Some more from the Land of Scenic Beauty: "Lanka" in search of pure beauty of nature and good food

My constant urge for good food can take me anywhere in the world. I can live without good house but no ways about good food. I don’t mind splurging my entire saving for the sake of good food. Sri Lanka is famous for its diversity in landscape, natural beauty and the friendliness of its people.

I have visited Colombo twice (once in 2006 and the second time in 2010) and I am quite positive about making a third visit sometime soon in my life for the sake of diversity of its food. This is one factor that goes relatively unnoticed to the rest of the world. Food traditions from all over the world come in to the limelight in Colombo. Recipes spanning from the Far East to the spicy fresh cuisines from India and the local delicacies wrapped with fresh herbs and spices are something too difficult to resist.

The food in Colombo is a reflection of its rich and varied history. Naturally there is a lot of seafood; what else would you expect on an island in the Indian Ocean? But there is also a whole lot more, such as spicy curries and a strong Indian influence in the cuisine. You won’t go hungry being in Colombo with a wide selection of restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops serving a range of Sri Lankan, South Asian, Eastern, Western and fusion cuisine. For a true taste of Sri Lankan cuisine, try one of the smaller eateries serving local hawker-style favorites like string hoppers, lamprais, koththu roti and biryani.

 

Yummy ric e wrapped and cooked inside banana leaf

I can talk good about the variety of restaurants in Colombo but one place which has really caught my attention and more precisely my taste buds: is the “Beach Wadiya" restaurant. It is an unpretentious sea food joint off a virgin beach along Galle face but you do get surprise by the scanty vegetarian spread which is very fresh and looks like it’s planted in your backyard garden. Some of it comes from the sea world. The sea weed and other exotic stuff which you don’t get to eat anywhere else. I was lucky to get some pictures of some of the dishes that they serve.


Butter pepper Crab



Fresh Menu of the Day

Olwyn Werasekara, the owner of the restaurant had no prior training in the Industry but it was his love for the food of south that motivated him to get into the restaurant business. While seating in the restaurant you can feel the sand beneath your feet and the sound of the beating sea waves is just too fascinating and a divine experience to go through while enjoying your meal.  The wall of the restaurant is full of photographs of cricketers and famous celebrities from all over the world. You can possibly get your eyes set on each and every popular Asian cricketer. The owner told me that Dravid and Gavasker are one of their greatest patronages. The owner will happily show you the high Tsunami marks on the wall which affected the restaurant so badly that it was totally submerged into the water but the love for the food was much stronger to get it back running in its full swing.

The best part is the menu, which they hand over to you, the moment you make yourself comfortable on the table. It’s a plate full of fresh fish that had been caught for the day and ready to be grilled/cooked/baked or cooked according to your liking and taste. You can get your meal customized according to your liking. Where else in the world you can feel so special and royal while enjoying a divinely crafted meal just for the “sake of taste”

Beach Wadiya has attracted a popular following for decades, including an impressive list of celebrities: Princess Anne and Richard Branson, among others. You have to come early to pick a table inside the weather-beaten beach shack or outside in the sand, order a chilled Three Coins beer while a waiter fills you in on the day’s catch, and receive your specially customised grilled or fried seafood platter. You also have to take take care when entering the restaurant: you have to cross the railway tracks and there is no signal when trains approach :) but anything for the sake of good food and as they say in Hindi “पापी पेट का सवाल हैं"

So if you guys really want to feel divine and you are an ardent fan of sea food like parwns, sea weed, lobsters and exotic fish cooked delicately simmered in aromatic herbs and spices and to lock its aroma in your heart- This place is surely worth visiting once in a lifetimes. How about creating your own top 100 list of heavenly places on earth to eat. If the answer is yes! It’s time to pack your bags and discover the rich tradition of Sri Lanka and I bet what better way than-eating your heart out :) After all it’s food for life!

Now I need to ask you all food lovers about something

very special:

Have you heard of something called “fara” and “saloni”

I am sure for most of you, its relatively a new term for your dictionary…

So watch out for my next Post on to get the recipe of

“Fara” -The Indian Authentic rustic desi momo  and 

“Saloni”-The  Queen of Winter”