Middle eastern cuisine in Colombo is hard to come by, especially if it is done reasonably well. However Chambers situated down Park Street Mews specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine which they seem to have mastered  to a very successful degree. Having first opened in the Galle Fort many years ago the family behind the restaurant were so taken with its success that they decided to venture to Colombo and open a second restaurant. Fitting perfectly well alongside their neighbours in Park Street Mews, that little enclave known for its variety of restaurants and vibrant nightlife, Chambers is becoming a sought after destination for authentic middle eastern cuisine.

Sacrificing our carb free diets in the name of research we decided to sample the menu at Chambers and after sampling a smorgasboard of delights we felt it was a sacrifice well made.

Our lunch started off with a Lime and Mint crush which was both cooling and refreshing.

Having studied the menu carefully we were helped by the staff who made their own suggestions which matched what we wanted anyway which boded well for the rest of the meal.

First up we had the Hummus and Muhammara with pita bread and the Roasted Beetroot and Feta salad which is part of their cold Mezze selection. The bread was nice and soft and the hummus had a lovely consistency to it.

I particularly liked the Muhammara which was essentially a red pepper puree with walnuts. This had a slightly tangy taste to it due to the pomegranate molasses sprinkled on it.

The Beetroot salad with feta ticked all the boxes for me as the sweetness of the beets married well with the tartness of the feta. 

Moving on to the hot Mezzes I tried the Zaatar Arayas which was like a cheese filled Panini with an Arabic twist to it but I did find that a tad too salty.

For our mains we selected the Seafood Tagine and the Chicken and Prune Tagine.

I am quite partial to tangy tastes so I simply loved the seafood tagine which was packed with prawns, calamari and fish cooked in a tomato sauce and served on a bed of fragrantly spice fluffy cous cous.

The chicken and prune tagine was also fantastic. The sweetness of the prune offset the savoury taste of the chicken and I like the addition of the almonds which added to the consistency of the dish.

With eyes bigger than our bellies we also ordered the Kebab Bil Laban and the Shish Kebab. The former had minced Australian lamb layered with spiced yoghurt and served with saffron rice.

The lamb was tender and full of flavour and made an ample main course.

The Shish Kebeb was a tad on the dry side but it all fairness we left it a while before we tucked in to it so it may have been moist had we eaten it immediately.

To finish off our dining experience at Chambers we tried one of their signature dishes the Baklava with ice cream. Delicate layers of filo pastry stuffed with nuts and drizzled with a sugar syrup was just divine. The pastry was nice and crispy and the filling was chewy which I thought was rather nice. The warmness of the pastry coupled with the ice cream played a symphony of melodious notes on my tastebuds… in the nicest way. We were  also treated to their soon to be unveiled new dessert a rose scented pistachio cake. The cake was nice and light with a cream topping served with a warm milky custard which was very light. Being a fan of desserts I was torn between the two as they were both equally nice. 

Before you ask me. Yes I will go again as I love middle eastern cuisine and I think Chambers does a good job in creating Arabic dishes at reasonable prices.
 

Chambers - 48 D Park Street MewsColombo 2
 

Reservations - 077 210 0009