Joanna James
Being the vibrant commercial capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo sits beside the gorgeous Indian Ocean. A cosmopolitan hub, it is well known for its dining culture, especially when it comes to seafood.
The Lagoon is an iconic restaurant, in the sense; it is an open market type dining experience, which offers guests a chance to choose the type of seafood they wish to dine on, from a live display. The food prepared to individual tastes, is given a touch of magic by the highly skilled chefs trained to cook seafood in almost 150 various methods. There is a variety of 30 sauces to choose from, while the relaxed ambience of the place, coupled with hushed lighting takes you back to a charming seaside escapade. The menu ranges from sashimi to fish curry and lobster cooked to perfection. Choice is so varied that you will have a tough time choosing. And the place, which is a mere stroll from One Galle Face, is ideal to spend a relaxed 'Colombo style' evening at.
Sounds delicious, doesn't it? Well, this place takes pride in serving nothing but the freshest food. True to its name, the restaurant listed amongst Asia's top 50 serves crab cooked in various mouth-watering alternatives. Choose from the spicy chilli crab to traditional crab curry, which leaves your taste-buds yearning for more. The highlighted item on the menu is the 'Crabzilla' which weighs 2 kilograms in total. Started by cricketing legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena, together with renowned chef Dharshan Munidasa, the restaurant is located within the fully restored Dutch Hospital that is over 400 years old. Again, an easy to reach eatery, the Ministry of Crab is conveniently accessed from well-placed apartments in Colombo.
This is your chance to head over to the seaside suburb of Mt Lavinia. Famous for its collection of restaurants that frame the sandy beach, Seafood Cove stands out as one of the best. At this restaurant, you can sit back, relax and dig your feet into the sandy beach, while enjoying a delicious cocktail. Tables are lit by little lanterns to create the right type of mood and ambience, as you tuck into some of the best dishes on the menu. Choose from grilled, sautéed, devilled or poached fish dishes as well as succulent prawn, crab, squid and cuttlefish delights.
This restaurant too, offers one a choice of selecting from fresh seafood on display, which is then cooked to match individual tastes. A range of sauces makes sure the dishes taste just right; while the extensive wine list provides the perfect pairing for your sumptuous meal. On the menu are grouper, salmon sushi and many more dishes that promise to satisfy the taste buds of all foodies.
An international chain, this restaurant serves up its famous, American style seafood. The dishes contain fresh ingredients sourced directly from the market, and are combined with spices and herbs to create the right taste. The friendly staff and relaxed décor of the place makes this a fab restaurant for the entire family to enjoy a relaxed and casual seafood experience.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
