Dinner at Café Kumbuk

Serving soul-food for dinner

Café Kumbuk, since its inception has been that one spot in Colombo that guarantees you good food and great company. The standout for me about this place has always been the architecture of it and the artistic aesthetic it embraces. From the food to the cutlery, everything is Instagram worthy. The dining area, indoor and outdoor embrace a rustic nature that appeals to the millennials. They specialize in a few, healthy meals that are well thought out and executed.

We went there a few months ago for a review of their lunch and we didn’t leave the place all too thrilled. But this time, the tables had turned and we were ecstatically surprised with the food that was served.

We were elated to find out a post on their Instagram page announcing that they’re officially open for dinner on Saturdays. We set the bar quite high. Keep reading to find out if our expectations were met…

Drinks

Mango – Go – Rs. 500 

They’ve got a whole bunch of healthy smoothies and some great pick-me-ups, and they’re healthy and astonishingly filling.

The Mango – Go is a healthy mix of turmeric, coconut milk, mango and ginger. My only worry was the thought that the ginger might overpower the healthy smoothie, but my first sip of the drink proved otherwise. The Mango – Go, is a smoothie that would do its job – fill you up, and taste amazing. The beautiful pastel yellow hued drink was topped with some shavings of coconut. The picture perfect drink for the mornings – or for the nights.

Detox Greens – Rs. 500

Next, we put the Detox Greens to the test. Personally, I’m not a fan of “healthy”, “green” beverages like the traditional Sri Lankan kola kendas or “green” smoothies. Ideally, this is what I expected from the detox greens too. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this smoothie was far from being your typical kola kanda. The additions of pineapple, kiwi, coconut water and avocado to the spinach and coconut oil really kicked it up a punch.

Complementary:  

Hard boiled deviled eggs

We’re not quite sure if this is a usual thing, but were greeted to two sides while waiting for our food to arrive. Our night was made a hundred times better, not only with the free food, but also with the fact that both these sides tasted distinctly scrumptious. The Hard Boiled Deviled eggs were placed with two fine slices of cucumber and sprinkled with a touch of spice.

Tandoori chicken

The Tandoori chicken was my favourite out of the two. Served in a small plate, this chicken was packed with flavour and spice. For some reason, it didn’t taste like your average tandoori chicken you’re likely to get from an Indian food joint. Its taste was improved upon perhaps because of the use of spices in it.

Food

Chicken Caesar Salad – Rs. 850

One thing about Café Kumbuk that needs to be taken note of is the size of their mains. They serve massive dishes, wholly filling for a person – even two if you aren’t too hungry.

The Chicken Caesar Salad was incredible. The many textures in play with the leaves, the grilled tomatoes, the meat and the crunchiness from the buttery croutons really took a toll. This salad was a big hit amongst us and we adored the creamy dressing and the parmesan that accompanied it. Caesar Salads, although a salad, usually fall short of being healthy because people tend to go overboard with the dressing, but the one at Kumbuk was far from being an overdone mess and we were quite content with it.

Flatbread – Rs. 900

Their Flatbread is something I will definitely go back for. Hands down, it was one of my favourite dishes I’ve tried in a long time. The Flatbread was served with tomatoes, bell pepper, chicken, mozzarella and a fried egg. The bread was soft and fluffy and worked so well with the rest of the many elements in the dish. The fried egg on top breaks away beautifully and works its way into the flat bread. This flatbread tasted a lot like a chicken pizza and took to its Italian roots because of the tomatoes, the bell pepper and the mozzarella. All in all, a great dish!

Sea Bass with Vietnamese Fried Rice – Rs. 1100

For Rs. 1100, this Vietnamese Fried Rice dish was everything! It’s a new sea bass dish in their menu and one we’re glad we dug into. For starters, the plate and the quantity of food on it was overwhelming. The Sea Bass was cooked right on the dot. The meat inside was soft and far being dry and the skin outside was crispy and delicious. The rice was packed with baby corn and lots of flavour and was an absolute standout for me. This dish was accompanied with an Asian Coleslaw, too. Every bite tasted so great when combined together. The fish, however, stood out for us as the star out of all the three mains that we had.

They do serve up some great desserts but we were too full to try them out. IF you’ve tried out any of their cakes and desserts let us know your feedback in the comments section below.

Additionally, their staff and service deserves honorary mention. One thing to love about at Café Kumbuk is the warm Sri Lankan hospitality you are bound to receive as soon as you enter. From being shown to your table to being constantly checked up on, Café Kumbuk really does take their customers and the feedback they receive pretty seriously.

Have you  tried out Café Kumbuk’s new dinner menu yet? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below! Is there anything we’ve missed?

Tip: Try their Sea Bass dish – it is to die for!