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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, Asylum Restaurant’s Shiromi takes the Q&A! Located inside Independence Arcade, Colombo – the Asylum Restaurant and Bar has been making waves since the very first day. Today we get into conversation with the restaurant’s Managing Partner Shiromi for a casual conversation about her take on food!
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.
For Ayesha Hiyaz, the idea for a home business started with a craving. Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa – Ayesha moved to Sri Lanka when she married a Sri Lankan and has been residing in the island for the past decade. “Stuck at home during the lockdown – I got a craving for the cookies I used to eat at my home town – Cape Town. So just like everyone else during this time, I started baking!”.
How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, Sugar Shack’s Aru De Silva takes the quiz! Providing Colombo’s sweet-tooths with all their cravings and sugary fixes for nearly a decade, Sugar Shack’s Aru De Silva bakes the most mouth-watering goodies that we can’t get enough of!
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 Hyve Dessert Bar may be Colombo’s first exclusive dessert bar when it first opened back in 2018. 2 years later, Hyve continues to prove that it is still among the crème de la crème of Colombo’s dessert scene.
On WTF this week, I sat down to eat some yummy Chinese food, where the portions are lavish. King Prawn is a new baby down Galle Road Mount Lavinia. King prawn has a large seating area, it’s perfect if you want to block an area just for you or for any celebration.
Run by couple Aysha Hajireen and Harsha Wijendra, Rasa Melayu is a post-lockdown home business that pays homage to their Malay roots. “Rasa Melayu means, ‘Malay Flavours’ in Malay. We wanted to keep it simple and elegant. Our prime focus is on Malay food. We needed a brand name that embraces our Malay culture. Ergo Rasa Melayu was born!”.
Shahla Malik, a happily married mum of three, qualified as a Montessori teacher before starting her own venture. ’’I gave up teaching after my first baby as I wanted to spend more time and do the best I could as a mom. Baking is something I had never thought I would get into, but after my older daughter’s 2nd birthday (where the cake I ordered was not as expected) I decided to start baking’’.
I’ve been on the hunt for a great spot for some Chinese food for a while now, and while the current situation in the country is not the perfect climate to be going out for dinner, I figured it’s always good to have a place in mind when I get that sudden craving.Also, I don’t mean the traditional chicken’s feet or whatever unconventional dishes that came out of that part of the world.
On WTF this week, we visited Blue Spoon and it’s cosy little set up down Jawatta Road, Blue spoon is all about giving you comfort food and the cafe style environment goes perfectly with it. I tried a wide range of mains from burgers to submarines which were full of stuffing, to even steamed and pan fried dumplings.
Movenpick Colombo recently reopened AYU, their all-day-dining restaurant, and with it, relaunched their themed buffets! The hotel will be following stringent health and safety guidelines, ensuring that their diners can enjoy delicious food worry-free. We checked out their Seafood Saturdays buffet at the AYU. Here’s what we thought.
How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, Sav takes our Q&A! Of food blog “Bread, Broth & Brieyond” and home cake business “Mad Batter by Sav” - Savindri Perera (@savisquishles) has singlehandedly taught most of us (this writer included) the very A to Z’s of cooking Sri Lankan curry and the art of baking.
The concept of food platters is a thing of the past which has slowly but surely crept its way into the present. Who’s to complain? It’s essentially a gigantic snack plate which really brings out the foodie in you. Seeing as how the current situation has forced us into our homes, craving food we can’t really make at home, I figured it was time to try out a few places which help us skip straight to the eating part of it.
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. Here’s how they did it.
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!
For us Sri Lankans, Biriyani is a dish that is as near and dear to our hearts as a good rice and curry. Served in almost every restaurant, Biriyani is an easy find in our country but to secure ourselves a good one – one that’s packed with all the right flavours and all the right ingredients – is somewhat of a difficult task.
Situated in Elibank Road just off Dickman’s Road, Baked Colombo is a café that serves good food with a calming atmosphere and free Wi-Fi for you to get all your work done in peace. This comfortable space can accommodate up to 36 people and there is a smoking area outside as well. They will be starting breakfast soon and it will start at 7 am, for all the hustlers out there to get a quick fix on the go.
Farizeh Salahuddin speaks to Food Factor about growing up in Salloos Restaurant, her love for baking and the setting up of Tuk Tuk Treats in Sri Lanka.
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