Open Time:
What we had
The latest buffet game in town
Rates: LKR 2300 per person
Jetwing Colombo 07 is the latest addition to the chain of the exotic, luxurious Jetwing Hotels in the country. The beautiful and intricate architecture and interior that stays true to Jetwing’s usual designs. This city hotel embraces Sri Lankan culture and they’ve made sure that the interior resonates Sri Lanka, but with an innovative modern outlook. My favourite thing particularly about Fifty7 was a clay pot overhead that rested so artistically over the wall of the buffet spread. The touch of teak on the walls and the cushion seating brings in the element of luxury into the setting.
The only concern for me was the fact that the dining space being rather too small, and overtly feeling claustrophobic.
Since it’s already been a month into their operation, we decided to give their dinner buffet a shot. We were told that since it’s still the first few months of operation, they only host the buffet when they have ample in house guests or reservations – lucky for us, they had the buffet that day. The dinner buffet is LKR 1800++ and adds up to about LKR 2300 per person. Personally, I would recommend this as a good deal for your money.
Appetisers
Pumpkin Soup
The Pumpkin soup was incredibly smooth. One thing about a pumpkin soup is the level of acidity and sweet that’s usually awfully hard to balance. The chef here, seems to have nailed it. The soup was whipped into shape beautifully and almost melted in your mouth when paired with the bread. This soup is the kind of comfort food you’d like to have snuggled up in bed.
I wish they had a few more options for buns though.
Salad: Mixed Lettuce Salad, Chicken Bacon Salad, Pineapple and Cabbage Salad and Smoked Chicken and Mango Salad
The Mixed Lettuce Salad looked slightly less presentable; the leaves looked dried out. The thousand island sauce that I chose to pair my salad with needs a special mention. It had onions and chopped tomatoes in it that amplified the taste of the salad reciprocally.
We loved the Chicken Bacon Salad. The bacon was super luscious and the chunks left you wanting more.
The Pineapple and Cabbage Salad was a creamy alternative. The cabbage was finely chopped and coated in mayo, and when paired with the sweet pineapple, was a showstopper.
We weren’t big fans of the Smoked Chicken and Mango Salad. Needless to say, the chicken really retained its char like taste. It was a sweeter option, but not my cup of tea. Could be yours, though.
Mains
Egg Fried Rice, Penne Carbonara, Hot Butter Cuttlefish, Grilled Chicken w/ Cajun Coriander Sauce and Steamed Vegetables
Disclaimer: They’ve only got 5 main options
The Egg Fried Rice was amazing. A typical Sri Lankan “Chinese” Fried Rice that tasted great. The fact the rice lacked meat did not let down the taste at all.
The Penne Carbonara was our favourite. This the kind of meal that would keep you running back to the spread for second and third servings. When topped with an abundance of parmesan, this was every childhood dream.
The Hot Butter Cuttlefish wasn’t the typical fried cuttlefish you’d find at your seafood joints. It was more of a curry, with intensely marinated succulent cuttlefish rings, coated in a medium coating and fried till golden brown and tossed in hot sauce. Yum!
The Grilled Chicken is a story for another time. We loved how every option was so different from one another and that’s why we weren’t particular mad that there were only 5 options. That’s because all 5 options were greatly different from one another and tasted incredibly better with every bite. The chicken again, was marinated to the bones and the Cajun and coriander sauce formed a thick layer over the chicken.
We loved how the Steamed veggies had a variety ranging from broccoli, cauliflower, beans – green and seeds. The vegetables tasted super fresh and adequately buttery.
Dessert
Blueberry Mousse, Jujups and Hot Chocolate Pudding
These are the few I tried out the many options available.
The Blueberry Mousse wasn’t super exciting. The mouse had a cheesecake like consistency and the layer at the bottom felt a little sogged up.
The Jujups and the Hot Chocolate Pudding I feel needs a very special mention. The Jujups were extra cute; in yellow and pink and brought back a ton of childhood memories with every bite.
The Hot Chocolate pudding was ideally something along the lines of warm brownie, with almond flakes and chocolate sauce on top. You’re got to have this!
One thing about this place that absolutely stood out for me was their service. 11/10 for their waiters and the Beverage Manager as they were incredibly responsive and always willing to help. It’s possibly because they’ve only been open for a month and are constantly looking out for customer feedback for improvement, we felt like our feedback was both appreciated and valued.
They’ve got some great overhead music accompanying your night out. Outside, it seemed to look like there was a good breeze but there was no outdoor dining.
Their Food and Beverage Manager spoke to us of this certain “mug concept” followed at Jetwing where all of their hot beverages are served in mugs, including my honey ginger tea, which he insisted I had (I was suffering from a terrible case of tonsillitis), to apparently the milk and beverages served during the morning buffet, Jetwing embraces colourful ceramic cups.
Have you been to Fifty7 at Jetwing Colombo 07 yet? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below! Is there anything we’ve missed?
Tip: Call in advance to make a booking for the buffet. The restaurant reception will confirm with you if their open for dinner (or not).
