From caffeinated dreams to reality

Whight & Co. Café perched at the top of Marine Drive and Aloe Avenue in Colombo 3, is a visually eye-catching building in all its white glory. Walk inside, and you’ll be greeted with the smell of wooden floors while the sunlight gleams in hitting the white walls, while the view of the stunning ocean greets you while you sit down to have that cuppa super Sri Lankan coffee. The exterior and the interior are as pleasing as their coffees or dishes, or both! One visit there, and chances are, you will head that way for more as I can tell you, with first-hand experience, that it is the finest café in town.

Their coffee is delicious and strong and their Caffè Latte comes highly recommended.  I opted for their Caramel Latte and it didn’t disappoint. This chilled and flavoursome latte is not overly sweet and achieved two things for me that warm afternoon, it kept me cool and also kept my hunger at bay! They also serve some excellent juices like their Apple, Beetroot and Carrot juice. Firstly it is so pretty to look at and secondly it is so refreshing, you can almost feel your insides being cleansed and refreshed...

Their food, now, that is a whole other story. Whight & Co’s Burger Slider Platter, Herbed Prawns and Rotisserie Quarter Chicken come highly recommended. From the fresh and crispy salad to the juicy meats and the prefect compliment of herbs and spices, these three are excellent dishes. I honestly couldn’t pick between the three so I think it best to put it as follows:

If you head that way for a late breakfast, the Herbed Prawns served with coleslaw and baked jacket potato would be my pick. Especially, if you have had a late Saturday night this would be a super way to kick start your Sunday. The prawns are so fresh while the herbs complimented the perfectly seared prawns. The coleslaw wasn’t doused with mayonnaise which was great as you could really taste the crunchy shredded cabbage and carrot – And what’s not to love about baked potatoes – The whole combination was simply perfect.

The ideal lunch time treat would be the juicy Burger Slider Platter. I must warn you, that these things may look tiny but once you start digging in, they fill you up, pretty fast! Served with ketchup and chunky fries these three little burgers are really something else. The fillings for each burger include juicy Beef, Bacon, crunchy Lettuce and Tomato, while another filling includes Chicken, Spinach and Corn Aioli and my personal favourite, Fish Tartar and Coleslaw. The combination of the three seemingly small burgers, are just delightful.

The café’s Rotisserie Herbed Quarter Chicken with a side of Rocket, Bacon and Corn along with their scrumptious Chucky Fries is a super option for dinner. The chicken was really succulent, tangy and spicy but I must say that the Rocket, Bacon and Corn salad with just the right amount of balsamic vinegar was just so tasty and light. It was the prefect side dish to this juicy roasted quarter chicken.

Your meal must end with their Tasting Plate, which includes a nice big piece of chocolate brownie, a cute little cheesecake in a glass and a light and fresh Mango Passion Fruit Tart.  They have a choice of other desserts but if it is your first time there, I’d recommend you start with this as it is just like having three desserts in one sitting!

Now going back to their coffee – It started in 2001 when James Whight had a vision to reintroduce coffee to Sri Lanka. Upon visiting a number of areas where coffee grew in the hill country, he collected samples and sent them to his native, Australia as well as to other countries around the world, for testing. The results were positive and one sample stood out among the rest – The one from Mathurata Valley which was from the descendants of the 140 year old, Sri Amma or mother plant, which was originally from Ethiopia.

James first started planting Ruby Harvest coffee (the coffee available at Whight & Co Café) in 2002 with the help of the Aloysius family. James and his wife Gabrielle, both from Melbourne Australia are the dynamic duo behind Colombo’s well known Cricket Club Caée and their second child (in terms of café!) is Whight & Co Cafe where one can indulge in James’ labour of love – Ruby Harvest coffee.

Whight & Co Café is open right through the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ratings

Variety of food: 5 stars
Cleanliness: 5 stars
Friendliness of staff: 5 stars
Parking: 4 stars

By Natasha Fernandopulle
Pics by Kanishke Ganewatte