With Navam Poya being held on February 10 (Friday), it’s time to reflect on the first precept of Buddhism - panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, which roughly translates to do not harm any living creature. It’s from this precept and consumer demand for organic and healthy plant based food that Mount Lavinia Hotel has changed its Poya day buffet menu from that of vegetarian cuisine to vegan.
Japanese cuisine has risen from relative obscurity to considerable fame over the past few years introducing us Sri Lankans to the concept of raw food based gastronomical experiences. Maki Sushi (rice, fish and other ingredients rolled up in seaweed) holds a special place in our hearts and is especially popular with those who find sashimi a little too difficult to stomach. So, here’s the roundup of our favourite spots to grab maki sushi.
Eranga Eliyapura is a medical doctor who owns and operates a clinic in Rajagiriya, with her husband Milinda Salpitikorala. They have a son who is just under the age of two and amidst all the madness of taking care of a toddler and working and running their own clinic, she felt she needed to find some inner peace and that was why she decided to start Dipped.
Cafe Kumbuk opened up a second location at the Colombo Good Market opposite Racecourse Grounds. As a vendor of the Good Market, Cafe Kumbuk has always been in close association with the Good Market and its product as owner of Cafe Kumbuk, Shana Dandeniya herself used to work there.
As much as Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love indulging in some delectable food with your partner - or if you are single - on your own, can certainly be on the cards. Below are a list of home cooks who make awesome cakes and desserts and here’s what they will be dishing out (on order) for Valentine’s Day...
If you are an achcharu fanatic you are going to love love love this drink! Next time you have friends over give them a surprise that will have them coming back for more.
So you’ve decided you want to try give vegetarianism or veganism a try. Whether it be for animal welfare, health or environmental concerns there’s a range of alternatives to using animal meat in your cooking.
Popular Negombo based sushi joint Sushi Bar Samurai recently set up shop in Parliament Road, Rajagiriya. We decided to drop by and check it out. Here’s the scoop.
With the aim of baking anything you could wish for, or almost anything you could wish for, Suulali Gunatissa of Bake A Wish, creates some of the most divine cakes and desserts using curd as a base for most of her frostings while also incorporating local fruit. She is also more than willing to customise orders and is very cooperative when taking on orders as well.
If there was one out of the many things that dear Maudiegirl Von Bloss taught me it was the importance of a rice puller. You know that little something to make your rice and curry even more interesting. This little Dry Onion Sambol is one of those rice pullers.
Living a healthy lifestyle has become a challenge today as many of us end up eating the same junk food that we love. However, there has been a growing need in Sri Lanka for organic and other specialty food items. As such, the recent addition to the healthy-dining concept in Sri Lanka is Organicoguru – the largest online retailer for health food in Sri Lanka.
Inspired by a father, modified by a daughter, they take the age old Chocolate Biscuit Pudding (CBP) to a whole new level with silky-smooth, gooey and perfectly balanced chocolate concoctions!
Welcome to the first week of a brand new column where I’ll be bringing you info on ethical eating and living life in a more compassionate way. You can expect feature stories, restaurant reviews, recipes or interviews all connected to vegetarianism.
Can you really say no to ice cream? I won’t lie, I can’t - especially if it is the homemade kind! So when I got a message from Oceanie De Silva about her range of homemade ice creams, I was thrilled. Handmade using ingredients from the USA as well as local produce, these ice creams are stunning.
For the love of all things bubble, Bubbluscious opened its doors on December 18! Introducing a range of Bubble Teas, Bubble Coffees and Bubble Desserts for the first time in Sri Lanka, Bubbluscious is a cozy black themed cafe with brightly coloured beanbags and booths where bubbles are truly celebrated. It is conveniently located inside the Kandana K-Zone where there is ample parking.
Located away from the hustle of the city and even the main road, Frosties is a delightful little café found down Attidiya Road in Ratmalana. They are making their mark in the industry and gaining fame for their famous ice cream rolls, a first in Sri Lanka.
Let’s Brunch is probably Sri Lanka’s first restaurant specializing in brunch. Having opened its doors last year, the restaurant is run by Thisakya who thought that Sri Lanka should also have a place specializing in brunch as well.
Indian cuisine has always been a favourite among us Sri Lankans. Situated in the heart of Colombo is Maharaja Palace, an elegantly built restaurant serving traditional North Indian cuisine. Over the years, this restaurant has been known for its exclusive specialties making it a potential competitor for others in the business.
To highlight Unilever’s food brands, Unilever Sri Lanka set up the ‘Unilever Food Lounge’ at the Law Court in the Galle Fort at one of Sri Lanka’s largest events, the Fairway Galle Literary Festival 2017.
The biggest tea brand in the world, Lipton Tea set up a one of a kind tea room at one of the biggest events of the Sri Lankan calendar. Lipton Tea in partnership with Tea Talk took over the Fairway Galle Literary Festival 2017 from the 12th to the 14th of January.
In August 2016, husband and wife duo, Indunil Piyadigama and Lavanya Devasurendra felt they wanted to venture into something food related. Being medical doctors they felt that food would be an interesting field to get into. Fresh food was the main factor on their agenda thus the decision to have waffles and crepes as the main feature on their menu.
This popular venue in Colombo for healthy snacks and on the go smoothies and juices is located at #3 Jawatte Avenue, Colombo 5, in the premises of Body Bar Gym. Fairly new to the healthy food trend in town, this little place really surprised me. Their range of juices and smoothies are pretty awesome considering the fact that there is no water, sugar or salt added. It’s a place you really need to check out if you haven’t been there already.
Ayu, the international all-day dining restaurant at Mövenpick Hotel offers a casual and fun dining atmosphere. From local specialties to international cuisine served at the buffet or the à la carte menu, Ayu includes an exciting gastronomic experience.
If there was a vegetable that I held in great disdain, it would be pumpkin. To this date, I avoid it like a plague whenever I can. For the life of me, I cannot even understand why anyone would like its sweet and mushy texture. This great revulsion towards pumpkin ended with this recipe. It might not be the best dish for your rice and curry, but make it in to a soup….? Now that is deliciously tantalising story.
Whenever Dimuthu Gamage does something he does it right. Take Giovanni’s for instance, they serve the best pizzas in Colombo. And the same goes for his new venture, Francesco’s, named after his adorable 11yearold son, this little cafe down Jawatte Road (opposite Embark) dishes out some groovy fare.
There’s nothing quite like a good breakfast and Tea Avenue definitely promises you one with their all new breakfast menu!
You need to meet Laki Ratnayake and only then would understand the concept behind some of the finest European sourdough breads you can get your hands on here in Sri Lanka. His mild nature and his passion for baking artisanal breads shines through as you take that first bite of the stunning range of breads by Baker’s Choice.
Situated opposite the Heritance Negombo is The Banyan – a fine dining space built by the hotel for outside guests who would like to dine in, either indoors or by the side of the road.
Located in the heart of Colombo, the Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct now offers a new fine dining experience at the all new Black Pepper restaurant. Having launched earlier this month, the restaurant is under the ownership and management of the Earl’s Court Group and stands to be the first restaurant opened by the group.
These past few months have seen me visiting a number of home bakers and cooks. The experience has been refreshing thanks to the fresh flavours and attention to detail that these home based cooks present. My last review for 2016 features Sabrina and Iman Mohamed, the motherdaughter duo behind The Vanilla Bean Bakery.
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