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Innovative delights to stir the taste buds

by Tharika Goonathilake

If you are a firm believer that the art of food is in the experimenting: the trying and testing of innovative cuisine fare, then there's a new `restaurant experience' that might be worth a try.

The venue, is the Hotel School restaurant, the newest addition to Colombo's cuisine culture providing a base for a good meal at a reasonable price.

Featuring the culinary creations of budding chefs, who are currently undergoing training at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, the successor, to the Hotel School, the restaurant, offers `a wine and dine' experience with a difference. Open for brunch on Tuesdays and dinner every Thursday and Friday night, the restaurant has a six-course menu with a cuisine range that enables variety and choice.

So whether it be the oriental flavours of Tuesday's brunch, with Sri Lanka, Indian, Chinese taking pride of place, or the more extravagant western fare on Thursday and Friday nights, there's something to suit every palate.

The carefully prepared a la carte menu, changed on a regular basis to suit customer preferences, offers a welcome variety of tasty salads, tangy soups,innovative appetizers to the more elaborate main dishes and sumptuous dessert delights.

For the asking are salads like herb marinated prawn with papaya seed dressing served on a crisp bed of green vegetables or the chilled melon wrapped with ham drizzled with light passion fruit vinaigrette.

Then there's also the grilled vegetables and cheese tower with tomato and coulis to give a tempting introduction to the choice of meals, as does the soups like roasted pumpkin with garlic flakes or the sesame flavoured corn and onion broth served with chili sticks.

The Main dishes to savour comprise the duo of prune stuffed tandoori chicken or the grilled lamb cutlet enhanced with tomato, onion confit and fresh mint coulis which is accompanied with a garlic mash of wild yam.

There's also the more popular oven baked fillet of beef stuffed with herbs and mushroom, served in style with a red wine sauce and topped with glazed vegetables and crispy potato delights.

The finale to any meal, the desserts, too offers variety here, so you can try the delicious lemon meringue pie topped with blue berry sauce or the tasty dark chocolate gateaux.

For those with craving for a more innovative blend, the pumpkin and ginger pudding is worth a try.

Sparse decor (for the moment) and comfortable seating sets the pace at the restaurant, since the emphasis is more on food and service to give students a `hands on experience' on food preparation, service and style.

But, the relaxing atmosphere in the restaurant makes it an ideal place to strike a conversation or even perhaps make a business deal without the usual clutter of the more patronised haunts. The restaurant located adjacent to the Sri Lanka Tourism Board Office, Colombo 3 is open for dinner from 7.00 pm on Thursday and Friday night and for lunch on Tuesday from 12 noon. Reservations can be made on 382201-13.

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Karaoke Wednesdays at Deli Market

Fancy an exercise for your vocal cords or even better a chance to sing your heart out? head to the Deli Market on any Wednesday and make go at the `Magic Mike.'

Part of the eating out experience of the popular restaurant, Karaoke Wednesdays is all about enjoying good food and having a good time.

There's also a range of speciality cocktails and beer at half price, and if your stuck for words, popular vocalists `Ginger' will make sure you have a sing along `support line.'

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Cuisine

Sorenso and Raja's curry adventure

Felicia Wakwela Sorenso, the famous Sri Lankan food expert who has given a taste of Sri Lanka to a many Asian European and American restaurant and hotel, is back at Hilton's Curry Leaf Restaurant to turn out some of her signature dishes for locals.

Together with chef Raja, who is in charge of Spices Garden Restaurant, the duo promises a truly Sri Lankan culinary experience with a touch of Hilton style.

A range of curries and variation of the Kottu Roti, Crisp hoppers to sweet meats are on the menu.

To add a touch of the traditional, guests can also see the intricate works of a mask cutter, mask carver and enjoy the rhythms of the Kandyan dancers.

The promotion is on till March 30.

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A taste of Africa at the Taj

The Taj Samudra in association with the South African High Commission in New Delhi has organised a South African food festival from today to April 7. A chef specially flown down from South Africa will prepare authentic South African cuisine at the promotion. Chef Terry Jenkins with his vast experience in culinary authentic will present many flavours of South Africa food which is influenced by many cultures and countries like Britain, India, Holland and France.

Some of their famous dishes include Grilled Banana flowers served with ginger vinaigrette, soups made from roasted butternut and served with chillie butter, racks of venison served with green figs in a ginger syrup milk tart in a crisp pastry flavoured with cinnamon.

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Burger promotion

A sensational burger promotion is now on at Cafe Emerald, Ceylon Continental Hotel, till March 30.

The menu offers Far West Burger served with beef burger on a bun topped with a spicy pepper and onion sauce, Mediterranean Lamb Burger with minced lamb meat and coriander leaf, onion and mustard on a bun, Thai fish burger with a Thai flavour and fried Kan Kun, Chicken Pizza burger with minced chicken burger topped with Tomato Concasse and melted cheese and the Traditional Continental Beef Burger with a jucy burger on a toasted sesame bun with your choice of cheese, egg or bacon topping are on offer.

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