Gandhara Crafts, Colombo

Gandhara Crafts @ Stratford Avenue

When I visited Cafe Che in my first month in Colombo, I also stumbled upon a fantastic arts gallery located just a few doors away. I am not an avid fan of viewing antique furniture or excited over the little artifacts, neither am I a person who will purposely visit a gallery because it's 'interesting' to do so.


The building itself is an art!

But, as the saying goes "Never say never". My (almost) 3 months here has cultivated an interest in these things which I once thought to be boring and extremely ancient objects. Perhaps it's the free time that I have wandering the city alone that trigger this sudden interest. Gandhara Crafts is one of those I do not mind visiting again and again just to see 'what's new' at the store.

It houses an art gallery, antique furniture, artifacts, household deco items, coffee table books, and small knick knack souvenirs.


Arts gallery
I fell in love with this piece of grayscale junior monks painting. It's at a pricetag of Rs. 89,500 (RM2,500)! Should I or should I not??


Colourful cotton bedding/ pillow/ table sheets
Sri Lanka is a major exporter of garments and textiles. Their cotton are needless to say one of the bestest quality!


Household deco items
Candle holders never look so interesting!


Buddha artifacts and deco items


Household deco items


Even things from the sea....
Everyone can be Dora the Explorer!


There's just too many rooms to explore!


Toys made out of fabric


Say hello to the new proud owner of this painting!

Now.... where do I find a house to put this..........


Gandhara Crafts
28, Stratford Avenue,
Kirulapane, Colombo 06,
Sri Lanka.
Tel: +94112596329
Website: www.gandharacrafts.com

"24 dish Epicurean Menu" @ Tao, Cinnamon Grand Colombo

Starry starry night...

Last week, I decided to pay a visit to Tao @ Cinnamon Grand Hotel for their much publicized "24-dish Epicurean Menu" said to be the only degustation menu in Sri Lanka at Rs. 2,030 (before tax: Rs. 1,600) ~ RM56/USD18. Now, do note the punctuation marks I'm using...

I'm always up for new places and this should be an interesting one too I thought.

Pictures ahead, I'll summarize the overall rather than going through the dishes individually.

Starters


Prawn & avocado rice paper rolls with soya chili sauce


Chicken floss caesar salad


Smoked turkey with mango salsa


Cheesy green cucumber rolls with miso glaze & pickled chilies


Blue lip mussels with matsuhisa salsa


Sauteed vegetable rolls wrapped in rice paper


Smoked portobello & red bell pepper napolean on crostini

Soups


From top: Tomato & vongole soup; Chilled avocado & jalapeno pepper soup; Celery bisque with almond flakes

Mains


Asian spiced mini shepherd's pie served with red curry hinted lamb jus


Soya glazed pan fried salmon & jasmine rice with curry sauce


Lemon & lime lamb ossobucco


Roast duck on noodle cake with hoisin sauce


Green asparagus with mozzarella cheese sauce


Grilled vegetable stack with polenta on basil tomato coulis


Chili garlic lobster on potato risotto

Desserts


From left: Chocolate ginger pudding with toffee caramel ice cream; Olive chocolate cream with wild berries; Strawberry citron crunch & cinnamon pralines with berry coulis


From top: Blueberry & mascarpone tart; Espresso creme brulee


From top: Baileys banana cream with chip cheese towers; Deluxe fruit platter with raspberry sorbet


Complimentary arrack cocktail shot & icing sugar cashew nuts



Bo ho ma stuh tee & please come again!

I think they're some terribly confused food, you may see a mixture of east and west ideas in the food but there is also literally an explosion of taste, a less pleasant one that is. I think people should learn to understand that putting rice with lamb and pan fried salmon, or curry sauce with lobster does not = fusion. I wish the seafood were cooked in simple ways like steaming or grilling to retain its natural taste of sweetness rather than immersed in overpowering sauces. If I was asked to name the worst dish, it would be the ones with grilled vegetables which are overcooked and have weird sauces. Perhaps the only one item that I like out of the 24 is the small tiny strawberry citron crunch cinnamon pralines with berry. Giving fancy names to a dish also does not equate to fusion!

Despite the many flaws, here's some positive notes to my visit:
1. It's still considerably cheap even after conversion to any currencies. 24 dishes (though small) for Rs. 2000 / USD18 / RM56?! Are you even kidding?!
2. Big on bragging rights to say "I'm having 24 dishes for dinner tonight!" I posted the update to my facebook and garnered alot of comments on it.
3. The ambience more than make up the less than impressive food. If you think you're getting bad food, think of it as you're paying to eat while overlooking a koi pond and beautiful night lights.

P/s: What the heck is matsuhisa, ossobucco, coulis, polenta, anyway?!



Tao @ Cinnamon Grand
77, Galle Road,
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Website: Tao Cinnamon Grand
Reservations: +94 11 2497 369

[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]

First Experience with 1-star Michelin Dinner

Chef Serge Chenet

I had initially wanted to dine at Spoons (Hilton's resident fine dining restaurant), but diverted to Ginza Hohsen (the resident Japanese restaurant) after I checked out the menu and noticed they had a visiting 1-star Michelin chef. There was only 1 reason for the diversion - I didn't bring enough money! I promised myself I'll return the next evening for this, and so I did!


Complimentary bread & olive pate

I had very high expectations, or rather very hyped up and excited over the experience. After all, how many Michelin starred chefs are there in KL, now especially if there is one in Colombo! I knew it was gonna be an opportunity not to be missed. So last Sunday, I returned to Hilton again which was my 3rd night on the row (I swear the tuk tuk driver outside my apartment was starting to have this impression on me as 'the girl who goes to Hilton every night for dinner' and knew my standard offer would be 200 rupees per trip). I casually walked in to the fame restaurant, looked through the menu and picked a duck dish for mains and a mille feuille for dessert. Don't ask about drinks - usually I go for complimentary iced water but in this case I had to pay for a bottle of cold mineral water.


"Duo of Duck" Pan fried duck breast and honey lavender caramelised leg, turnips confit, and vinegar jus- Rs. 2,200 (RM60)

I requested for my duck dish to be done in medium rare, just like how I like my red meat to be. When the dish came, presentation wise it's decent. As for the taste, I like it because it taste decent too but it's not what I am expecting for a Michelin-starred chef... I was expecting more! There was no burst of flavours, melt-in-you-mouth sensations, not orgasmic definitely... just another plain and expensive duck dish in a nicer restaurant which happens to be in a hotel.


Chocolate coated mille feuille with fresh mint and fresh cream with cocoa sherbet- Rs. 750 (RM21)

Attracted by the 'mint' flavour in this dessert, I was expecting a strudel-pastry texture, crispy and fluffy with cream to melt it all down but instead (again, presentation is good, BUT...) the bottom layer of the mille feuille was just hard, the mint didn't have any minty refreshing taste I was looking for, instead with my eyes open as I was eating this it felt like a green tea cream. I was not sure if it's supposed to be hot or cold as it was served room temperature and to me desserts should either be H or C, a room-temperature dessert is as good as eating melted ice cream or unchilled beer - yucks! Despite the many huge flaws in this dessert, the only thing I love was the cocoa sherbet... cold and strong cocoa taste.


Foamy chocolate mousse flavoured with arabica and cream cheese sherbet- Rs. 750

The General Manager of Hilton was making his rounds at the restaurant and I spoke to him on my less than impressed experience with the dessert. He offered me another one which was supposingly one of the best. I accepted with good gestures, preparing to be wowed.



While it's not not half as bad as the earlier mille feuille, this does not impress me much either. I'm not even sure if it's appropriate to say my favourite item of the whole dessert was the chocolate deco (I'm not sure what is the proper term to describe it, enlighten me if you do). Certainly doesn't leave much to say when you like the little side dishes/decos more than the star of the dish iteself, huh?

In my most humble opinion, it was a disappointment.



Spoons @ Hilton Colombo
2, Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha,
Colombo 2, Sri Lanka.
Tel: +94 11 2544 644
For the regular menu, refer to here


[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]

The Bayleaf Restaurant, Colombo

The Yuletide season decorations adorned The Bayleaf ; White furniture and brown wooden planks... these are a few of my favourite things

On Christmas day last year, I spent the afternoon at The Commons Coffeehouse and the evening dinner at The Bayleaf Restaurant. While the cuisines on offer at both eateries is a world of difference, the former a coffeehouse with sweet and savoury rotti and western style burgers and sandwiches on its menu, and the latter is an Italian themed restaurant with a more exquisite dining environment, both are connected by a single line to the Harpo's F&B Group. Visiting The Bayleaf actually completed one of my gastronomic resolution here which is to dine at all 4 of the Harpo's restaurants.


Wooden staircase and a Christmas tree; Ravioli di Anatra- Rs. 1150; Soup of the day: Mushroom Soup - Rs. 400; The Grand Colonial mansion

I love colonial buildings and mansions. There is something about them that exudes architectural charms and character, history and nostalgic values that modern buildings lack. The Bayleaf is a winner in terms of dining ambience, after all, where better to have a 'cultured' meal than a 'cultured' place? I chose to sit at the upper balcony overlooking the big garden (one more reason to like colonial buildings, they always have big gardens and long driveway!) and Christmasy lights lit up the rather dull Gregory Rd.

While ambience takes full points, the food is less than inspiring in my humble opinion. I had a struggle to choose either from the special Christmas menu or from the regular menu. Since it's not exactly cheap even after currency conversion and with the mentality of 'seasonal menu are often a rip off and food quality is always low due to mass production', I opted for a soup of the day and a ravioli dish from the regular menu. It was mushroom soup- looks and taste as ordinary as the can of Campbells at home. The ravioli portion was generous but the skin is thick and the duck stuffing tasted like pate (and I don't like pate) though the tomato + cream + oregano + vodka sauce was right, not overpowering.

I decided to save my bucks and skip desserts. Perhaps I would return again to give it another try, on a non festive day that is.


Also read:
Cafe Che at Stratford Avenue
The Commons Coffeehouse at Flower Road
Park Street Mews at Park Street



The Bayleaf
Gregory's Road,
Colombo 07, Sri Lanka.
Website: www.bayleafcolombo.com

[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]

Park Street Mews, Colombo

Park Street Mews

Having been to all the eatery options from the Harpo's F&B Group, I find Park Street Mews the most plain Jane of all. Or perhaps the word to describe it is 'casual'. While Cafe Che has a certain Che Guevera theme to it, The Commons Coffeehouse has a home-away-from-home ambience, and The Bayleaf with it's colonial charms, Park Street Mews didn't quite fit in to any of the categories simply because it just seems like any other cafe to me. Unfortunately when I visited the cafe it was quite empty and it's emptiness magnified especially when the space it occupies is considerably huge. On the positive side, it would make a great hangout place for big groups of people.


Tortilla wrap of baby shrimps tossed in garlic mayonnaise with chillie, mango, coriander, onion and tomato- Rs. 500

I had a humble birthday lunch celebration for myself here last year. Park Street Mews menu is similar to Cafe Che's but has a more extensive dinner options of steaks and seafood. The tortilla wrap option I chose was simple, perhaps even out of this world combination of shrimps and mango but it tasted fine though I would love the shrimps to be bigger in size and juicier and the tortilla wrap thinner.


Tiramisu ice parfait- Rs. 340

Since it was my birthday and I usually skip desserts especially when dining alone, I decided a birthday cake/ dessert would be appropriate. I love tiramisu (the authentic ones with mascarpone cheese, rum/ brandy/ coffee soaked layers of biscuits and cocoa powder dusting- yums) but the ice parfait option didn't quite cut it. Perhaps I should known better that coffee flavour ice cream is NOT tiramisu.

Oh well, Happy Birthday to me last year and the Year of Rabbit beckons.... My Year, My Way!


Also read:
Cafe Che at Stratford Avenue
The Commons Coffeehouse at Flower Road


Park Street Mews
50/1, Park Street,
Colombo 02,
Sri Lanka.
Business hours: Mon - Fri : 8am - 11pm, Sat - Sun : 8am - Midnight
Delivery service is available: 486 9000
Website: www.parkstreetmewsrestaurant.com

[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]

Coco Veranda, Colombo

32 Ward Place; Order & pay; Menu board; Cakes cabinet

I'm always on a lookout for places to chill, have my lunch, do a bit of web surfing and basically spend my weekend afternoons. I found Coco Veranda on the god's greatest gift to mankind: the internet and Godgle, oops I mean Google.


Virgin Chocolate Frappe- Rs. 340 + 80 for whipped cream; BFB Beef Burger- Rs. 700; Teriyaki Chicken Ciabatta- Rs. 420

Coco Veranda is said to be the local coffee place alternative to the likes of Coffeebean and Barista. Much to my dismay there is no Starbucks in Sri Lanka, not because I love the coffee so much but it gives me a comfort feeling that there are things that I can associate back home just like how spotting a McD is in a foreign land (yes I know Starbucks and McD are not Malaysian brands)

May I digress a little.

I have never loudly proclaim to be a fan of homegrown/ Made in Malaysia products but when you're away from the country, the slightest sight of a Malaysian brand or product or even spotting descriptions at the back of the cornflakes box in Bahasa Malaysia is enough to put a smile on my face (Knowing that hey I can read and understand the descriptions!)


At the 'veranda'; Virgin Vanilla Frappe- Rs. 340; Coco Veranda's version of the Starbucks lady; Peach Crush- Rs. 410

Back to Coco Veranda, it's located at Ward Place which I understand is an area to want to be seen and is mostly populated by expats and the rich... though so far I've never seen much foreigners in this area, but I have noticed that people who patrons Coco Veranda are usually the English speaking, young and modern Sri Lankans. It is a nice place to have a meet up with friends over a piece of cake and a cup of coffee.


Death by Chocolate- Rs. 390; Hazelnut Rocher- Rs. 380

The food is nothing spectacular to shout about, you get the usual sandwiches and burgers and a little selection of pasta while the beverages usually dominates the menu with an array of juices, frappe, ice blended, hot tea and coffee. I like the Virgin Chocolate Frappe but was disappointed with the Vanilla version and the Peach Crush was refreshing but really expensive! As for the cakes, though Death by Chocolate came highly recommended from the internet and Foursquare tips, I thought the Hazelnut Rocher was the better of the two as it feels like eating a melt down big piece of Ferrero Rocher. The burger and sandwich was ok.

I wouldn't mind returning again for a 3rd visit, especially when it has free wifi :-) 32 Ward Place also houses a few boutiques.


Coco Veranda
32 Ward Place,
Colombo 7,
Sri Lanka.

[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]

The Commons Coffeehouse, Colombo

The Commons

There is something common about The Commons with Cafe Che. It's another cafe concept from the Harpo's Group and it's all about providing a common place for people to chill, eat and meet up.


Bottom L-R: Rotti with Devilled Crab Meat- Rs. 265, Mandarin Juice- Rs. 295, Rotti with Brownie and Chocolate Sauce- Rs. 235, Mandarin Frappe in the background- Rs. 285

Coincidentally, this coffeehouse is a walking distance from the place I am staying put. I've been here on 2 occasions on the weekend. I must say I quite like the comfortable and cozy environment where one can choose to sit at the couch areas (great especially if you're with a bigger group) or at the normal tables and chairs area (the only downside is there fit too many tables at one place and can get slightly congested when there's more customers).

The cuisines are not anything extraordinary, you get the usual cafe offerings- sandwiches, wraps, burgers and pasta which are all very modern Western fares. Apart from that, you also get the rotti variety- Rotti: If you're familiar with Malaysian or Singaporean cuisines, it's the same as Roti Canai or Prata. Usually rotti is eaten with sambal or curry but here they offer a slight twist to cater to the non-Sri Lankan customers. There are a variety of savoury and sweet fillings to choose from. I had the Devilled Curry and Brownie with Chocolate Sauce versions. Both taste good and definitely simple but satisfying.


Baked Crab- Rs. 560

On my second visit, I tried the Baked Crab dish which proves to be a combination of crab meat, onions, cous cous and a host of other spices, and cheese baked. It was quite comforting especially eating them with the toasted garlic bread and hot potato wedges.

The beverages are towards the pricier end in my humble opinion, but this is where I get my fix of Mandarin Frappe. There is nothing more satisfying to a meal than having a glass of chilled Mandarin juice or frappe.

Free wifi is also available here. Perhaps my only grudge is that the VAT + Service tax which amounts to 25% of the meal! Expect to spend at least Rs. 800 - 1000 for a decent meal.

Also read:
Cafe Che, Colombo


The Commons
39A, Flower Road,
Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
Biz hours: Sun - Thu 11am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 11am - Midnight
Delivery available: 4869000
Website: http://www.thecommonscolombo.com/

[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]