By Raisa Wickrematunge Pictures by Pavithra De Mello

Sri Lanka is an island, and on some nights, you want to dine al fresco, with the waves lapping nearby. If that’s what appeals to you, the best place to stop by for a meal is along the Mount Lavinia stretch, where there is a string of restaurants along the beach.

One of these is the Boat Haus Café. Featuring a rustic, but charming exterior, this restaurant allows you to enjoy your dinner on the beach, by candlelight.

The interior is no less atmospheric – vintage posters hang on the walls, and tiny wooden boats dangle from the ceiling. Right near the door, you’ll notice a fridge in which is displayed, on ice, the fresh catch of the day.

Ironically, many of the beach restaurants down this strip don’t serve something as simple as fish and chips – one or two don’t even have seafood on the menu. Happily, Boat Haus Café does have fresh seafood on offer.

You can try the garlic prawns, a much-ordered item on the menu. What’s nice about this dish is that the chef doesn’t try to drown the prawn in a thick, creamy aioli. Instead, the prawns are tossed in a garlic and chilli oil which allows the prawns to retain their salty-sweet flavour. It is not too spicy either – even though there are flecks of green chilli on the prawns. Be warned though – it is quite an oily dish. The prawns come served on a bed of garlic or vegetable rice, although you can also have French fries. There’s also a refreshing, light salad as an accompaniment. This dish uses the smaller prawns, so make sure to specify the amount you would like.

Boat Haus also serves up a lot more in the way of seafood. You can have your pick of an entire grilled mullet with the same garlic sauce, crab in chilli sauce, fried jumbo prawns or even lobster, if you fancy. Of course, you can accompany all this with a side of fried rice for a satisfying, fulfilling meal.

There are also quite a few non seafood items on the menu.

The Boat Haus Café offers pepper steak for the meat lover – it’s quite a decent rendition, well-done but still tender, to cater to the Sri Lankan palate. The steak comes topped with plenty of mushroom-based sauce. However, there’s not a lot of pepper – but it is still a good dish, if you like steak. The steak comes accompanied with mashed potatoes, and is quite a filling dish.

Some of the Boat Haus Café’s most popular dishes, though, include non-seafood items. Their pizzas, for instance, are popularly ordered, as are their creamy pastas (try the carbonara). There’s a section devoted to the devilled dishes which go so well with beer, and even lamb chops.
The service can be a little slow (in fact, it can take quite some time for the food to arrive) but more often than not, if you order smart, it’s worth the wait.

In terms of drinks, there are a lot of fresh fruit juices, as well as a whole range of milkshakes. There is also plenty of beer on tap if you prefer something alcoholic.

All in all, the Boat Haus Café has a pleasant atmosphere, especially al fresco in the evenings, with the waves of the sea lapping not far away, and some fresh seafood on your plate.

PREPARATION

Place coriander leaves in a food processor with garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Process until mixture forms a paste.
Set aside.
Sauté the onions in a pan with ¼ cup of olive oil until light brown.
Add lentils and mix.
Cook on medium heat for a few minutes.
Add the cinnamon and water.
Turn heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn heat to medium, add remaining salt, spinach, potatoes and cilantro (coriander) paste and cook, uncovered, on low heat until lentils are creamy.
Add lemon juice and continue cooking, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
This soup can be served cold, warm or hot.

By Raisa Wickrematunge Pictures by Pavithra De Mello

Walking into the brand new Manhattan Fish Market, you’ll notice that the interior is full of quirky cartoons mixed with sleek white – the effect is welcoming, yet elegant. As you wait, a moving multimedia panel showcases mouth-watering dishes.

Owner Shafraz is a food-lover and has long wanted to open a restaurant.

The Manhattan Fish Market is a franchise which has branches in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and now Sri Lanka, with plans to open a branch in Oman as well.

As the name suggests, Manhattan Fish Market specialises in all things seafood, which is cooked five different ways – baked, poached, grilled, fried and flamed. All the ingredients used are of the highest quality, being flown in all the way from Vietnam, Holland, Chile, China, Australia and even Alaska, according to Shafraz.

Although the restaurant has just been open for a week, there is already a sizable crowd, even on a weekday. This is partly due to an innovative marketing strategy via Facebook which saw the restaurant gain 15,000 fans even before it opened its doors.

Already, there are several dishes emerging as the restaurant’s signature creations.

One of these is the garlic herbed mussels. Perfect as a starter, the mussels are served swimming in a savoury garlic herb sauce which is lightly creamy and delicious – you’ll find yourself reaching for the bread thoughtfully provided. It’s a perfect accompaniment to the tender mussels; it’s no wonder that this is a popular dish.

If mussels aren’t your thing, though, you should probably try the Manhattan fish and chips. The dory fish fillets are fried to a perfect, crunchy golden brown. What sets the Manhattan fish and chips apart is the batter, which is not just crispy but flavourful and well-seasoned as well – while the fish inside is very tender. Accompanied with thick French fries and tartare sauce, this is comfort food at its best.

If spicy food is more your thing, then you should try the spicy baked fish. Wrapped in foil to help lock in flavour, this dish delivers a good whack of chilli, so be prepared- although there’s some rice to counter-balance the spiciness. The fish is so tender that it falls apart when you put a fork to it – in fact it melts in your mouth. The sauce isn’t pure chilli either – once again the fish is skillfully seasoned, providing a spicy yet tangy bite.
Another popular dish is the Manhattan Flaming Seafood Platter. Ideal for sharing, this dish consists of yet more of the crunchy, yet tender dory fillets, fried calamari, oysters and the restaurant’s special flamed prawns, all nestling atop a bed of rice.

The flaming technique involves a little bit of showmanship – a waiter uses a blowtorch to lightly cook the cheesy sauce atop the prawns. The prawns are certainly the highlight of the platter – the decadent sauce highlights the sweet flavour of the prawns, and is delicious with the rice as well.

The fried oysters are also tasty – the crispy batter contrasting with the soft, moist oyster, which still has the taste of the sea. If you enjoy fried seafood (and really, who doesn’t) you’ll love this platter – but you’ll probably be left fighting over who gets that last prawn!
All of this can be washed down with a refreshing mocktail. The citrus lime drink is highly recommended – it’s sweet, refreshing and a perfect way of cutting the spiciness of the baked fish dish, if you order it.

There’s also a range of desserts on offer – the Manhattan mud pie is a much-ordered dessert which chocoholics will love. This intense, chocolatey mousse-cake even has a little ice cream packed inside and is topped with chopped peanuts. It’s oozey and absolutely delicious – a must try if you still have room for dessert.

Manhattan Fish Market aims to provide ‘American-style’ seafood, and in this sense they deliver, with generous portions which are not short on flavour.

If you haven’t already, you should head to the Manhattan Seafood Market – chances are, you’ll leave feeling full and satisfied.

 Vegetable Stir Fry

100 grams finely chopped onion
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
20 grams of ginger, sliced into thin matchstick pieces
1/2 tsp. chili flakes
1 medium-size carrot, sliced
5-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
2-3 cups baby bok choy
Handful fresh basil
2 Tbsp. coconut oil or other vegetable oil

STIR-FRY SAUCE

2/3 cup coconut milk
2+1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
3+1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/3 to 1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes
2+1/2 tsp. brown sugar

PREPARATION

Combine all ‘stir fry sauce’ ingredients together in a cup or bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

Taste-test the sauce, keeping in mind that the first taste should be spicy-salty, followed by sweetness and the rich taste of the coconut milk. Adjust these flavours to suit your taste, adding more lime juice if too sweet or salty (note that it will be less salty when combined with the vegetables).

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl around, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili. Stir fry 1-2 minutes, and then add the carrot, mushrooms, and cauliflower. Also add 1/4 of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying 2-3 minutes.

Add the broccoli and red pepper plus up to 1/2 of remaining stir-fry sauce, enough to gently simmer vegetables in the sauce (about 2 minutes).
Finally add the bok choy. Add more of the stir-fry sauce as needed, enough to just cover vegetables in sauce. Simmer until bok choy is cooked but still bright green with some crispness (2-3 minutes more).

Remove from heat and do one last taste-test. If not salty enough, add a little more fish or soy sauce. If too salty or sweet, add another squeeze of lime juice. Add more sugar or chili if desired.

Top with fresh basil and serve over Thai jasmine-scented rice.

By Raisa Wickrematunge Pictures by Pavithra De Mello

The Sizzle was born out of owner Thushar Amalean’s dreaming. Once in the garment trade, Thushar soon grew tired of the business and began looking for a new challenge. At that time, he remembered a restaurant he and a friend used to frequent as university students in Bombay – a small restaurant which served up sizzling dishes, which were hearty and delicious. Thushar and his friend would eat there once a week.

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Vegetable Korma
2 tablespoons ghee or 2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon  unroasted curry powder
1 tablespoon roasted curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin,
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
400 grams chopped tomatoes
60 grams green chilies chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced
3 cups coconut milk
30 grams cashew-nuts ground to a paste
1 cup plain yogurt
salt, to taste

PREPARATION
Heat the ghee or oil in a large wok style pan over medium-low heat.
Add curry powders, nutmeg, and cinnamon and allow to cook two minutes (it should sizzle, but should not smoke), stirring occasionally.
Mix in onion and garlic; increase temperature and sauté until onion is near translucent.
Add tomatoes, green chills, and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
Mix in the potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and coriander leaf; cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until vegetables are tender, but firm.
Mix in sliced red bell pepper, coconut milk, and ground cashew; cook 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in yogurt, and season to taste with salt; during the cooking, there should be enough liquid to form a good korma sauce base, if more sauce is desired, add additional vegetable stock. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

By Raisa Wickrematunge

Walk into Tsing Tao at the Racecourse building and you instantly feel that you’re in a special place. The interior is plush – with embroidered wallpaper, a wooden shelf centrepiece filled with antique crockery and the soft strains of acoustic music floating down in the evenings.
This unique restaurant offers four dining experiences in one – it has four very different, and striking areas to dine in. The ground floor is in subtle greens and golds, while the upstairs floor has mini-lampshades on each table decorated in warmer colours and the ceiling adorned with gold. You can enjoy the outdoors while still being relatively sheltered at the terrace area that overlooks the splendid Racecourse grounds. If you like to dine al fresco, you can sit outside and dine by candlelight.
In fact, differentiating itself from the crowd is what Tsing Tao strives to do, as Managing director and CEO, Tsing Tao, Janaka Wimalananda explains.
As part of this ethos, Janaka and the chefs endeavour to give people fresh food – be it seafood or meat, or even organic fruit and vegetables. Other than the perishable items (bought fresh every day, not frozen), everything is imported from China, so you can trust its authenticity.
Tsing Tao specialises in Chinese seafood. The idea came from Janaka. Shortly after his college education he flew to Japan, where he has been living for eight years training to enter the hospitality industry and while being in Japan, Janaka discovered that the Japanese loved Chinese food, and so did Sri Lankans.
Tsing Tao is a little different to its sister restaurant, Loon Tao. Tsing Tao’s head chefs are each masters of cuisine from a different province – the Head chef Hua Sheng Mo specialises in Guangdong-style food and helps compile the menu, while Xianchun Meng, a dim sum chef, cooks Beijing specialties, and Tsing Tao also has a sous-chef who excels in the spicy Szechuan cuisine that Sri Lankans love.
The result is the conversion of authentic Chinese food with a few twists into dishes that the Sri Lankans like.
Some of the food here is quite inventive; the black fungus dish is one of them. For some, the word ‘fungus’ may be off-putting, but this luscious, even velvety dish is really delicious, and its enhanced flavor with significant whack of chilli is perfect for spice-loving Sri Lankans. Strips of bell-pepper also add some crunch and flavour to the dish. Those looking to be little adventurous, should try this dish.
Like to have something more familiar, then try the perfectly fried meatballs stuffed with soft sweet crab meat. With a slightly sweet sauce, it is delicious – a perfect way to prep taste-buds for the meal ahead. The crunchy vegetable spring rolls stuffed with black mushrooms are also a great starter dish.
In terms of main courses, the restaurant has a spread of interesting dishes to choose from. The spicy Indonesian rice is a good base for a meal; it’s quite tasty even without other dishes.
Where Tsing Tao really stands out though is with its seafood dishes. The fish with red curry sauce is a must try. In fact, it’s a cross between the Thai red curry and an Indonesian style yellow curry. The fish is moist and very tender, flaking as soon as you put a fork to it, and the sauce is a tasty, interesting accompaniment to the fish. Another highlight is the prawns with basil – the prawns are succulent and perfectly cooked flavoured with basil and pepper, and it is truly addictive.
The restaurant has other interesting dishes as well, like the sizzling Hong-Kong style chicken complemented with pieces of crunchy bak choy.
If your choice is to have a drink with the meal, you can select from mojitos to Long Island Iced Teas with an extensive cocktail menu. There’s also an interesting range of mocktails – the sweet mango cooler is a popular item, as is the apple mojito mocktail. You will be provided with a comprehensive dessert menu as well- the gooey, fudgy brownie is absolutely delicious, but if you like something more authentic, try the coconut sago with cashew nuts.
Janaka says he believes good food should not just be about tasting good – it should also look and smell appetising, and this philosophy with attention paid to texture and aroma definitely comes through on the plates. I never thought I would say Chinese food could be a fine dining experience, but this is definitely what Tsing Tao offers.
Overall, Tsing Tao offers an interesting take on Chinese cuisine by staying true to Chinese cuisine as well as paying attention to local palates. For people visiting Tsing Tao, it’s indeed an interesting and delicious flavour journey.
The restaurant is open from 11 am to 3 pm for lunch and again from 6 to 11 pm in the evenings – check out www.tsingtao.lk or call 0112698989 for reservations

An Ideal recipe as we have an abundance of fresh Tuna Fish available at all times

Grilled Tuna Steaks with a salsa Sauce
04 tuna steaks 180 grams each
For salsa
200 grams shredded carrot
01 half ripe mango peeled, seeded and diced
Juice of 01 lime
A tablespoon of finely sliced spring onions
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed pepper
A pinch of cumin powder
A pinch of coriander powder

PREPARATION
Prepare the salsa by placing all the ingredients above in a bowl and leave aside for an hour.
Prepare tuna steaks by seasoning them with salt and crushed pepper, Place a griddle pan on medium heat and lightly coat the grill with olive oil. When heated place tuna and cook covered for 04 minutes on either side. Remove from fire place on platter and coat with the prepared salsa sauce

By Raisa Wickrematunge

The Alhambra has been serving up delicious Indian food for a while now. Walking into the restaurant, tucked away in a corner in Ramada is like stepping back in time, with the restaurant’s gently scalloped walls and plush carpet.
But Alhambra has just taken on a new executive chef and is revamping its menus taking a step towards modernity. (In fact, most of the Ramada is being renovated too including the hotel rooms).

Ziyad Khan has been working with the ITC group in India for 18 years. A resident of Bopal, Ziyad came naturally to the world of food. His grandfather was also a chef, inspiring his grandson to follow in his footsteps.

Ziyad’s specialty is North Indian cuisine, and he has some interesting signature dishes up his sleeve, introducing some new and interesting flavours.

One of Ziyad’s specialties is kebabs, but they don’t look like the kebabs Sri Lankans know. His kebabs are not chunks of meat held suspended on a stick – they look more like large cutlets, and are much more elegantly presented.

The thun de kebab is apparently a favourite in Lucknow and is one of Alhambra’s signature dishes. The thun de kebab consists of mutton served atop some soft roti, along with some mint and tamarind sauce. The meat is tender and succulent, all the more so when tasted with the sauces (the sour tamarind sauce in particular) which enhance the flavour of the mutton. This combined with the roti makes for an interesting and satisfying starter dish.

I never thought I would say that one of my favourite dishes was vegetarian – but this was the case at Alhambra, with the hara bharuwan kebab. The kebab consists of spinach and green peas stuffed with groundnuts. This is a surprisingly delicious dish – one you don’t want to stop eating. This kebab is not just a mush of tasteless vegetable – may be some spices are in the mix making it flavourful, and the crunch of the nuts made for interesting texture as well as making it somehow, indulgent. In short, it is addictive, and one of the highlights of the meal.

The kebabs were accompanied with another favourite – prawn dhum biriyani (there are mutton and chicken variants available as well). Once again, the biriyani was really surprising in terms of flavour.

The saffron-coloured grains had been subtly infused with spice – the result was delicately flavoured rice quite different to the ones you would find elsewhere. It isn’t nearly as heavy as the Sri Lankan variants which are so popular, which could be a good thing, as it doesn’t leave you feeling bloated.

Scattered liberally throughout this biriyani were prawns, which were juicy and bursting with flavour, in contrast to the more subtle rice. The biryani was accompanied with some cool, fresh raita, providing an interesting contrast, and was also a perfect accompaniment to the kebabs.

Apart from these dishes, Alhambra also has a special Moghul buffet every Friday, offering the best meat and seafood, including crab flavoured with Moghul spices and missi roti (a type of layered roti). There is also a thali lunch buffet, perfect for corporate lunches.

Alhambra also offers Indian desserts like kulfi (Indian ice cream), sweet gulab jamuns and halwa-all home-made by Ziyad.

Chef Ziyad has only been cooking at Alhambra for a month, but he has certainly brought his own style of cooking to the restaurant.

The food is different to the stereotypical dishes you would expect of Indian restaurants. Many would not think of kebabs when they need Indian cuisine- and yet Alhambra’s signature dishes are undoubtedly authentic- just one bite is enough to convince you of this fact.

And of course, the dishes have an element of surprise – deceptively simple dishes packed with interesting flavours.

If you’re craving Indian food and want to try something different to the normal fare, you should try Alhambra – chances are, you’ll be left craving for more.