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Located inside the Dutch Hospital, Ceylon Curry Club is a fine dining restaurant that caters mainly to Sri Lankans who want to experience traditional Sri Lankan dishes with a unique twist. The fusion combos that they feature are absolutely smashing and we at “Life” were super excited to try out as many dishes as we possibly could. 

DRINKS
Every guest who enters the restaurant gets complementary cinnamon tea. It tastes great and prepares you for the feast ahead. The beverage menu consists of an array of alcoholic beverages, cocktails, mocktails, juices and coffee. Their cocktails have an array of funky names and even funkier flavours. I opted to try out a Wood apple Martini and one of their special concoctions “The Sumiri Paaney” (I mean who could refuse a drink named after the Sri Lankan baila legend's most famous song). The Woodapple wasn’t too sweet nor too strong and was a perfect blend of flavours. It was the first time I had ever tried this and I have to say it was a unique but great taste.

The “Sumihiri paane” was mixed with rich, creamy and smooth butter fruit pulp! As delicious as this is, it’s also really filling. So if you are someone that’s there to indulge yourself in a lot of food then make sure to make your choice wisely. I also managed to down a Chocolate Milkshake which was delicious, creamy and had a thick flavour of dark chocolate! Again, very filling, but if you are a fan of good chocolate milkshakes then this is certainly one that you should try out!

THE FOOD

The dish we kicked things off with was the Tempura Mixed Seafood. This was a delightful compilation of sizzling prawns, calamari, fried salaya, and fried tuna fish served with a spicy curd dip. The seafood was piled meticulously on a hot plate which was sizzling as it was brought in. The presentation was spot on with the dish being brought to us on a sizzling hot platter. The seasoning and flavours were amazing and paired up with the tangy, creamy dip it was a dish that I truly enjoyed. This was followed by the Prawn Wade and Fried Manioc Cutlet. The wade was served with a hot kochchi sambol which complemented the wade so well.

The prawns were fresh and the wade was soft and it made for a great appetizer. Although I’m not a huge fan of manioc I have to say that after trying it from here I prefer a manioc cutlet over a chicken cutlet anyday! It was quite hot and paired up with a piece of spicy garlic, it was truly a great dish. 

We opted for traditional Sri Lankan next and what could be more traditional than Hoppers! Their assortment of hoppers includes prawn, chicken, egg, coconut, milk and plain hoppers!  The first thing that got my attention was the preparation and the presentation. They prepare it using a live portable action station. So they come near your table and you can request your preferred hopper and prepare it for you hot on the spot. A steaming hopper with some spicy chicken, dhal, seeni sambol and lunu miris? I was on cloud 9!  But wait it gets better! 

Next up we had the Kochchi chicken skewers. Most restaurants would lay the skewer on a plate but the Ceylon Curry Club room took things a step further and hung it on a beautifully crafted hanging stand. They really know how to draw your attention with their presentation. Paired up with a godamba roti the spicy lean chicken was brimming with flavour. The chicken itself was soft and well seasoned. Just chicken and roti can tend to get a bit dry so the dish is complemented further by a peanut dip, pickle and garlic mayo to add in more in terms of flavour. This was probably my favourite dish that night and would certainly recommend it to anyone that’s a fan of chicken and roti! 

Another dish that really got the attention of my palate was the Curry Roast Pork with Manioc. Spicy pork loin laid on a bed of spicy pineapple puree and served with Manioc Croquettes and tempered greens, this dish would be my second top recommendation for the night. The pork was well done, moist and when you eat it with a bit of the tangy, spicy pineapple puree, it’s simply a perfect dish! The Manioc Croquettes and greens were a nice touch but the hit for me was the pork itself! 

This was followed by the Ceylon Beef Wellington. This was certainly a juicy treat. Medium rare beef and spiced duxelles covered in crisp puff pastry was certainly a crunchy meaty delight! Hands down one of the best places to see what a Beef Wellington is all about. 

We also opted to try their special lunch menu “Curry in a Hurry”. Priced at just Rs. 950/- this is one of the most value for money lunch deals that you can get in Colombo. You can choose your protein out of the choices of prawns, chicken or pork paired up with yellow rice, dhal, brinjal moju, wade and also a mocktail as well as a dessert of the day! Available from 12 noon to 3 pm every weekday this is certainly an offer you should consider trying out!

DESSERT

By this time I was too full to even try the desserts but just like that age-old fable of "Andare”, no matter how crowded the room is, when the king appears the crowd parts. Fresh Fruit Platter with Faluda and poppy seeds, Helapa with a western twist and a Coconut Creme Brulee were the choices we made for our dessert! The one that really stood out for me was the Helape. Unlike the regular Halepa that most Sri Lankans are used to, this was a Helapa cake mixed with kithul treacle and cream cheese. I was warned that this was an acquired taste, but I was blown away by how good it tasted! It was creamy, soft and sweet, what’s not to like? Personally, I loved it, so if you are a fan of Halape I’m sure you will too. The Coconut Crème Brulee was the other dessert that stood out. A Sri Lankan twist of rich fresh cream and crunchy sweet coconut crusts this is certainly the most perfect dish to end your meal with!

All in all our visit to the Ceylon Curry Club was more than exciting and we loved the food and the delicious desserts that they had to offer. If you are looking for an amazing place to go for your next night out with your family and friends then you should certainly consider going to the Ceylon Curry Club. It will surely be an experience you won’t forget!

photos Pradeep Dilrukshana