Il Cielo

Mood lighting and Italian cuisine at its finest!

A rooftop fine dining restaurant, Il Cielo, specializes in Southern Italian food and offers a wide variety of drinks as well. The mood lighting and cozy atmosphere makes it a great spot for an intimate dinner or even a date. They have outdoor seating as well and the view is a bonus! It is situated below Berlin Sky Lounge, its German counterpart.

Drinks

Cosmopolitan – LKR 990Out of the two options of cocktails we tried, the Cosmopolitan was easily tastier, delicious and full of vodka. The triple sec, cranberry juice, lime juice and vodka were balanced very well, making our first impression of the cocktails at Il Cielo a great one!

Long Island Ice Tea – LKR 1390

Il Cielo is not stingy with their alcohol! The Long Island Ice Tea was strong and although it didn’t taste as good as the Cosmo, the mix of vodka, gin, rum and tequila is bound to get you a little happy. The alcohol definitely overpowered the flavors of lemon juice and cola but works well as a party starter.

Appetizers

Insalata Cesare – LKR 940

At first, we were a little skeptic about the price of the Insalate Cesare, however we proceeded to order it anyway and were so happy with our decision! The dish consisted of a super generous portion of Caesar salad, strips of grilled chicken, fresh lettuce and was topped off with Parmesan shavings and croutons. The chicken was soft and seasoned well and the croutons and lettuce added texture.

Involuntini Di Tonno – LKR 940Unfortunately, this is a dish we did not enjoy. We were promised tuna rolls stuffed with cream cheese on a bed of sweet and sour red onions and balsamic vinegar; but all we got were the tuna rolls. We were dubious as to whether there was any cream cheese to begin with. The dish was accompanied with a salad which did not look appealing and the bed of sweet and sour red onions was nowhere in sight. However, the tuna rolls in itself tasted quite good but simply was not what the menu had promised.

Mains

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara – LKR 1290This dish was executed well! The spaghetti was cooked al dente and they were very generous with the smoked bacon. The dish had just enough cream and egg, consisting of all the elements a Carbonara should have. This was a very filling dish, so don’t be deceived by the size of the portion.

Grilled Norwegian Salmon – LKR 2290

Hands down, the winning dish of the night, the Grilled Norwegian Salmon exceeded our expectations. The succulent and tender steak of salmon was seasoned with Italian seasoning and served with lemon butter sauce, a side of mashed potatoes and bell peppers. The sides complimented the salmon in terms of texture and flavor, no disappointments here!

Speciale Pizza – LKR 1990

What’s an Italian restaurant without pizza? The Speciale Pizza at Il Cielo, out of their extensive pizza menu, was special indeed. This pizza arrived at our table looking delectable as ever and we couldn’t wait to dig in. The base of the pizza was crispy and it came with a topping of prosciutto cotto (a type of roasted Italian ham), mozzarella and plenty of mushrooms. This pizza was yummy and well worth the price.

Dessert

Tiramisu – LKR 540

This traditional Italian dessert was perfectly layered and sturdy. Ideal for a coffee enthusiast, this dessert is made up of sponge fingers dipped in coffee, layered with Italian cream cheese, and topped off with coffee powder. It was super soft and scrumptious!

All in all, we loved the ambience at Il Cielo and their quick service as well! Their staff are super friendly and made our dinner very pleasant with their accommodating nature and recommendations.

It’s also BYOB at Il Cielo with no corkage if you go there for dinner! If not, it is LKR 1000+ per bottle of foreign liquor.

Have you been to Il Cielo yet? Let us know in the comments.

Tip – They have many veg options too, for all you vegetarians out there!