If anyone is keeping count, this is the end of the 33rd week of this year, and we’ve got a list of some good places that you should check out.
Masma EAT BBQ
Masma EAT (මස්ම Eat) is a relatively new BBQ spot near Kottawa. They’ve got different meats ready to be grilled up – pork ribs, pork chops, bockwurst, sausages, fish, chicken legs and wings.
Their platters feature an assortment of proteins they serve, which is ideal if you're dining as a group. The honey glazed pork ribs were our favourite with a mouth-watering pork flavour leaning on the sweet side. It had plenty of smokiness with a bitterness from the charred bits. We can also suggest their pork chops that came packed with delicious meaty, porky goodness.
The Claws
Negombo is known for its seafood, and we had the pleasure of trying one of the newest additions to the seafood scene in the city – The Claws. If you are wandering around Negambo this weekend and need a place to try some good seafood, this is a good bet.
Their Fried Whole King Fish (Rs. 2400) turned out to be an excellent recommendation from the waiter. This paraw fish was packed with a boatload of fresh seafood goodness. It can easily fill up two hungry tummies. The soft, chunky, white flesh was delicious and rich in flavour while the well-seasoned batter had a delightful crisp. We thought their Pepper Prawns (Rs. 1100) was quite good too, especially to pair a mug of beer or a plate of rice with.
Cafe 97
Cafe 97 is the welcome addition to the food scene in Colombo, and it's done by Tasty Caterers. We highly recommend their Butterscotch Eclair (Rs. 150) for how delicious it was. The butterscotch had a tinge of saltiness elevating its deliciousness and the choux pastry wasn't too sweet and complimented the butterscotch well. Their Strawberry Virgin Mojito is the epitome of a good mojito and we suggest you definitely try it out if you plan to drop by.
The cherry on top was the ambience of this place. We loved the cottage structure, with the huge glass windows and comfy wooden seats with impeccably clean indoors. It can be perfect for a coffee date or a meetup for a friendly chat.
Roots Gelato (Colombo City Centre)
Roots Gelato is one of the two local gelato makers in the country and they whip up some excellent flavour combos. Their Colombo City Centre branch comes with a dedicated seating space too, which is even better.
We love their Chocolate Biscuit Pudding Gelato (Rs. 400) for its delectable charm drawn by Bellissima CBP infused. With bits of Marie harmonised with the flavour of chocolate, it's the ultimate gelato flavour. They also do a Wild Wilberry Sorbet (Rs 250) that will shock you and wake you up with its blast of berry flavour.
Il Caffè (Colombo City Centre)
Il Caffe found its new roots on the lobby/ ground floor of CCC serving quality Illy coffee brews.
Their food is of good quality and we observed them taking time and careful with their preparations. The Pollo Sandwich (Rs. 650) we got sported a good balance of flavour. Made with a baguette that had a bit of sweetness, the filling here was comprised of a piece of juicy chicken breast, and tomato and lettuce which added a fresh crunch.
There isn't a lot of places that you can score a Pistachio Milkshake, and Il Caffe does an excellent one.