fresh in Colombo. Their regular hoppers (Rs. 15) are light right at the front of the restaurant and they’re the and crispy with a somewhat shallow center (simi- right mix of crispy and soft in the center. You get lar to a mada nathi aappa ). The egg hopper (Rs. three plain and one egg hopper for Rs. 200 and it 40) we got wasn’t as crispy as we would have liked, comes with lunumiris, katta sambal or pol sambol. but the egg itself was a perfect sunny side up.

GREEN CABIN

Green Cabin is a very old favourite for Sri Lankan food, and like we’ve mentioned in our review of the place, any old auntie or uncle will tell you it used to be one of the only places to eat in Colombo. Their egg hoppers are good, though were kind of runny (some people like that - try mixing sambol into the egg), and there’s a nice big crunchy section keeping with the typical Sri Lankan hopper ratio of 1:2.

WALKER’S CAFE

Walkers’ Cafe is the only proper food place within the Indepen- dence Square grounds. You’ll find it on your right if you’re head- ing out the joggers’ pathway from Independence Square to- wards Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha. They make consistently good hoppers, and most importantly, some absolute dynamite katta sambal.

KUSHMI

Kushmi is a crowd favourite among hopper enthusiasts, whether in Wellawatte, Kohuwala or Mount Lavinia. We tried the ones in Kohuwala and they were pretty awesome - the egg hoppers taste great, have a thick egg center and short crunchy section. 5 Hoppers (also called appa or appam) are a Sri Lankan dinner favourite. They’re crispy round pancakes usually served in a batch, with some plain and some egg hoppers. You can have them with just a bit of chili and onion or with a range of curries. Here’s a few of our favorite places to get them. Besides Temple Trees.

SUMMER GARDEN CAFE ON THE 5TH

We actually forgot this on the web version of our Cafe on the 5th is yet another popular aappa joint article but we got so many comments that we had in Colombo. Their regular hoppers (Rs. 15) are light to include it. Summer Garden is famous for its and crispy with a somewhat shallow center (simi- mixed grill, but they also do some great hoppers in lar to a mada nathi aappa ). The egg hopper (Rs. the evening. It’s also a beautiful location on Green 40) we got wasn’t as crispy as we would have liked, Path and they have cheap beer. Win win. but the egg itself was a perfect sunny side up.

GRAND ORIENTAL HOTEL

The Grand Oriental Hotel hosts a good ‘hoppers night’ out- side, on Fridays and Saturdays. You can watch our video about it above. It’s in the evenings during 7.30-11PM and it’s an all inclusive buffet that costs Rs. 750. If you’re in the neigh- borhood and with a group of friends who are game, then it’s not a bad way to have dinner.

KAEMA SUTRA

Probably the most controversial hoppers on this list, they are priced at Rs. 100 for a regular hopper and Rs. 200 for the (dou- ble) egg hopper. This one is pricey, without a doubt, but it’s also much larger than the standard hopper at around 8’’. Taste-wise we couldn’t really find much fault with a well seasoned slightly crispy crust and a soft center. And if it’s 8’’, why not throw in an extra egg right?

UVA HOTEL

Uva Hotel is a little hole in the wall, just around the corner of Liberty cinema. Look for a red board with Sinhala lettering. We absolutely loved the hoppers we got here - they’re really wonky when it comes to the shape of your hopper, but the egg hop- pers are delicious and thick in the middle, with a heaping of pepper for flavour. 6

CALORIE COUNTER 61 Thimbirigasyaya Road, Colombo 5 | 11 2 505 699

BY BHAGYA many calories you’re consum- mix of both flavours and textures ing. The best part is that they’re with the feta cheese adding the Calorie Counter is a brand new actually pretty affordable. The needed saltiness. The combina- health food restaurant in Thim- cost for two comes to Rs. 3000, tion of beetroot and orange work birigasaya. They serve up some for drinks, salads and mains. The well together with the acidity of healthy, delicious, low calorie prices on the menu also include the citrus cutting through the dishes at affordable rates. taxes and service charge so you flavour of the beetroot for a nice won’t be blindsided by any hid- balance. They also didn’t overdo THE FOOD den costs. the feta since it could have easily Healthy food has become some- ended up being too salty. what synonymous with bland, For drinks we tried the “Flush my but Calorie Counter is a definite fat” (Rs. 340) and the pineapple The strawberry, watermelon and exception. They serve up low colada (Rs. 240). The pineap- blueberry salad (Rs. 450) was su- calorie dishes which look and ple colada is a combination of per fresh. This one is practically taste as good as any restaurant pineapple, pears and lime juice. a sugar free fruit salad that was quality dishes we’ve tried. I honestly don’t know how much still subtly sweet and extremely sugar was actually added to this refreshing. In both cases the por- The menu at Calorie Counter one since it tasted so good but tions were also pretty large, so I is also one of the most impres- at just 152 calories I don’t even decided to leave a bit of this one sive I’ve seen, with everything care. Even the flush my fat which for a palate cleanser of sorts to from smoked salmon, beef rib is a mix of strawberries and have after the mains. eye, turkey sandwiches, a variety beetroot tasted pretty good, and of breads and carbs, as well as mind you, I am generally not a When it comes to mains you are fresh fruits and veggies. As the fan of vegetable based drinks. given the option of selecting a name suggests, every dish also carb and veg of your choice. So has the calorie count marked The beetroot, feta cheese and or- in our case we went with the on it so you know exactly how ange salad (Rs. 650) had a good sweet potato mash and mush- 7

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rooms for both the mains. An- so good. It’s served with a pea few customers. The staff was other thing that was worthy of puree and pepper sauce. The lat- friendly, energetic and the head praise was how beautifully both ter of which really adds a burst of chef was going around getting the mains were presented. flavour and combines beautifully feedback from the customers, with the meat and mash. which is always promising. The first of the mains we tried was the peri peri chicken (Rs. AMBIENCE & SERVICE CONCLUSION 650), which was served with a pumpkin puree, diced ginger and When it comes to looks, Calorie a grilled pepper salad. Since it’s Counter has gone with a sim- chicken breast this one is very ple, clean theme. The walls are lean at just 400 calories. Chicken adorned with the menu and the breast, while healthy, also usually images of the dishes which kind tends to be quite bland, which is of gets your appetite going be- why we were so impressed by fore you’ve even seen the food. how flavoursome this dish was. And from what we got, we’d say The chicken itself was grilled that what they show is what you perfectly with the spice rub com- get. They’ve also got an open bined with the pumpkin puree re- kitchen so you can see the dish- ally adding to the flavour. es being prepared. We’ve barely started 2015, but it The beef rib eye steak (Rs. 650) For most new places getting the feels like we may have found a was also quite excellent, al- service right takes a while but contender for our Top 10 restau- though they did slightly overcook that didn’t seem to be the case rants of the year. Any place that it. For once though I didn’t very with these guys. Our dishes were can make healthy food look and much mind that it was a bit over- ready in under 15 minutes dur- taste as good as Calorie Counter cooked since the flavours were ing a time when they had quite gets kudos from us. 8

delifrance 24 Deal Place, Colombo 3 | 11 7 243 654

BY SHIFANI plenty of tender chicken, we par- 180) which was a buttery soft pas- ticularly enjoyed how crunchy and try with very sweet bits of melted Delifrance is known already as fresh the veggies were. We liked chocolate in it. the expensive French franchise our sandwich cold, fresh from the inside ODEL, but now they’ve got fridge, but you can get yours mi- AMBIENCE their own space down Duplication crowaved if you want. Road. It’s actually pretty nice, and The restaurant itself is very pleas- the sandwiches still taste ant to sit in. It’s an A/Ced great. glass cocoon in the middle of a busy street, with a long THE FOOD wooden floor, and comfy regular seats and sofas. Like Subway and Paan Paan, Nearby are Chesa Swiss Delifrance does some qual- and Manhattan Fish Mar- ity sandwiches with a vari- ket, and a few feet away is ety of fillings for you to pick Bars Cafe, so it’s a pretty from - except these guys are happening square here at more expensive than both the Deal Place - Duplica- (if you get a drink too, about tion Road junction. Rs. 1400 for one person). It’s kind of self-service like other sand- Our cookie milkshake was plain CONCLUSION wich bars, and you need to specifi- amazing, though at the uncom- cally ask the person at the counter fortable price of Rs. 380. It’s Delifrance serves quality food in if you want more fillings than the delicious with cookie flakes all a great location, at a more-than- basic in your order. throughout and can actually fill your-average-cafe price. So if you up, and personally, was better you’re still a loyal fan of their sand- We got a chicken sandwich (‘Le than eating a real cookie. We also wiches, they’re more easily acces- Paris’) for Rs. 800 - very filling, with tried the ‘Pain au chocolat’ (Rs. sible now in Kollupitiya. 9

ZEN 115 Rosmead Place, Colombo 7 | 112 68 68 83

BY BHAGYA We also tried a katsudon (Rs. 850), well with the green tea flavour of one of my favourite Japanese dish- the ice cream. ZEN is a brand new Japanese res- es. Word up ZEN’s was one of the taurant on Rosmead Place. While best I’ve had in Colombo. It pretty AMBIENCE & SERVICE their menu is a bit limited, the food much ticked all the right boxes with ZEN is located on Rosmead Place was tasty and authentic. Their ser- a generous amount of pork, slightly at the Zylan Luxury Hotel, so the vice however, needs a bit of work. sticky rice and just the right amount interior is more or less a contem- of caramelized onions. This was ba- porary boutique hotel, but they have THE FOOD sically the bomb katsudon. added a little bamboo garden out- Japanese cuisine is delicious and side which adds to the vibe. That usually expensive. ZEN isn’t really After the impressive sashimi we being said this is still a great place an exception. It’s quite good, but it’ll decided to give the maguro don for a private meal. cost about Rs. 2,000 per head. (Rs. 1250) a shot. Again, we were Their menu, while not extensive, pretty happy with what we got. The The service was the only real let- has the usual types of sushi, nigiri preparation here is pretty simple down here. The staff while friendly, and rice dishes. They’ve also got but it’s the little things like the nori didn’t really understand the menu bento boxes but we feel they’re a bit seaweed, spring onions and wasabi and were often nowhere to be seen. too pricey (Rs. 1250 - Rs. 2400). that bring the entire dish together. The chef was the one who ended It’s fresh, has a great balance of tex- up taking our order and he was nice We’d generally go for sushi, but this tures and flavours with a slight was- enough to apologize and offer us a time around we decided to go with abi kick, and the portion was large. free miso. the salmon and tuna sashimi (Rs. 1800 for 12 pcs). We’ve seen some The green tea ice cream (Rs. 400) CONCLUSION shoddy knifemanship by some lo- is pretty much the only real dessert ZEN has only been opened for just cal chefs, but this fish was expertly option they had, but it turned out over a month now and they’re still a prepared; very fresh, slightly chill to be really tasty. The ice cream is bit rough around the edges, but the and cut to just the right thickness. served on a bed of boiled sweet food is good enough to go back for. redbeans, which works extremely 10

sama restaurant 40 Glen Aber Place, Colombo 4 | 11 2 591 513

BY BHAGYA for money. It’s also quite authen- boiled chickpeas and diced pick- tic for the most part and that’s led gherkin which adds a slight Sama Restaurant is a new Ara- to be expected since it’s run by acidity to the otherwise creamy bian street food spot on Marine two Jordanians. Everything on hummus. Drive. The value for money is un- the menu is pretty cheap, with deniable, and the food is pretty the most expensive item on the The falafel came to the table pip- authentic but it may not suit the menu priced at Rs. 600. ing hot, straight from the fryer local palates. so it was nice and crisp with a We ordered the hummus (Rs. soft center. While it tasted fine THE FOOD 300) along with the falafel (Rs. on it’s own, dipping the falafel in Arabian and middle eastern cui- 50 for 5). For those of you unfa- the hummus really elevates the sine, while present in the local miliar with Arabian cuisine, hum- flavour of both the dishes adding food scene, is still something of mus is a chickpea puree of sorts a nice contrast of textures with a rarity. I’m no expert on Arabian served with oilve oil, while a the smoothness of the hummus cuisine so think of this as my falafel is a deep fried patty usual- and the crunch of the falafel. two cents based on a local pal- ly made with ground chickpeas, ate. The menu is basically just diced spring onions and fava The 1/2 chicken shawaya or a card with about eight different beans. This was only my second shahwiya (Rs. 600) was the options, but it feels like people time eating hummus, and it was main we tried out. Now usually most drop in for the hummus. actually pretty good. Sama’s ver- when an eatery says “1/2 chick- While it may not be to everyone’s sion, which has a smooth paste en” it’s at least slightly exag- liking, we think Sama will be a like consistency comes with a gerated, but in this case, it was hit, purely based on the value generous amount of olive oil, not. This was straight up half a 11

chicken, which is easily menu. From what we enough for two people. could see Sama seems Chicken shawaya is ba- to be pretty popular for sically a marinated, spit a place that’s only been roasted chicken cooked in business for a bit for over an hour. It’s over a month. served with a flat bread The service is also gen- and chilli fries. The flat erally very fast and the bread is very much like folks who run the place our local godamba roti, are friendly and atten- only less oily. The fries tive. They also speak were what didn’t really good English, so com- make much sense to us and modifying it at home. munication wasn’t re- since it didn’t fit their theme. ally an issue. AMBIENCE & SERVICE This dish is really all about the Sama Restaurant is a pretty CONCLUSION chicken, which was cooked small joint, with just a few ta- Sama Restaurant is an unas- beautifully all around. The only bles. They’ve got framed pic- suming little street side restau- issue I had was that it didn’t tures of the dishes they offer so rant on Marine Drive that offers really have enough spice and we saw a few customers walk some pretty authentic Arabian seasoning to appeal to my taste in, glance at the wall, and just or- cuisine. It may not suit every buds. But one thing I’d definitely der without even looking at the palate but we’d say they’re good suggest is picking this dish to go enough to drop in again. 12

cricketer’s arms (d pavilion inn) 82 Stratford Avenue, Colombo 6 | 777 552 755

BY BHAGYA & INDI the Cricketers Arms comfort fine palate cleanser to cut through dining. It’s not pushing the intel- any residual taste of garlic. Very Cricketers Arms is the fine din- lectual side of food too much, smart. ing restaurant at cricketer T.M. but they have big portions, it’s Dilshan’s newly opened bou- not super expensive (Rs. 4,700 As a starter we tried the crab tique hotel, the D Pavilion Inn. for two with mains and dessert), cakes (Rs. 890), which actually We dropped in (twice in 2 days), the plating is good and the ser- comes as a sort of fried won ton. and we’d say it’s an interesting vice is excellent. The taste itself It’s not what we’re used to as a spot. The service is excellent, the is not going to push your taste- crab cake, but it was pretty good. food is ambitious and the drinks buds anywhere surprising, but it Full of crabby goodness and cut menu is very good. is generally satisfying. by the acidity of the lightly pick- led peppers. THE FOOD STARTERS MAINS Fine dining isn’t common in Sri First, a shout out to the bread Lanka, and it’s loosely defined basket. At D’s this is a gener- For mains we tried the Australian anyways. What we at YAMU de- ous amount of soft garlic bread, Blade Beef (Rs. 1800), which is fine fine dining as is a place that which is always a win. After the an Australian beef steak topped pays attention to the intellectual, garlic bread, a few minutes be- with crushed cashews, served visual and taste aspects of food. fore the mains are served, they with mash, veges and a pepper give you a citrus and cinnamon sauce. Within that definition, we’d call granita which acts as a perfect 13

We asked for it to be served at a however, the fellow serving us itself, is simple yet classy, with medium temperature, and we’d noticed that the plate wasn’t fin- a mix of white and gray walls, say it was on point with just right ished, offered to replace it with a smooth (cut) cement floor amount of pink in the center with something else and then, in the and wooden furniture. What’s the cashews adding a nice tex- end, didn’t charge us for it. Tough special about this place is the tural crunch. From what we tast- beef happens, but we were im- abundance of cricket memora- ed they seem to stick to milder pressed by their response. bilia that’s scattered throughout seasoning on the meats and let the walls of the restaurant, with the sauces add the kick. THE DESSERTS everything from T.M. Dilshan’s jerseys, signed bats and even a The roasted belly pork (Rs. The poached pear in red wine wall of signed leather balls at the 1190) was also pretty great, on (Rs. 580) was as impressive bar. both days. You get two sizeable visually as it was on the pal- pieces of roasted pork with a ate. It’s served with a red wine While it all works very well, we did rendang sauce, mashed pota- jelly, sauce and raspberries. The come across one problem which toes, carrots, beans, cucumber warm pear was poached near was the number of flies in the strips, broccoli and cauliflower. perfectly with the spoon cutting dining area which did become a The pork was cooked well with through it like a hot knife through bit of a nuisance, for which the a good a balance of meat to fat. butter with a little pocket of red management did apologize. The rendang sauce further en- wine sauce in the center. What hances the flavour of the dish really impressed us with the dish CONCLUSION and adds the needed spice and was how the cool jelly and warm heat to the dish. pear worked beautifully together The Cricketers Arms is what with the raspberries adding a we’d call a good comfort fine din- Now for a bit of a fail, the burst of tang and sweetness. ing experience. The food is pretty Szechuan Beef (Rs. 740). This good, the ambience is nice and beef was so tough as to be al- AMBIENCE the service is excellent. most inedible. On the plus side, The restaurant, just like the hotel 14 VALENTINE’s DAY

This Valentine’s day, here’s a few tips on places to take your

CAFE FRANCAIS

Cafe Francais is the new hip spot on Park Street Mews. Their food is refined and you can dine in a chic bistro atmosphere. Expensive, but it’s a nice treat. They pay a lot of attention to the food and have a good wine selection. Books up fast. (114502602)

TINTAGEL

Tintagel is an amazing, histori- cal location (S.W.R.D. Bandara- naike’s house) and has a won- derful ambience, like its partner location Gallery Cafe. The food is nice but the main draw is the location. The place has a truly magical feel to it, from the grand entrance to the back gar- den. (114602060)

CASA COLOMBO

Casa is one of the coolest, quirki- est establishments in town, with an unabashedly strange and kitschy ambience that somehow comes together. The hotel res- taurant is excellent. The menu is interesting and the food is both well-executed and surprisingly affordable. (114520130) 15 DON’T MESS IT UP loved one. For more check out our Date Night Index online.

HAVELOCK BUNGALOW

Havelock Bungalow is seclud- ed, sexy and extremely dimly lit. They have an interesting menu, excellent desserts and very dim lighting. It’s the most intimate space here and built for lovers. (112585191)

YUMI

YUMI does really good sushi in a cosmopolitan location. They have a mercifully small menu and it ain’t cheap, but it is good. The location is quite hip. The chairs are orange and mad plush and there’s an extremely long bar. The inte- rior itself feels very expansive. (115446622)

CHESA SWISS

Chesa are the original fine din- ing gangsters and they’re still a reliable choice for yummy foods. It’s not cheap but you’re getting excellent ingredients (imported meats, cheeses, nice Swiss wines) and their chef is one of the best in Colombo. It’s also a nice intimate space. (112573433) 16 17 18 TOP 10 new REstaurants THE ORIGINAL ROCKET BURGER

Rocket Burger will probably always be one of our favourite burger joints in the country. You’ll find it between shops on Pedlar’s Street in the Galle Fort, the burgers are tall and oozing, and you get a plate full of potato wedges instead of fries. Their Bulgogi burger is pure magic, stuffed with juicy marinated beef, Bulgogi sauce, mayo and kimchi.

THE ACHCHARU KADE CAFE

Achcharu Kade is one of the many start-ups that moved out af- ter gaining popularity at the Good Market. They have an interest- ing range of food on their menu that keeps changing daily - the food is super affordable, they’ve got a delicious rice & curry, and watch out for that awesome bombai muttai ice cream.

AMBROSIA

Ambrosia is one of the two bakers on our list - and this year it re- ally impressed us. Since they’ve got a low minimum order they’re more affordable than other bakers, and their sweet concoctions literally made us go ‘wow’. Their cupcakes are foodgasmic (go for the ones with warm ganache centers), and their almond-flake roulades are beautifully done.

GIOVANNI’S

Giovanni’s was such a pleasant surprise this year. It’s one of the city’s best pizza places, a one-man-show with Dimuthu at the clay oven,working hard to whip up his own recipes for generous Italian pizzas. Considering the quality of the pizzas and amount of toppings, it’s also super affordable.

EATALIAN

This new Italian restaurant is the result of a Sri Lankan restau- rateur making it in Italy and bringing that experience (and a fair amount of investment) back here. This spot is in Bentota, but if you in the area they do a lovely and authentic take on Italian pastas and seafood, all at an international standard. 19

A lot of restaurants/bakers/etc opened in Sri Lanka in 2014. new REstaurants These are some places we thought were mind blowing.

BAKES BY BELLA

Bakes By Bella gained popularity for her yummy creations this year mostly through her Instagram. She makes divine mini- cupcakes, biskies, and peanut M&M cookies - but it was really her classic jar of brownies, cream and strawberries that made us fall in love. Now everybody’s putting stuff in jars, but for us it started here

TOM YUM

Another family run spot, this is basically a Thai wife who cooks really well and they opened up a restaurant. The food is amazing though the portions are small and the service basically couldn’t handle all the people after our first review (and word of mouth spread). They since improved their service and the food is still excellent. They go for a Thai street food style and they nail it.

CAFE FRANCAIS BY POURCEL

This place is so busy now that you can barely get a table, and for good reason. This expensive but authentic French restaurant is upping the food game in Colombo. They use great ingredi- ents and have a real attention to detail that raises the bar for everyone.

THE STATION

The Station is actually not new, but it’s been completely redone and, we think, under new management. It’s basically a new place. Beachside Chinese dining with cold beer is basically the holy grail for us food-wise, and they hit it. Station has quality food in a lovely spot on the Dehiwala Beach.

THE BREAD COMPANY

Another graduate of the Good Market, this family run spot on Thimbirigasaya does the best hot dog in the city (not much competition, but still) as well as excellent bread, sausages, pick- les and more. It’s a place you can use for grocery shopping, but they also do a nice range of things you can eat in. 20 21

RANDOMLY PLACED EDITORIAL

Hello, January was a crazy month. We’re back EDITORIAL Indi Samarajiva with a February edition now that people can Shifani Reffai maybe think about food again. Bhagya Goonewardhane

ADVERTISING This edition has a lot more lists - places to get Dinesh hoppers, places to go for Valentines Day, our 0779 776 445 favorite places that opened last year. QUESTIONS [email protected] For more info on all of these please visit our PRINTED BY website (www.yamu.lk) or use our app (An- Gunaratne Offset droid and iOS). We update content online ev- eryday and you can find phone numbers, maps ©2015 YAMU (Pvt) Ltd 14/15A Duplication Road, Col 4 and whatever you need. 22

healthy living 11 De Fonseka Road, Colombo 5 | 0755 524 262

BY BHAGYA The healthy living rice and curry (Rs. cabbage, the slight sweetness from 290 - lunch only) comes in chicken, the fruits and the savouriness of the When Healthy Living started off in fish or egg. We’ve had it time and time chicken. Be judicious when it comes 2013 they were known mostly for again and it’s been consistently good. to the dressing though, since it is their healthy buth packets. Since then It’s not like most buth packets you quite acidic. they’ve expanded their menu, so we come across, so don’t expect huge went ahead tried pretty much every- amounts of rice. Instead you’ll find The chapathi and chicken curry (Rs. thing. that the portion is almost equal parts 300 - dinner only) was next on the list. rice to veggies with a decent portion You get a generous portion of chapa- THE FOOD of chicken curry made from chicken thi, along with a flavoursome chicken For those looking for healthy food in breast, which means the overall calo- curry and a pretty strong tomato pu- Colombo, the choices are pretty limit- rie count on this will be quite low. Just ree of sorts. While the chapathi tasted ed, so having the option to get healthy think of it as a good red rice and curry fine, the well seasoned and spiced meals delivered through Healthy with a bit of extra veg. chicken curry is what really brings the Living is a real godsend. They’re well dish together. The tomato puree also known for their rice and curry which The chicken salad (Rs. 340 - dinner works pretty well, albeit in very small has a particular emphasis on less only) was also very satisfying. Having quantities. rice and more veggies. Since of late a salad delivered can be a bit iffy since they’ve expanded their menu and the ingredients need to be fresh, but The grilled chicken and veg (Rs. 380 introduced a bunch of new options in this case we didn’t come across - dinner only) while decent, wasn’t which include rice with red curry, any issues. The salad comes with something I enjoyed very much, but chapathi and salads. Everything is lettuce, red cabbage, grilled chicken, that’s mostly because I’m not a fan priced under Rs. 400, which is pretty bread croutons, green apples and of boiled vegetables to begin with. reasonable considering since it in- grapes as well as a salad dressing. All Sticking with the healthy theme, the cludes delivery. in all this salad has a bit of everything boiled veg comes free of salt which with the crunch of the lettuce and the you’re supposed to add to your prefer- 23

ence. The grilled chicken breast was as a delivery service, but only within cooked well, but the sauce it comes Colombo. For those who live in the with was just too peppery for my suburbs, they have a pick up point taste buds. at Shrubbery Gardens, Colombo 04. Orders for lunch need to placed pretty The final dish we tried was the early, between 7.00 am to 10.00 am, steamed rice with thai red curry (Rs. and between 12.00 pm to 5.00 pm 320 - lunch only). If you’re not a fan for dinner orders. of red rice, this is the other rice option that healthy living offers. You get a So we actually had a small hiccup sizeable portion of steamed basmati when it came to one of our orders rice, chicken red curry and a kankung where we ended up getting a rice and stir fry. curry instead of the Thai rice. Once we informed them, they handled the The issue with the dish was that the situation well by offering us the Thai chicken curry lacked the spice and rice the next day for no charge. seasoning we’ve come to expect from red curries, and with only 3 com- CONCLUSION ponents, each has to be very good. Healthy Living could be considered The kankung gets a special mention one of the pioneers of the health here since it was really tasty, where I food movement in Colombo, with the actually found myself going for the likes of Calorie Counter following suit. kankung more than the chicken. They promise reasonable portions, tasty food with well sourced ingredi- DELIVERY, ORDERS & SERVICE ents and they definitely deliver. Healthy living works predominantly 24

998 51C Alexandra Place, Colombo 7| 772 585 455

BY BHAGYA (enough for 3), they fall some- cooked cuttlefish. With a portion where in the upper-mid range size that’s enough for three, we 998 on Alexandra Place is yet an- when it comes to price. were very impressed. other new Chinese restaurant to open up in Colombo. Their stuff is The chicken fried rice (Rs. 428 for The kung pao chicken (Rs. 784 for quite authentic but we think their S) isn’t the best we’ve tried but it S) was not as spicy as the other hot butter cuttlefish in particular, is did have its merits, and it’s actually iterations we’ve had but still tasted pretty great. really great value for money since good. It’s more or less a stir fried the portion is easily enough for chicken with onions, chillies and THE FOOD three. We felt the rice could have lemongrass, served with a thick We’ve driven past the 998 building used a bit more seasoning but sauce. This one was actually a few times, but we couldn’t find that depends on personal prefer- pretty sweet with a mild spiciness any information about the place. ence. What’s interesting was that which worked well with the HBC. It’s owned by a company called they actually add diced cucumber Yuzhenge Restaurants (sounds le- to the fried rice, which isn’t some- The fried pork belly (Rs. 784 for S), git). We were told that the kitchen thing you normally come across while flavoursome was a tad bit is run entirely by Chinese chefs, here. overcooked. This may actually be with the head chef hailing from to the liking of some since it gives Beijing. Compared to contempo- Their hot butter cuttlefish (Rs. 784 a much crunchier texture. rary Chinese eateries in Colombo, for S) was top notch, comparable the menu at 998 is pretty limited, to some of the best places we’ve AMBIENCE & SERVICE but from what we tried, what they tried. It ticked all the right boxes This place is actually pretty mas- offer, they do pretty well. At Rs. with a well seasoned, golden sive with three stories and seating 550 - Rs. 1100 for a small portion crunchy batter and perfectly for around 200 people. The interior 25

is clean, air-conditioned and well lit, with the usual round tables. They’ve also got a TV that’s per- manently switched to a Chinese news channel.

The service was very fast with the food coming to the table in less than fifteen minutes. They’ve got both Chinese and local waiters so communication won’t be an issue. The waiters were friendly, well spo- ken and professional which isn’t something many other Chinese eateries can boast.

CONCLUSION 998 has a lot of competition in Colombo, but they’ve made quite a good first impression, and with the growing Chinese expat com- munity it’s sure to gain popularity with time. 26 Valentine’s at Chesa Swiss

Chesa Swiss will be serving a five course degustation menu for Valentine’s Day. The menu features prawn, scallop, salmon and either veal, lamb or duck for your choice of main course. Dessert will delight with choco- late and strawberry. The price is Rs. 8,000 nett per person, includ- ing a glass of wine.

Chesa Swiss is also offering guests the unique opportunitiy to tell them their favourite ingredi- ents and a customised tasting menu will then be created per table (advance notice required, based on ingredient availability, price dependent on the menu swiss wines available and minimum for two persons).

from best wishes for the Chinese New Year 998 27 Valentine’s at Chesa Swiss

Chesa Swiss will be serving a five course degustation menu for Valentine’s Day. The menu features prawn, scallop, salmon and either veal, lamb or duck for your choice of main course. Dessert will delight with choco- late and strawberry. The price is Rs. 8,000 nett per person, includ- ing a glass of wine.

Chesa Swiss is also offering guests the unique opportunitiy to tell them their favourite ingredi- ents and a customised tasting menu will then be created per table (advance notice required, based on ingredient availability, price dependent on the menu swiss wines available and minimum for two persons). from best wishes for the Chinese New Year 998 28

RS. 299 275, Galle Road, Colombo 3 | 771 674 761

BY SHIFANI age to balance things out when usually grabbed off the shelves they sell everything for only Rs. by customers early morning. Not Rs: 299/= is the only shop in Co- 299? They told us that was classi- surprising - I can imagine aunties lombo where - as unbelievable fied information. who usually line-up outside shops as it sounds - the clothes all cost that say ‘sale/discount’ going nuts only 299 rupees. In over 299. a city where prices have been inflating The clothes we saw at a ridiculous rate weren’t organized in in the past decade any particular order alone, 299 sounds so just dig around too good to be true. and you’re bound to find something you THE STUFF like. It’s going to be The shop is pretty hard to resist any- small, and when we way, given the price. visited in the after- noon, there were CONCLUSION mostly a range of 299 is a pleas- t-shirts, other tops ant surprise, amid and printed tights. The stuff There was a large collection of Colombo’s inflated prices. We seemed good though - Factory re- guys’ cargo pants and nice soft t- can’t tell you what exactly you’ll jects? Factory excess? Pettah re- shirts in greys, blacks, and grungy find here, since they bring in new sold? (But even finding something greens and browns. Not much for stocks almost every day to make in Pettah these days for 300 bucks women on our visit, but we were up for the demand, but it’s worth is a challenge.) How do they man- told that the women’s clothing is the visit in the morning. 29 30 31 32