China Street Food at Food Studio

Little bit of China in the heart of Colombo!

China Street Food is located on the second floor of Food Studio – Colombo City Centre and is very hard to miss! The stalls are built in such a way that it looks like they are still in China, while actually being in the heart of Colombo. They have 3 different stalls for 3 different types of dishes, here’s what we tried out:

Appetizers

Lamb and Chive Dumplings – LKR 1500

Lamb and Chive Dumplings are a homely Northern Chinese dish that we were quite excited to find at China Street Food. Chinese dumplings, as it is are quite rare in Colombo, was only introduced in Chinese restaurants just over a few years ago. Unfortunately, the Lamb and Chive Dumplings were not exceptional. The starch that wrapped the filling was too thick and hence even when boiled, the consistency of it was limitedly palatable. The lamb and chive filling inside however was delicious. It wasn’t too spicy or crowded with herbs. However for a price point of LKR 1500, this dish is not worth your money.

Chicken & Celery Dumplings 10PCS – LKR 1000

Just as the Lamb & Chive dumplings, the Chicken & Celery dumplings were far from exceptional as well. The dumpling wrap was also too thick, and although the lamb dumplings were somewhat palatable, the chicken dumplings were not. We assumed the lack of flavor is why they provided us with a side of  Chinese vinegar sauce and Chinese chili paste. Don’t get me wrong, there was a generous quantity of filling in each dumpling which was served fresh, with a soft crunch from the celery within it, but if I had to pay a 1000 bucks for a dish; this would not be on my list. 

Mains

Mala Hot Pot – LKR 1600 (all ingredients included)

As someone who enjoys the procedure of Sichuan Mala Hot Pot at the comfort of my own home, I was excited to see how the Hot Pot at China Street Food was! For those who have preferences, you have the option of choosing what goes into your hotpot and what doesn’t (i.e. seafood, meat, etc.). 

The hotpot reached our table in a large bowl, packed with ingredients such as beef and fish balls, pak choy, tofu bean stamps, black fungus and Szechuan peppers; bathed in special paste and broth unique to China Street Food, along with a side of Jasmine rice. 

The stock was too salty, however the salty taste didn’t linger on our palate for long due to the spice from the Szechuan peppers. There were cloves of garlic that added to the aroma but would have been a nightmare if you bit into it. The hotpot also consisted of beef and fish balls that were quite hefty and rubbery in character, however to our dismay, this was bland as well. 

For someone who doesn’t have seasoned palates us Sri Lankans do, the dishes at China Street Food would be a new experience. However, personally this wasn’t my favorite Chinese Street Food experience. 

Been to China Street Food at Food Studio yet? Let us know if your experience was different, in the comments below!