Il Cielo

Date-worthy location with decent Italian fare

Located on the 5th floor of The Goldblock, Il Cielo boasts a beautiful view of the Colombo sunset, which we were lucky enough to catch. The formal setting and mood lighting makes it an ideal location for a date night. Il Cielo features both indoor and outdoor seating, however, the latter is not an option when it rains.

Italian Potatoes (LKR 150)

The vague name of the dish sparked my curiosity but they turned out to be just ordinary wedges. For LKR 150, the portion is quite generous and one portion easily serves two. The potatoes are baked instead of fried, which helps them retain a lot of flavour and are seasoned with lots of salt, pepper and garlic.

Arancini Sisiliana (Fried Risotto Balls) (LKR 580)

Easily my favourite thing on the menu! A concoction of perfectly fried risotto, diced bacon, parsley and mozzarella cheese, served with a tomato salsa and an extra side of Parmesan cheese. The sweetness of the salsa balanced out the tangy flavours of the dish and although it is an appetizer, it is quite filling on its own.

Mains

Osso Bucco (LKR 1490)

I was quite surprised to be served lamb shanks on a bed of risotto as Osso Bucco is a dish that is traditionally served with veal. The risotto, although slightly underboiled, was a combination of garlic and butter flavours with a hint of saffron that comes through in the aftertaste. The Australian lamb was well prepared and tender but could have used more flavour. With a little bit of fine tuning, this dish could be a winner.

Spaghetti Carbonara (LKR 745)

We are sold if an Italian restaurant perfects this classic dish! This Carbonara was well done, despite its complicated preparation and you are served a very generous amount which makes it completely worth the price. They are also generous with their cheese and sauce which makes each mouthful a delight. The only downside to this dish was that the bacon was too underdone for my liking and cooking it for longer so that it becomes crispy would have provided the dish with more texture.

Il Cielo Special Pizza (LKR 975)

This one tastes just as good as it looks! The thin crust folds under the weight of the generous amounts of topping. This one also comes with a surprising kick of spice.

Pizza Margarita (LKR 880)

A standard pizza with a good cheese to tomato ratio. All of Il Cielo’s pizzas are best eaten while piping hot or else the crust hardens.

Pizza Al Tonno (LKR 980)

The texture of the thin crust and the tangy flavour of the tuna complement each other well. All pizzas come with healthy amounts of mozzarella and a sprinkling of oregano which gives them their distinct flavour.

Desserts

Chocolate mousse (LKR 400)

Beautifully presented in a martini glass with chocolate sauce dribbled around the sides, this dessert was my second option as the tiramisu that I requested was not available. The chocolate mouse did disappoint slightly with its dry, hard and cake like texture. Too sweet and too gelatinous, this dessert needs some work.

Ambience

Staff are polite and friendly, if a bit vague about some of the dishes. They were nice enough to ask us if we wanted all the dishes brought out at once or one by one. However there was no service for half an hour, despite being the only people in the restaurant and getting their attention after being served took a little effort.

Il Cielo may still have some polishing up to do, but this is a restaurant with a lot of potential that could quickly become a crowd favourite. Its excellent location and stunning views are sure to attract lots of couples for date nights!

Tip – If you are looking for a quiet, romantic moment with your significant other, visit Il Cielo at around 6PM, just as the sun starts setting and there aren’t a lot of people.