ZEST Hotels

Long Feng:

Feeling hot hot hot

Demi HEWAMANNA and Dilanka MANNAKKARA

Of all the places we have been to, I am pretty sure we have never tasted so much ‘hot’ness in one go. Everything was simply delicious but I could tell from my sniff sniff nose that tears would roll down my eyes any moment soon when continuing to eat the fabulous authentic Singaporean dishes at the one and only Long Feng of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.

It was another quiet afternoon as we stepped into the hotel and waited for our lovely host Nadiyah. Sure was a busy time at the hotel, with people buzzing here and there getting ready for the Eid festival that was to be celebrated the next day.

Greeting us with a smile, Nadiyah walked with us in to the restaurant which is located outside pool area giving the restaurant a very bright and colourful time for lunch and a peaceful plus romantic setting for dinner.

The door with a Chinese dragon handle opened to a greatly decorated interior with many ‘china’ set up all around the restaurant. The tables were dressed in white cloth, and sets of white plates, bowls and dishes were set around the table giving the whole interior of the restaurant a serene look.

As we sat down, a very friendly waiter came by took the napkin off the table and places it on our laps and waited patiently to take our order.

While going through the beverage menu, the mastermind behind the cooking, Head Chef Jason came to the table and was explaining what he was going to serve us.

It was difficult at first for us to understand the chef as he was speaking very fast and he himself admitted that it would be difficult for us to understand his accent, but we had the help of his staff who did understand him, explaining to us what he was saying.

The chef first brought us a steamy and very spicy seafood and vegetable soup. From the aroma and every sip of it, one could taste each ingredient added in the soup. Every spice that was spread in the soup blended in perfectly with prawns and cuttlefish added in the soup.

Then we ordered a plate of Hot butter cuttlefish. The crunchiness outside and the softness inside the cuttlefish made me want to eat more and more of it, but had to pass the idea as there were more dishes to try out.

Dilanka – the hot butter cuttlefish was quite different from most other places I have savoured this exotic dish and the spiciness added a lot of flavour to the dish while the crispiness was just about perfect. Being a cuttlefish fan I devoured the wonderful dish,which had a Singaporean touch to it. This was one of my favourite dishes at Long Feng.

As the main course began, we were first served authentic Long Feng seafood fried noodles. The noodles was sweet to the taste but still kept the flavours of the seafood in tact. I very much enjoyed the soup and once again it was another spicy dish on the menu.

Dilanka – The chef served us “Singapore Chillie Prawn” which was one of his signature dishes and the jumbo juicy prawns were cooked in to perfection and the spicy sauce which had the “sambal paste” mixed in to it was a perfect accompaniment.

We were also served a “Black Pepper Crab” which was a bit too spicy for my liking as the black pepper sauce was very hot.

It was really amazing to see that, as we were going through the menu and ordering, withing matter of minutes, the dish would be prepared and served to the table. Usually one waits for a ‘long’ time for their meal, but here, everything is done in snap of a finger. Jason mentioned that he doesnt like to keep his guests waiting and likes to serve them as it is done – hot and spicy.

One of my favourite dishes was the dry chilli chicken with roasted cashew nuts. The cashew nuts were spread on top of the chicken so as to keep the crispness of the cashew nuts. If it was mixed inside, one would not taste the real roasted nuts that you need to taste. And the chicken was made with a lot of red chillies cut into pieces and mixed into the dish.

I had a time separating them as I was afraid of more tears coming down my cheeks.

A bowl of steam rice was brought in to have with the weekly special Szechwan style chilli fish, which was again pretty spicy. The fish was really smooth and cut easily with just one gentle nudge and the sauce was quite different from other Szechwan fish I have tasted and it was a bit too oily.

At this period I was full and I knew that there was no way I could take another bite of anything else. That was until, the subject of ‘dessert’ popped out.

Yes it was indeed a delight to see the dessert menu, as they had a selection of many tongue twisting names categorized into three parts.

There was the Singaporean dessert corner, International and then the general dessert menu.

Dilanka – I selected a variety of deserts and my favourite was the “Yoghurt and honey cream topped with sesame seeds” which had an amazing tangy flavour to it and I absolutely loved it.

I selected a favourite from the International corner and since I’m a big chocolate fan, I ordered a chocolate crisp mousse. It was rich in chocolate with two sticks of white and dark chocolate placed in the middle.

The restaurant in whole can hold upto 80 guests with the private dining room being able to hold around 14 guests. The restaurant really gives a real peaceful feeling once your in there with really light Chinese music playing in the background.

There are seven staff members in the restaurant with five waiters per shift and they change according to the occasion. So to make your reservations to have one of the spiciest food in town in Singaporean style then dial 2491949.

A delight and a culinary adventure:

The Privilege

Ganga ILLEPERUMA

Set amidst a secluded palm fringed garden opening out onto the Indian Ocean, the Privilege offers picturesque views across peaceful surroundings to the horizon. The area nonetheless still retains the typical village atmosphere appreciated in the down south areas of the country.

The hotel is located 35 km away from Colombo, along the south western coastal belt in Wadduwa. This popular tourist resort has been identified and made reference to by the Ceylon Tourist Board as a unique place with great potential for up market tourism.

The property consists of 24 suites, including a few jacuzzi suites, which are spacious with a floor area of 80 sq.m and opens out on to a balcony where one could get a panoramic view of the surrounding beauty.

Rooms are situated over three floors, all with entrance from the garden and each with by the same antique furniture found around the hotel. The garden is an ideal place to sip a drink, read a book or simply relax.

The hotel also consists of two restaurants Fine Dining Restaurant and a Beach Restaurant. The property has also pioneered the concept of freedom dining with no buffets.

Guests are given the preference of selecting their individually prepared seven course sit down dinner and an American breakfast from a wide ranged ala carte menu prepared by excellent chefs. The uniqueness of their seven course dinner is that guests can taste the New Zealand lamb chop to the princess of lagoon (king prawns).

The facilities the hotel offers include two swimming pools (main pool and a childrens pool), two restaurants, two well stocked bars for exotic cocktails, spirits and wine, room service, indoor games such as billiards and table tennis, a modern fitness room and a mini golf course and ayurveda centre. The hotel was started in 2000.

“We are the first BOI approved hotel which has all suite room on the beach. The hotel has very good demand from the British, German, Belgian, Russian and French. Most them are repeaters.

Also we have special offers for Sri Lankan who have HSBC and Visa credit cards” Director Business Development Shamal de Alwis said. He is a well educated hotelier who has studied at Curtin University Australia having Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

“When guests come to this hotel they can visit the Kalutara Bodhi, Richmond Castle and Kalutara River Safari. We have a newly built banquet hall and it can accommodate 220 people. It is good for weddings or other ceremonies. The hotel provides a very personalized service in the truest sense of the word, to make their stay with us most pleasant and memorable” he added.

Vinod Jayasinghe is the architect of this hotel. His ‘open air concept’ adds more freedom to the guest’s mind.

Airline Ticket Winner

Malaysian Food Festival:

R.Regaraj the winner of a competition at the Malaysian Food Festival organized by the Ceylon Continental Hotel, received a return air ticket to Malaysia from the Country Manager of Malaysian AirLines Manmohan Singh at the Hotel premises recently.

“We like to continue the partnering with any future promotions with Ceylon Continental Hotel and also our main focus is to promote Malaysia as the holiday destination, being one of the top Airlines in the world Malaysian Airlines provides a very contented service to our guests” Manmohan Singh said.

Rengaraj extended his gratitude to Ceylon Continental Director Sales and Marketing Harsha Samaranayake for organizing such promotions specially designed for its patrons successfully.

Through consecutive promotions, the hotel has pledged excellence to diners with different tastes and is solidifying its formidable identity within the industry.

 

The Glory of Casablanca

From the land that gave us couscous, green tea with mint, and graceful Moorish archways, and from the birthplace of the famous line “Here’s looking at you, kid” immortalized by Humphrey Bogart, the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo presents their latest attraction – The Glory of Casablanca.

Here, for eleven nights, the hotel will pay tribute to the romance of Moroccan cuisine, music and dance.

The distinctive Moroccan culture, a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African influences throughout history, has drawn the curiosity of the world. In light of this growing interest and Morocco’s cultural wealth, ‘The Glory of Casablanca’ opens its doors to guests from the 16th to the 26th of September.

The hotel will host two Moroccan Chefs as well as a professional belly dancer all of who have been flown in by Qatar Airways especially for the occasion.

The Executive Chef of the Gulf Paradise Hotel in Doha Chef Mustafa and his assistant Chef Youssef will prepare an array of authentic Moroccan dishes for guests to savour, whilst Dareen Memus will introduce guests to the fascinating art of traditional Middle Eastern dance colloquially referred to as the belly dance.

An added attraction during this time will be the Sheisha or Hookah pipes made available to guests.

The flavoured smoke can be enjoyed at leisure over pre or post dinner conversation.

Belly Dancing Classes are yours to experience as well, so call the Power Drome on 2491827 to sign up, as numbers will be limited per class.

Dareen has her own school in Dubai and looks forward to teaching you and sharing her skills.

The Poolside of the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo will take on a new look for this period inspired by the Hispano-Moorish style of architecture prevalent in the cities. The tribute will continue from 7.00pm to 11.00pm, for eleven consecutive days and guests will be invited to indulge the best.
 

Sizzling steak and grill house:

Taj Samudra

The Steak and Grill House at the Taj Samudra is a cozy restaurant overlooking the rolling lawns making it an ideal place for Continental Fine Dining. The restaurant serves a choice of steaks, seafood and even select vegetarian cuisine complemented with fine desserts and beverages. Seating just 32 persons it is the ideal place for an evening of intimate dining.

Chef Saga, who has had over a quarter century of experience in Continental cuisine, serving guests both overseas and along Sri Lanka’s tourist rich coastal belt, now delights the discerning palettes of guests at the Steak and Grill House.

The menu is clearly well thought out. Starters include delicately created salads of lobster and prawn, smoked duck breast and even cheese fondue true to its classical recipe. The grilled country red pumpkin soup is a favourite too.

Chef Saga would tell you “grilled angus sirloin steak, sautéed tagliatelle with garlic and blue cheese chive sauce” is a must try dish if ever there’s any - it’s a recipe he’s unmistakably mastered. The original Mississippi mud pie tops the list for best dessert at The Steak and Grill House.

The restaurant is open only for dinner.

Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo:

Hoppers by the Poolside

It’s time to give the cooks at home a break and bring your family and friends out to the monthly Hopper Night hosted by Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo! On September 24 by the hotel’s Poolside, besides the glistening waters of the Beira Lake and the pool, all things deliciously Sri Lankan will be served.

A pre-dinner stroll around the poolside will give you a preview to the crispy, stuffed hoppers and egg hoppers, string hoppers, a Kottu of gothamba rotti, vegetables and meat, pittu, babath, chicken curry, fish ambulthiyal and many other fine Sri Lankan dishes.

The dessert counter will be filled with Lankan treats such as lavariya, dodol, milk toffee, kokis, kavum, asmi, halapa, mung kavum, coconut rock and banana fritters. Just as you do at home after a satisfying dinner, relax and allow us to offer you a ginger tea to complete the meal.

The night need not end there, a Calypso band will come round to each table and play some of the golden oldies that take you down memory lane. Feel free to request your favourites. During the night, traditional Kandyan dancers will make appearances to keep you entertained.

The Hopper Night is a popular event at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo therefore it is advisable to make an early reservation on 2491998. The buffet opens at 7.00pm and will remain until 11.00pm.

The Supremes and the Drifters

Galle Face Hotel……..

The ever popular ‘Supremes’ and the ‘Drifters’ were warmly welcomed to Galle Face Hotel, Colombo (Official Hotel Partner for the Live Concert) last week.

The Supremes, an American female singing group, who were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960’s visited Sri Lanka for the Live Concert which was organized by Gold FM – ABC Radio Network Pvt Ltd held at BMICH on September 4.

The Drifters who are a long-lived American vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1962 also flew down to Colombo for the Supremes and Drifters Concert and stayed at the Galle Face Hotel during their stay.

Theme nights at Latitude

Mexican Night: Every Tuesday indulge in tangy, spicy Mexican cuisine in all her colour and tasteful presentation.

The menu includes crispy burritos and tortilla soup, scrumptious duck or pork ribs in green sauce and of course the signature tequila mousse.

Mediterranean Night. Every Thursday the finest dishes from Morocco to Greece and many more lands are served.

The chef’s recommend marinated seafood salad, mousaka and baked red snapper with bread crumbs.

In true Mediterranean style, a host of breads are presented to you with spreads to match which one wouldn’t want to get up!

Seafood Night. Every Friday the Chefs tirelessly choose only the very best of Tropical Island’s fresh seafood to conjure the finest recipes. Be it baked Crabs or Grilled Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce, the buffet offers it all. Scrumptious it is!

Traditional Srilankan Night. Every Saturday nothing matches the skillful art in which traditional Sri Lankan cuisine is prepared to delight ones palette.

Choose from authentic dishes – hoppers, kottu, pittu accompanied with delicious curries and badum.

Cashew Curry, spicy beef, brinjal moju or ambul thiyal will all be on the menu.

Ceylon Continental:

Tantalizing one foot sandwiches

The Ceylon Continental Hotel is offering a brand new range of popular One Foot sandwiches from September 14 to the 19 between 10.00 am to 9.00 pm. Five great sandwiches are available to choose from one foot romali rotti, one foot roast beef, Continental submarine, one foot tuna and delicious veggie delight.

The one foot sandwich fiesta is offered at the Café Conti, where patrons can chill out and relax with friends and family. The Continental Submarine is available with shawarma chicken, onion, gherkin, tomato, mayonnaise and crispy lettuce.

Topping the one foot roast Beef is delicious shredded roast beef tossed with gherkin, bell peppers and lettuce. Veggie delight includes a selection of lettuce, tomatoes, gherkin, zucchini, mushroom and boiled vegetables. One foot romali rotti compris of tandoor chicken will be served with onion, green chilli, corianda.

One foot tuna includes lettuce, onion, tomato, tuna and mint raita. Cafe Conti always has take away food items at very affordable prices.

“Guests can taste varieties of dough nuts, éclairs, savouries including pastries, sandwiches and chocolates too.

We also do wedding cakes, birthday cakes and engagement cakes structures and we are planing to introduce new cakes and savoury items” Sous Chef Pastry Namindra Kudaliyanage says.

Aliyaa Restaurant:

Authentic flavours of Sri Lanka in Malaysia

Ganga ILLEPERUMA

Aliyaa Restaurant is not just another food outlet that has sprung up in Kuala Lumpur. It is the first authentic Sri Lankan food outlet in Malaysia.

This restaurant is not only popular among Sri Lankan but also to Malaysian. Those who are not familiar with Sri Lankan fare and are not too adventurous with food can perhaps take time to read the menu as it gives a short description of the various dishes.

 When a guest goes there he can experience several varieties of Sri Lankan food such as milk rice with katta sambal and spicy chicken, as well as egg hoppers, briyani, crab curry, sweets and more. These authentic dishes are cooked with traditional Sri Lankan spices is the uniqueness of this place.

Aliyaa Restaurant was opened in 2007 and Abethan Kandasamy is the owner of this place. He bought an old bungalow and converted it is as a restaurant. “This restaurant is an ideal place for birthday parties, weddings, cocktails and get to gathers. We promote Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim food in Malaysia and we have very good demand from Malaysians” said Operation Manager, Sangeethan Shivagnanan.

Food aside, a visit to Aliyaa will also give one a glimpse of Sri Lanka via the many pictures on the wall. Tastefully decorated in a modern theme with black and white as core colours, the outlet has a seating capacity of 250. The pictures on the walls catch one’s attention the moment they enter the outlet. It is like stepping into an art gallery.

Aliyaa Restaurant, 8, Lorong Dungun, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-2092 5378)