Jaffna Buffet at OZO

A taste of Jaffna in Colombo!

EAT boasts a very classy atmosphere, perfect for any occasion ranging from a quiet family dinner, to a corporate dinner, or even a date! OZO had gotten rid of the age old concept of ‘blinding lights’ and had decided to stick to the more modern, warm low lighting effects. The live band playing in the background, along with the light clinking of the cutlery created that perfect atmosphere for a perfect Saturday night to enjoy a taste of Jaffna!

So if you’re ever on the lookout for Saturday night plans, the Jaffna buffet at EAT at OZO Colombo is definitely the place to be!

Appetisers

Yani Chicken Platter 

The chicken was quite bland, and under seasoned. It was glazed with some mango chutney which tasted amazing, but the option of adding more chutney was not there, hence we had to go with whatever the amount that the portion of chicken we had was glazed with.

Yani Style Fish Platter 

The fish was quite fresh, and had a sufficient amount of chutney served along with it. It was well seasoned as well, and cooked to perfection, hence it managed to carry this amazing melt in your mouth texture.

Grilled Vegetable Platter with Pesto 

The pesto was quite well done, and the vegetables were grilled to the right texture.

Odiya Kool 

If fish curry was served with soup thickeners, this is exactly what it would taste like! Having said that-  it was oddly satisfying to try a soup that resembled the flavor of an edible curry.  Although the kitchen went very generous with the spices, it was a truly refreshing soup; the kind that leaves a warm, satisfying feeling once you’ve cleared the bowl. Hats off to the best starter on the menu!

Okra Salad

The okra was fried black, and although one might mistake the okra to be burnt, it actually wasn’t and tasted quite good! Would definitely consider this a MAJOR guilty pleasure as it was deep fried in hot oil, so if you thought this was diet safe, I’d think otherwise….

Raita Salad 

BEST RAITA EVER! The vegetables were quite crunchy and served with a very generous amount of Raita! What better way to top it off than with a sprinkle of parsley! #saladheaven

Mains

Pickle Rice

This was channeling #masalavibes all the way! The rice was super flavoursome, but honestly speaking we could have had just the rice- IT WAS THAT GOOD. Definitely going to come back for this!

Fenugreek, Onion and Garlic Kholumbu

This was a deep fried onion curry which really isn’t for the faint hearted. The strong infusion of spices will bring out the inner Jaffna self you’ve been looking for. The flavours were authentic and channeled the real Jaffna vibe all the way.

Spinach and Urad Dhal Curry

The dhal curry was a little bland to be honest. A slight hint of spinach could be tasted. The dhal curry lacked a lot of spice and colour – which has made it a house hold staple. Having said that, it helped enhance the flavors of the other components on the plate and brought all the components together.

Brinjal Curry

This was more of a brinjal stir fry. The spices weren’t overwhelming and the dish in it’s own way tasted quite good! However, being used to brinjal stir-fry which is quite sweet- it could have done with half a table spoon of sugar, but hey! Pulse is always open for the healthier option – so I guess we could call this a winner!

Jaffna Chicken Curry

Let’s just say Pulse met its soulmate. This chicken curry is TO-DIE-FOR! I mean yes, of course all chicken curries are just HEAVEN, but this particular one hit a home run in the department of spices! The chicken was over cooked, while the pieces were cut into bite size ones – allowing us to dine elegantly without having to gnaw at the bone.

Dosai (Cheese/Plain)

Despite being full to the point of no return, we had to make room for this amazing cheese dosai! This would have to be one of the most perfect cheese dosai’s Pulse has ever tried! The dosai was made at a live dosai station and we were allowed to pick what we wanted on our dosai.

String hoppers and Pittu (with milk)

The hoppers were a little dry, but the coconut milk really did do justice to the dish! The pittu, although a little dry did taste quite good. #coconutmilktosavetheday

Desserts

Rava Laddu

This dessert was super creamy and was infused with a sinful amount of coconut. Embedded with juicy raisins, this dessert was the perfect way to wind down your Saturday night. PS: they were bite-sized, so please try this on a cheat day cuz this stuff is good!

Kesari

Presentation wise, it would definitely score a 10/10. However, it tasted a little bland and wasn’t as sweet as we expected it to be.

Munthiri Kothu

This is definitely one of those acquired taste kinda desserts. It was infused with a variety of spices such as cardamom and cloves, and wrapped with a tight leathery batter. I wasn’t a fan, but if daring desserts are up your alley, then would strongly recommend it.

Jaffna Curd and Mango Pudding

This has to be one of the best desserts Pulse has ever tried! Fresh chunks of mango were embedded in a slice of creamy sweet curd slice. The curd pudding was smooth throughout and there were no lumps! #dessertheaven

Boondhi Laddu

It was quite colourful and crunchy, but wasn’t as sweet as we wanted it to be. It could have done with more powdered sugar.

Wattalapan

Colombo just stepped up its wattalapan game- because this high calorie diet would just leave you wanting more!. It was of the perfect texture and was not too sweet nor was it under sweetened. #dishoftheday for sure!

Pongal Rice

Was a little disappointed because the rice was slightly burnt.  Having said that, the rice did carry a very creamy texture and was sweetened to the right amount. Could have us running back for seconds!