Loon Tao

Loon Tao has been around for quite a while, and is a favourite beachside destination amongst locals.
Although coupled with the wind and the beachy shores, Loon Tao looks like yet another beachside restaurant with a wooden deck and wooden tables and chairs, there’s a certain charm to the place. The staff at Loon Tao was incredible! They were extremely nice and helpful, catering to our every demand with ease.

Drinks

Safe Sex on the Beach – LKR 548

For close to LKR 550, I was a little disappointed in this drink. Garnished with a slice of pineapple, this dull red mocktail consisted of a mix of cranberry, pineapple and orange juices. Although all these elements consist of a strong sour flavour, we felt like the drink was watered down and only slightly tangy.

Apple Mojito – LKR 548

What better way to cool off on a hot, sunny afternoon? The apple mojito at Loon Tao consists of apple juice, lime wedges, sugar, mint leaves and soda. It had a good blend of sweet from the apple juice that contrasted well with the acidic lime and the fizz from the soda. This was worth the price.

Appetizers

Deep Fried Cuttlefish Rings – LKR 838

Arriving to our table piping hot, this dish consisted of a fair amount of small deep fried cuttlefish rings along with good presentation. Served with a side of a special sweet & sour dip (we’re assuming), this dish was a great start to our meal.

Deep Fried Prawn Blocks – LKR 888

3 massive blocks – a very generous amount of seasoned prawn meat wrapped in a deep fried batter along with blocks of bread toast. Now THIS was an appetizer! Each prawn block was very filling and incredibly delicious. The bread batter was extremely crispy and salty. Definitely a must try!

“Shanghai Style” Hot & Sour Seafood & Chicken Soup – LKR 738

This item is enough to serve 2-3 people, and well worth the price in terms of quality and quantity! Consisting of spring onions, carrots, cabbage, baby prawns, chicken and mushrooms, this soup was a great way to get our tummies rumbling. The soup was slightly spicy and had of a blend of flavours, however we did notice that the chicken was a little bland. All in all, by this point we knew Loon Tao was very generous with their portion sizes.

Mains

Fried Rice in Pineapple with Seafood – LKR 848

Now this defined tropics by the beach! With delicious fried rice stuffed in the hollow of fresh pineapple, this was a bright and colorful dish. The fried rice mixed with diced pineapple, carrot, spring onions, cuttlefish, prawns, etc. It was cooked incredibly well and we loved the tang from the citrus-y pineapple!

Singaporean Style Fried Vermicelli with Chicken – LKR 748

‘Vermicelli’ is a traditional type of pasta, which describes thin noodles. Both sweet and savoury, this dish is a great way to enjoy a light meal and not feel stuffed after a few bites.

Sichuan Style Chili Prawns – LKR 998

This side dish consisted of a number of jumbo prawns (shell included) cooked in Sichuan sauce. The prawns were incredibly fresh, however do take caution since it was quite spicy.

Stir Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce – LKR 738

Opting for the usual chicken dish, this side dish had a mix of elements such as capsicum, bell pepper, curry leaves, onions, mushrooms, and chicken. The chicken was incredibly moist and had a smoky flavor to it, with the sharp hit of spice from the black pepper sauce.

Dessert

Cream Caramel – LKR 298

There was nothing too special about the Cream Caramel at Loon Tao. It tasted the same as any other Caramel pudding, but for LKR 300, we weren’t complaining.

Coconut Sago Pudding – LKR 298

Now this was an item I wanted to try out. I’ve had Sago pudding before but not something that had a coconut element to it. Upon first scoop, the sago was incredibly watery; adding to our confusion since the menu did say ‘pudding’. We digged in nonetheless, it tasted VERY coconut-y. The sago was sweet and overpowered with what we believed was coconut milk, which not many people would be a fan of. However, we liked the texture the cashew nuts gave alongside the watery sago, and we hope Loon Tao would further perfect this item.

All in all, Loon Tao is an affordable place to go grab a bite with friends of family.

Tip: Try the prawn blocks!