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How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, Bowl’d café’s Anithra and Rahaal takes our Q&A! Best friends Anithra Ratnayake and Rahaal Balasuriya co-owns “Bowl’d”. On this week’s Dish it Out, they talk to us about the meals they’d love to relive, their personal food favourites and Rahaal’s total lack of cooking skills!

What was Bowl’d’s “almost” name? 
ANITHRA: We actually didn’t have an almost name! It was always Bowl’d.
RAHAAL: We were brainstorming and a few things did come up but never really stuck to us and Bowl’d was just the right one.  

Two ingredients or food combinations that shouldn’t go well together in theory but it actually does? 
ANITHRA: I think the sweet and savoury mix. I mean we have mango in our Tuna bowl and Rahaal actually had a huge issue with it when I was making the bowl. But he eventually ended up really liking it.
RAHAAL: Yes… but I still hate pineapple on pizza though….

What is the most useless and useful item in your home kitchen right now?
ANITHRA: My most useful item would by my espresso machine which I use every morning and as for useless – it would probably be all the condiments that I have that I don’t use!
RAHAAL: Huh. I don’t really cook – so I can’t even answer that question!

What ingredient is underrated?
ANITHRA: Butter! Butter makes everything better. 
RAHAAL: It’s tuna for me. I think in general people in Sri Lanka really don’t like Tuna. But I think the best dish we serve at Bowl’d is our Tangy Tuna. 

What was your favourite childhood meal? 
RAHAAL: I would say my mom’s love cake? Just my mom’s. 
ANITHRA: I didn’t know you even liked love cake! For me… I honestly can’t remember. I guess anything my mom cooked. 

If you had Rs. 500, what meal would you make with it?
ANITHRA: I would probably attempt to make a rice and curry. 
RAHAAL: I don’t cook so…. if I had to make a meal with Rs. 500 I’d probably have someone make me rice and curry too. 

What food trend do you hate right now?
ANITHRA: I don’t really hate a lot of food trends (because I don’t really try them) but I’ve been seeing pancake cereal a lot!

Your only meal for the rest of your life on a deserted island?
ANITRA & RAHAAL: Rice and curry!

The easiest meal you’d cook to impress someone?
ANITHRA: Scrambled eggs. I make a really good scrambled egg. 
RAHAAL: If I was to impress one, I won’t take the easy way buuuut then again I don’t cook so I’d probably order in something which is technically an easy way to impress someone if you ask me. 

Are your tastes in food similar or opposite? 
ANITHRA: I think we have similar taste in food. We are not picky eaters.
RAHAAL: My taste in food is pretty simple so I think anything I would like she would already like it.

Running a business together is not easy - where do you clash the most? 
ANITHRA: We clash on everything – constantly. But especially in creating recipes and getting the exact measurements kind of drive each other nuts. 

A meal you’d want to relive again for the first time? 
ANITHRA: When I went for dinner curated by Heston Blumenthal! It was probably the best meal I’ve ever had.
RAHAAL: The Tuna I had in Japan. The fatty part – Otoro Sashimi. It was amazing. 

What’s a food/kitchen hack that everyone seemed to know but you didn’t?
ANITHRA:  Cling wrap! Or just how to put it on without it crushing. When our chef showed me how to do it, I was amazed. It looked so simple and I had no idea. 

Your kitchen pet peeve?
ANITHRA: A dirty kitchen or a messy or unhygienic one. 

The easiest late-night craving dish you’ll put together? 
ANITHRA: A grilled cheese sandwich or a milo and ice drink.
RAHAAL: Hmm.. a sandwich with whatever is there in the fridge.