Foods

Table By Taru - A Celebration Of Flavours Curated By Taru

Table by Taru at Lake Lodge Villa in Colombo 03 is just shy of a month since its opening and our initial thoughts were that there are bound to be a few kinks and mistakes to be worked out here and there that can be forgiven. But Taru’s sharp-eyed observations and the staff’s ready willingness to correct and perfect allows for none and we realized that it is this strict ethic that would set Table by Taru apart from the rest.

The Bitza Crunch

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during the quarantine.

Made With Love By Has

If you asked Hasanthi Gunatilake whether she knew she’d one day be an up-and-coming home-based chef – she’d probably answer in the negative. She’s a pre-school teacher by profession – has been one since 2005 after finishing her Advanced Level and she continues to teach full time even today.

The Cookie Jar

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during the quarantine.

Dish Functional: Utterly Delectable and Hearty Fare

Setting yourself apart in the very competitive home-based food business in Colombo is a commendable feat for anyone, but Dish Functional by Zainab Nalir easily manages to rise above the rest with her mouthwateringly delicious, hearty fare - both savoury and sweet - while most importantly, ensuring that the taste and quality of her food are always consistent with a generous sprinkling of heart and soul.

Plateau De Gourmet

Having initially started off curating customized cheese boards, Natasha Wickremasinghe soon realized the demand for her home-made cheese dips. Utilizing the same brand name which means ‘Gourmet Platters’, Natasha kicked off her own brand of cheese dips that are now party favourites.

The Kitchenette Colombo

For best friends Piyum and Yeheli, the initial lockdown sparked a business idea for a passion they both shared. The Kitchenette, providing custom-order savoury and sweet cuisine, was a quarantine project that grew over the months. “The Kitchenette is based on the fact that we are a small home-based start-up, as a kitchenette is smaller and more intimate than a regular kitchen.”

The Sugar Spot

Passionate about baking from a very young age, Aathikah Emseen Shazran started Sugar Spot as a business in 2016. “I have been greatly inspired by the women in my family. I started making cakes in my teens for birthdays, for my family. Years later it started off as a business when I made an entire dessert table for a friend’s wedding and that’s where my journey began as a home-baker.”

Butlers Pub

Butlers Pub is right next to Park Street Mews and it brings you a new experience in dining with their picturesque walls and beautiful lighting; you truly do get transformed into another world. It can accommodate up to 50 people, but they do not currently operate at full capacity due to the current situation of the country.

Ceylon Muffins

Having always found comfort in baking, Ceylon Muffins by Jaish Parathalingam Jayesingha was a lockdown project that came to life. “I wanted to do something unique as most homemakers are focused on cakes, cupcakes and the like. My speciality is muffins, which is why I decided to name my venture Ceylon Muffins!”.

WTF - Scoops of Hospitality

This week on WTF, we feature the hospitality queen Yasmin Cader who has opened something blue, cute and yummy “Yasmin’s” Cafe. They scoop out Carino, Coffee, and Cake with lots of love sprinkled with laughter. Yasmin’s -the ‘coolest’ new addition to Sri Lanka’s dessert scene-officially opened its doors on 7 December 2020, introducing sweet fans to a brand-new creamery concept from its prime location in Madiwela, Kotte.

Dish It Out – Jovanka Jayaweera

How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, Big Bird Delights’ Jovanka takes our Q&A! Home catering business Big Bird Delights has, true to its name, been delighting its customers since 2017. While having pursued a career in banking initially, her passion for cooking saw her going into business full time as a home-based cook.

Enjoy - Cuisine of Galle Fort Muslims By Fazeera Ismail

To most people, a menu is a list of dishes one orders from, which could always change. To Galle Fort Muslims a menu refers to an exact, immaculate combination of dishes that defy alteration. If any single characteristic makes their food uncommon, exclusive, unique even, if it’s possible to speak of a ramparted Galle Fort Muslim cuisine, these combinations, the handiwork of generations of women in the kitchen, play the starring role.

Cafe by Maitland

It’s December! You know what that means, it’s a month full of big meals and festivities. I found the perfect spot too! This time around I decided to try something a little different and stay at home and order in. Who or what says you can’t throw a little bit of fancy in there too? I recently got wind of Cafe Maitland, a delivery service by Mount Lavinia Hotel, offering a wide variety of what the hotel has to offer in the comfort of your own home

Shafna’s Yummy Kitchen

Operating across the Eastern Province, Abdul Careem Shafna started her home business with a passion for baking. “After giving much thought to the future, my husband and I came up with Shafna’s Yummy Kitchen. The word kitchen was brought in with the futuristic view of expanding the business from cake baking to other items such as cookies, puddings, Snow balls, and so on!”.

Yasmin’s by the One and Only Yasmin Cader

Yasmin’s by Yasmin Cader opened last Saturday, on the 5th of December, 2020 and it is situated in Madiwela, on the top floor of Master Pieces by Sheriff. Opening a café has always been a dream of hers and contrary to what one may think, everything happened in the spur of the moment, to lead the creation of this café.

Festive Afternoon Tea At The Sapphyr Lounge, Shangri-La Colombo

Welcoming the season, Shangri-La Colombo is geared up for a festive and safe celebration this Christmas inviting guests to create memories with close family and friends in a small and intimate manner. While guests are spoilt for choice with the array of celebrations available at every restaurant in the hotel, one of our favourite offerings this year is their Festive Afternoon Tea at the Sapphyr Lounge.

Magic Whisk

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during the quarantine.

The Golden Dragon

I found myself wandering about the Taj Samudra Hotel last Saturday in search of The Golden Dragon, having never been, and couldn’t help but notice how well-spirited the hotel staff were, despite having to work during times like these. I was keen to see what the hotel’s signature Chinese fine-dining restaurant had in store for me, having heard a few good reviews.

Veganism: A growing way of life

With increasing numbers of people becoming more aware of their diet and lifestyle, veganism as a way of life is being embraced especially among millennials. Internationally experts predict that by 2026 the global vegan food market would be worth $24.3bn. In Sri Lanka too the vegan community is increasing daily and veganism is gaining momentum.

Quarantine Home Bakers - The Brownie Jar

For baker Zuhara Faj – dessert is everything. With a strong passion for baking since she was very young, it seemed only natural for her to start her own dessert business. And while The Brownie Jar offers cakes and cupcakes, her signature sweet item is her brownies!

The Éclair Factory

The Éclair Factory by baker Mafaza Haleem promises Colombo luxurious choux patisseries in all shapes, flavours and sizes. What was initially started as a hobby a decade ago in 2010 is now a fully-fledged business operating daily providing freshly baked eclairs and savoury bouchées to the public.

Quarantine Home Bakers - Happy Hours

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during the quarantine.

Quarantine Home Bakers: Roo’s Deli & Oh My Oats!

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during the quarantine.

Caketoppers.lk

By adding a personal and special touch, Cake toppers are now a ‘must-have’ accessory for all celebratory occasions. Back in 2018, Dheethika Perera was one of the first to recognise this trend by founding ‘Caketoppers.lk’, a business that, true to its name, provides customised cake toppers for all special occasions.

WTF - Grazing Your Party

On WTF this week I had a small Party with platters all for myself. Platter Parties have been around since 2017 and they’ve given new life to parties. I think the most interesting fact about why this unique idea became such a hit, is the people who do it. This mother-daughter combination is so much fun and they add life to the party through their platters.