*This post is brought to you by EGB.
You've been brexiting, and the clock is preparing to break the spell on Cinderella and send her home. Except, there's no food at home, and you've been on the dancefloor all night, and now you're ravenous.
Where to now?
Colombo is a gold-mine for some stupendous late-night grub, and while at some places you crawl out and travel under the starless sky just for the food from a specific place, not all the places that do offer food at this time are legit. So you might be compelled to take a few too many bathroom breaks the next day.
Hoppers
It feels like, over the years, the places that do hoppers have significantly increased. These tasty treats, with its crunchy, crispy outer rim and the soft middle still hits the same way with some spicy lunu miris. One of the best places that perfects this treat is, we believe, the Uva Hotel, who has been around for many years now. You're looking for a drink that will complete the meal and make it that much more filling, all the while, being Sri Lankan? EBG is your go-to.
Kottu
Kottu is undoubtedly amongst the top go-tos when it comes to late-night food. And luckily, you have plenty of places scattered everywhere around town who present different renditions of this most delectable meal us Sri Lankans immensely enjoy. Some of the places we absolutely love are the iconic Hotel De Plaza and the Pilawoos which have been in the kottu game for quite some time now, and the fact that they're available until late, is a huge bonus.
We also have Kottu Labs who have an arsenal of great, delectable kottu and of course, The Islandic (Flamingo House), who adds a unique twist of their own to this Lankan staple. Chances are the portions might sometimes prove a bit too large, and at such an instance having an EGB as your companion is just the right choice.
Rotis
A quick fix? A chicken roti, or an egg parata: ideal. This category covers a huge range of items that are based on the roti and fillings and can be found in almost every handiye kadey. Two of the best places that do amazing renditions is the Uva Hotel and Praneetha. If you are looking for some exotic roti based dishes you can try the Onion Parata at Moksha Vegetarian or the Murthaba Roti at the Hotel De Plaza. An EGB to compliment whatever roti you choose will be a match made in heaven.
Burgers
Most of the burger places are closed by the end of your party-ing hour, and the ones that are open: inadequate. Two of the best places that are open and has some tantalisingly good burgers and submarines are the infamous Fazly's and the new kid on the block, which is fast gaining popularity, the Grill Mansion. Both these places are at the top of their game and are cheap and well done. And on the expensive side, we have Street Burger. An EGB can cut through the fattiness of a dish, cleanse your palate, and complement ingredients in ways you could not imagine.
BBQ
There's nothing better than a sizzling platter ladened with juicy, fatty cuts of grilled meats, dressed in a sweet, spicy and tangy sauce, or old-school salt-and-pepper rubs and for a late-night meal. M'eat Us, who are solely dedicated to barbecuing meats – from chicken and beef to sausages, is one of the best bets that you check out in this regard. Or check out one of these places.
There are some food pairings that have almost become one: kiribath and lunu miris, curd and kithul, hoppers and katta sambol, and of course, an unspoken rule of "No EGB, No Food." Paired up with some good ol' meat, EGB is the soft-drink to have.
Isso Wade
You already know where we are going with this. Undoubtedly the most frequented public park in Colombo, the Galle Face is also home to some of the best isso wade places in town! Freshly fried wade, the tangy taste of the crunchy prawns and the singing sea; relishing, and available any day of the year. You're undoubtedly going to be hella thirsty as the tinge of salt from the isso wade hits, and the cold EGB running down your throat is going to be super refreshing!
Fried Rice
For those of you who simply aren't satisfied until you have some good ol' fried rice, one of your best bets is the Lotus Leaf Restaurant, where you can also hang out and catch the last few minutes of a match. There's also Hotel De Plaza and Pilawoos, or you can check with one of Colombo's many, many Chinese restaurants. Most of them are not open after 10.00 PM, but there're a few options mentioned in the above list that you can go for. The spiciness of the rice, along with the strong taste of the EGB makes it the perfect drink to wash your meal down.
Well, that's our brief roundup. Happy eating, but also make sure you don't give your mother too much worrying by being out too late!