Cinnamon Red Colombo recently hosted an exclusive preview luncheon to introduce the menu lineup available for their ‘Vegetarian Buffet’ which will be from 12.00pm every Poya Day starting from February 5th 2023. Given that the hotel is located quite close to the heart of Colombo, this buffet certainly serves a fascinating array of choices to the busy people on the lookout for vegan/vegetarian practice on a significant day. Cinnamon Reds' famed main restaurant- FlavouRed serves an international spread of cuisines at the buffet, as well as an a-la-carte menu for lunch. Featuring a full view of the island’s bustling commercial capital, the restaurant is capable of hosting 80 guests at a time for a fulfilling dining experience. As soon as you set your foot out of the elevator onto the 8th Floor, take a right and you will be greeted at the entrance to “FlavouRed”. 

Warmly welcomed by Nishu and her team, we were guided towards our table and were served a refreshing Fresh Fruit Juice, to quench our mid-noon beverage thirst. Being a semi-vegetarian myself with my day starting with a homemade veggie smoothie for breakfast, I admit I anticipated a ‘not filling to the brim’ kind of meal.

But I knew I was wrong even before trying. The joy of witnessing a mouthwatering and diverse flavour spread, carefully crafted with vibrant dishes, undoubtedly matching the vibe of an ambient and calm Poya Day, kickstarted my anticipation to a very surprising level.  The team had certainly gone the extra mile to make sure that everything was coordinated and looked to its best in its ‘homely feeling’ Banana Leaf backdrop display.

Soup
Minestrone soup - This Italian-originated dish served with the richly filled Mixed Bean Cannelloni just provided a great start! We were intrigued by how the dish would fit into the local cuisine-dominated buffet, but the soup gave just the right feeling to anticipate the stronger flavours and spices that would come up with the main meal dishes. The Mixed Bean Cannelloni was a topper to me for its tender texture and rich bean filling.

Mains
The first thing you will notice here is the variety! The array of pro-local dishes looked authentic, and fresh, with a good balance of spices coming through and they were coordinated with a few unique Sri Lankan indigenous combinations. 

We had the Vegetable Biryani served with the special ‘Mushroom Masala’ and Raita. The Mushroom Masala curry hit it off as a favourite for its chewy texture with the ideal amount of Masala flavour and spice coming out. Two other dishes that caught our eye were the ‘Kohila Vegeballs’ and the ‘Polos Cutlet’-the iconic Poya Day lookout. There was a different take on our everyday Parippu (Dhal), which was tempered but still vibrant in its colour. Curried Beetroot, a creamy Kiri Kos ( jackfruit), Brinjal and Ash Plantain Moju, Turkish Berry Mallum and the Aguna Kola Sambol were key other complementors for the overall vegetarian meal. 

Right alongside the Vegetable Biryani was the Yellow Rice with its mild aroma enticing us ( the sweet milky taste of cashews garnishing the rice, did elevate the dish). You will certainly not want to miss out on the Achcharu/pickle range which contains mouthwatering Sri Lankan Achcharu-Pineapple, Guava and Jew Plums and the Chutneys together with the snacky Papadum and Fried Red Chillies.

For dessert
Honestly, after the strong and rich flavours still resting in our mouths, I actually contemplated whether to have dessert. The Eggless Chocolate Gateau, topped with chocolate mousse, rich and decadent and whipped to perfection along with crispy caramel crust,  was such a win! It was pure chocolate goodness plated to a beauty. Even though in the end we pretty much were a bunch of happy and satiated mealers because of the sheer amount of food we consumed, we surprisingly didn’t feel sluggish, inactive or have the general brain fog after lunch. Everything in the buffet was made with health in mind with the taste by no means compromised. So the due credit goes to the due Greens! We highly compliment the warm and well-thought endeavour by Cinnamon Red to all vegetarians out there. To the chefs who did a fabulous job in including as many food ranges and flavours, that's a Kudo to all of you!  It certainly was an excellent way to productively indulge in something different without any disappointment.

Text Nuzla Rizkiya
Photographs by : Waruna Wanniarachchi