Colombo Restaurants@YAMU.lk

Udumbara JU Caterers
4 Jayaratne Mawatha, Colombo 05
Reviewed by Shifani 1 year ago Old Review
Udumbara JU Caterers is one of our favourite rice and curry places in Colombo. It's been around since 1974 and besides being a restaurant they obviously also do event catering. The food is amazeballs, and they've managed to combine tasteful ambience with buth kade prices.
The Food

The menu includes typical rice and curry (chicken, fish, egg or veg), yellow rice, fried rice and chicken biriyani. We got the chicken biriyani, for Rs. 170, and it was so good. It included some superb parippu, manioc, gotukola, an interesting sweet achcharu, and a big spicy well-seasoned piece of chicken. Total value for money.
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Conclusion

JU Caterers is a super choice for lunch. The food is delicious (award winning according to their website), the prices are delightfully easy on your wallet, and it's a pleasant space to sit and enjoy your meal at.

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Reviewed by ShaliniIR 1 week ago
Devly's is fairly new to the block, but don't underestimate their ability to find their way into your heart (and stomach!). They're right next to Burger's King on Slave Island, so they're pretty impossible to miss.

Food

For starters we ordered a Prawn Cocktail (Rs.500) and Cream of Mushroom Soup (Rs.300). The portions were hearty, with around 10 boiled prawns, which went hand in hand with the citrusy cocktail sauce. The soup was accompanied with two slices of toasted garlic bread. The bread was perfect, but we did notice a lack of seasoning in the Mushroom Soup.

The mains came within seconds of our starters being cleared out, and at this point we were slightly full. We got the BBQ Chicken with French Fries (Rs.500) and a Chicken Cheese Burger (Rs.400). If you're a spice lover, I'd highly recommend the BBQ Chicken. There is a slight sweetness in the spice rub and you can feel a kick of fire at the back of your throat. The Chicken Burger was fresh and the pattie juicy, but the coleslaw overpowered the taste of the chicken pattie.

We were already stuffed when the owner came over and recommended their award-winning fruit Trifle.

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Reviewed by Nabeela Yaseen 1 day ago
If cashew cannot unite our Sinha le Sri Lankan le, nothing can.
Royal Cashew is here to cater to all your nutty needs. Their exciting flavours would probably make the cadjugama akkis in their brightly colored reddai hettes unhappy. They have outlets all over and I decided to hop into their Crescat outlet.
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The Kiosk



The kiosk is easy find and they accept cards (No American Express though. Boo you, Amex).
It's in the food court, at the basement level of crescat, adjoining The Brick Lane Cookie Company, and right opposite Roots. Very easy to find.
The service is pretty basic given that it's a kiosk. If you are the princess of Kavum Island, I am sorry, you won't receive royal treatment at an average kiosk although it is run by Royal Cashews. You just have to tell the nice man behind the counter what nuts you want and how much (weight). The minimum weight is 100g.

Conclusion


Royal Cashews has created a niche for itself. They have really experimented with the cashews that have secured a top spot in our Lankan hearts. I tried a few from their other flavors such as Cheese Onion and Spanish Tomato, and while they tasted different, they didn't taste bad.
If you're sick and tired of the basic nuts (but, um, that's unacceptable), you might like the tastelifts Royal Cashews has given to good old cadju.
Happy nuts, y'all!

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Reviewed by Nabeela Yaseen 2 weeks ago While some of us oblivious creatures may be unaware of this, Sooriya is a record label founded in 1968 and was one of the most popular record labels housed in Sri Lanka. It's now making a comeback with the hip new Sooriya Village.
Apart from having a restaurant to please your gastronomical demands, The Sooriya Village is home to a recording studio, two practice rooms (although one is still under construction), a lecture room, a library and a children's bookstore (which was, in fact, how Sooriya came to life). The idea is to really bring together raw Lankan talent to one space.
They are also known for their live music that happens on most nights, especially on Friday nights and the weekend.
Their concept is unique. The feel is different. And like any village, it's collaborative.

The Restaurant

This is quite a pish posh village with a diverse menu and Colombo's renowned Koluu as a consultant for the food.
We placed an order for an Oriental Prawn Soup (Rs 600), a Tuna, Pol Sambol & Cheese sandwich (Rs 900), Pan Fried Fish With a Tartar Sauce (Rs 1250) and a Passion Fruit Pavlova (Rs 600).

I expected a Tom Yum sort of soup, but received something that had been prepared with coconut milk as a base. It tasted mild and the chef was generous with the number of prawns. There were strips of bell pepper swimming through, hinting at very subtle spice. The garlic bread accompaniment was well flavored. However, the portion was quite small which was disappointing.

With three slices of bread, this sandwich had mushed up ambul thiyalish fish paired with pol sambol and cheese. Grilled, as the menu stated, I found this to be a little dry. A saucy filling could have really revived this sandwich because no one wants to see pol sambol going to waste.

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Reviewed by Nabeela Yaseen 1 day ago Giving competition to up-scale vegetarian restaurants and your basic saivar kadeys is Sudarshan Veg, a restaurant that is tucked away in a road in Bambalapitiya. I had serious doubts about the quality of food here because:

1. It looked unsophisticated from the outside
2. I had not heard of the restaurant before

So, I began my investigation.
Food

The first item for the investigation was Pani Puri, one we got off their Indian Chaats selection. We received a portion of 6 puris for Rs 185.

While the puris were slightly disfigured, they were packed to the brim with spiced potatoes, chopped onions and coriander. With the combo of the spicy mint flavoured water and watered down sweet tamarind chutney, the end result was similar to what you would find at a pani puri stall in India, except it felt more hygienic.
What arrived next was the North Indian Thali (Rs 600) followed by a Sabzi Dum Biriyani (Rs 565).

The Thali had a generous amount of white rice and roti along with a mushroom soup, spiced potatoes, paneer curry, dhal, mixed veg curry, a dessert, a glass of buttermilk, and two flattened veg kebabs.
The accompanying curries were really well spiced and bound perfectly with the rice and soft roti. The mushroom soup, which I confused for kheer, tasted super creamy and buttery. I loved everything about the Thali from the silky paneer to the refreshing, spiced buttermilk and the dessert, kesari bhath, was well prepared without killing you with the sugar and ghee.
Truly, a Thali worth the Price.

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Reviewed by Aisha 3 days ago
ODEL has been undergoing some refurbishing in the last couple of months. While its interior is pretty much untouched and is still the same, it looks great on the outside.
Appearances


Overall, it's a massive upgrade and quite aesthetically pleasing. There's a spacious courtyard, with foodstalls bordering it and plenty of greenery. The furnishing is tastefully done — wickerwork with glass-topped tables — and there seems to be more seating facilities. A few of the stalls are still closed, but should be open soon since the signage and hoardings were all up.

Food and Drinks

You have about nine outlets to choose from:

1. Mabroc (bubble tea)
2. Il Gelato
3. Roots
4. Mango Tree / Jack Tree
5. Regent (rice and curry)
6. Elephant House (sausages, not ice cream)
7. Seafood Shack
8. Cafe Nihonbashi
9. Sugar Bistro

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Reviewed by Sarah 1 week ago සිංහල

The Cafe Fort has been around for a while exhibiting a large red sign that you cannot miss. It's a nice place to grab some rice and curry for lunch or some snacks if you're in the area.
Food & Drinks

Vishvi and I headed in at lunch time which was perfect because they were just starting to bring out the food. There's a serving counter where they've displayed fried rice, normal white rice and biriyani. The curries were a well prepared beetroot curry, dhal, raw dambala (winged bean), some well cooked chicken curry and poppadoms on the side.

I decided to get the biriyani (Rs. 300), which comes with a hard boiled egg, fried chicken along with a small helping of mango and mint chutney. There's also a few chunks of potato buried here and there which made me really happy. The rice itself is rather bland, but it's still good value for money at Rs. 300.

The Rice and Curry (Rs. 200) was a winner with the rice being cooked just right, and all the curries on the side freshly prepared, seasoned well and balanced out. The best part about both portions was they're perfect for one person and quite filling.

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Reviewed by Aisha 2 weeks ago

Street Burgers is a burger truck on Marine Drive which operates for about 5 hours in the evening: from 6PM to 10.30 or 11PM. Perched almost opposite Ozo, it's quite conspicious as it has some bright white lights going on in that dark road which, for some reason, doesn't utilize its streetlights.
Impressions


The truck is run by 4 friendly young men, all who are pretty tied up tossing patties a la Spongebob. They're pretty good patties — but I'm jumping ahead of myself here. Prices aren't cheap, with most burgers costing about Rs. 400 and above on average. They also serve fries and boneless, grilled chicken.
Excuse the really bad photos — even with our phones providing light, it was all still dark.

We ordered a Hot Rod (Rs. 450), which is supposed to be a spicy burger filled with jalapenos and a juicy beef patty.
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Fin

So far, so good. The only things we didn't really like was the lack of lighting and the prep time, but their beef patties are a clear winner.

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Perched on top of the OZO Colombo is the equally swanky ON14 Rooftop Lounge & Bar. Pool bar by day and lounge bar by night, ON14 is one of the highest spots for a drink in the city.

Reviewed by Kinita 4 months ago

A city hotel with a popular bar, OZO and its rooftop remain popular a couple years on after their opening.
Ambience


ON14's lofty position as Colombo's tallest rooftop bar was usurped by Cloud Red (26th floor as opposed to 14th), but its view is still one of the best in the city. The bar offers unhindered sights of the horizon, charming aerial views of the shoreline, and a vantage look at the coastal railcars trundling along.

There's also a pretty substantial indoor section (and upstairs too, but we've never seen that used), which is mainly used to house a DJ playing slick tunes. It's usually contemporary light house/ pop which does well to blend into the tropical vibe.
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What you're really paying for here is the spectacular view. The service, like the crowd, is a bit of a mixed bag, but we've found their cocktails to be consistently great, and the food well done. Overall, you're still looking at one of the best sunset spots in Colombo.

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Agra is another one of those rare fine dining Indian restaurants in Colombo. They're not cheap but we think their food is definitely worth the price.

Reviewed by Aisha 2 months ago සිංහල

Tucked in next to Independence Square, stepping into Agra is a lot like stepping into an Indian fairytale — at least in terms of ambience. Dimly lit with oriental music, Agra is a North Indian restaurant with pretty solid (albeit expensive) Food.


Atmosphere and Service


Comprising of a large dining area which could easily host a large gathering, you get compartmentalized seating areas which are perfect for a cosy family meal, or even date night. It's actually dark, with warm yellow lighting and good airconditioning.
The waitstaff leaves you well alone (it's a bit hard to get their attention if they're not around, and there aren't many around), and are friendly, efficient, and helpful. There's plenty of privacy, especially during weekday lunch hours.

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Conclusion


We really enjoyed our meal here, except for the biryani which was a let down. It's a great place for a quiet meeting (really quiet, given that we were the only diners there) or a date, except for when you want to get the waitstaff's attention because they tend to not be around when you need them. Add to that, the taxes and service charges are pretty high, so keep that in mind when you're ordering. Our total came to nealry 6000 rupees, which is a lot for what we had.

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REVIEWED BY AISHA 2 MONTHS AGOසිංහල

Upali's is the go-to place for a satisfying and authentic Sri Lankan dining experience which doesn't break your bank. Yes, the price tag is way more than you would pay for a pol-sambol or chicken curry elsewhere, but the difference here is that this is a nice restaurant with good service, and not a roadside joint.
Food and Drink

Sticking to a purely Sri Lankan menu, you know what you're getting here. With everything from sambols, rottis, soups and curries to dedicated vegetarian options, there's a spread that would satisfy any spice lover. They've even got roast paan. We got that along with a side of pol sambol with our Elumas Kaluwata Uyala, (black mutton curry), which was one of the more expensive items on the menu at Rs. 900 but with enough curry for two people.

The boneless version of this mutton curry is around Rs. 1150, but even the one with bones barely had any. The meat was soft and packed in a lot of flavour (both the meat's own flavour and the spice rubbed in it), and had a decent amount of delicious fatty bits in as well.

I got a Temperadu Buth (Rs. 230) with Kukul Mas Mirisata (Rs. 350) and a Gotukola Sambolaya (Rs. 250) (tempered rice, spicy chicken, and a gotukola sambol). You have to order the rice and curries separately, but the curries are enough for about two or three people. The food isn't inventive because it's your regular local cuisine, but it is brilliantly prepared and unpretentious.
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Upali's is definitely one of our favourite Sri Lankan restaurants out there. While you can find great local fare all over the island, these guys pair it with a lovely family-friendly space and service in the heart of the city!

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An Indian streetfood joint with ridiculously reasonable prices.
Reviewed by Aisha
1 week ago

Colombo is severely short of Chaat — those savoury Indian snacks filled with explosive (vegetarian) flavours. We only had the rather eccentric Indian Chaat Corner, and now, we have this: The Chaat Kade. With superb service and great food, we've only (mostly) nice things to say about our experience here.
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Food and Drink

Despite being called chaat kade, they've got more than just vegetarian chaats going on: scroll quickly through the brief menu which advertises parotas, street delicacies, desserts, and drinks. Given the affordability of the whole thing, I freely ordered across the whole menu with no regrets.
We got everything for take-away after work and then headed over to Marine Drive to eat in peace, so please excuse the terrible lighting in the photos.

The Dahi Puri comes on a bed of watery tamarind sauce/ dip and topped Sev, and the waitstaff mentioned that it's best eaten fresh because it gets soggy otherwise — so we had those as soon as it was ready. Looks a mess, but absolutely delicious: the curd on top adds an added tang while also balancing out the stronger chutney mixed in it.

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Conclusion

Is this worth your time? Yes. The money? Definitely yes. There's nothing we'd nitpick here (except perhaps the tea and the soggy bread, but the latter is probably our fault for having kept it waiting until we were done taking badly-lit photos).

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Reviewed by Imaad
1 year ago

Open from the crack of dawn till midnight, this is a great, clean rice-and- curry stop with quail on the menu.
This humble little restaurant is a serious contender in the rice-and-curry game, offering unlimited rice and sides for Rs. 110. As a bonus, they also offer quail, (yes, quail) for Rs. 260.

If you work around this part of Colombo, you need to try lunch here. It's been around for 18 years and has been renovated this year, and is quite clean for a cheap rice-and-curry place. Its location in the middle of Pettah makes it less than accessible to most, but the food is great and the general mood quite pleasant. They're open from the crack of dawn until midnight.
The Food


I tried the rice and curry (Rs 110) with the side dishes of the day, which included brinjal, carrot curry, parippu and pol sambol. The rice was well-cooked and you can serve up as much as you want. We'll get to the sides later, that's not what I threw myself halfway across Colombo for. Let's get to the quail.

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Dottie's English Tea Room is finally back! They had some issues with their spot on Rosmead Place, but they've returned on a smaller scale at the Alexandra & Ward Cafe birdcage at ODEL. It's currently open from 3-6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, but are planning to expand with a full menu and opening times 6 days a week.

The Dining & Drinks
For now, the menu is restricted to Afternoon Tea, a selection of tea, and desserts. We opted for the Afternoon Tea (Rs. 2000 per person), along with a slice of the cake of the day, which luckily for us ended up being a Chocolate Brownie (Rs. 500).

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Reviewed by indi
2 days ago
Monsoon serves amazing South-East Asian food in a beautiful location at the end of Park Street Mews. You should go.
As a Sri Lankan I like punchy spices, a lot of flavor and rice or noodles. Hence, a top-class restaurant that serves Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai and Vietnamese fills a good niche here. People like those cuisines generally, and Monsoon does them very well.
The Food

Let's start with the Hainese Chicken (Rs. 950). Despite its Chinese name, it's an immigrant dish, the national dish of Singapore.
I'll just mention three ingredients.

• The rice: perfectly cooked and flavorful without any additions.
• The stock: served on the side, the stock was a clear and savory soup, worth sipping on its own.
• The chicken: soft (not overcooked) with that delicious jelly-skin.

Those are the basics of the dish and they were executed perfectly. The accompanying sides and sauces were just icing on the cake.

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