Hopper aficionados are in for an absolute treat if they visit the weekly Friday Whopper Hopper night at the Fortress Hotel, Koggala. Each Friday The White Restaurant hosts a delectable array of innovative hoppers which range from beetroot and carrot to turmeric and curd, not forgetting the mouthwatering dessert hoppers. I was particularly impressed by the measures the restaurant had taken to ensure COVID-19 regulations were met. They even pack their cutlery in paper wallets and open it only when you are ready to eat. To complement the hoppers on offer the restaurant also has two special cocktails which pair well with the hoppers. The price per head is Rs.3250 and includes two free cocktails.

Our voyage to explore the range of hoppers began with the Curd hopper, a beautiful off white ivory delicately patterned hopper with friable edges had a bed of light green salad with slivers of green chillies and coriander nestled in the midst of the hopper. Paired with the tartness of the curd this hopper was a good choice and helped pave the way for its more elaborate counterpart the Nicoise Hopper.

Imagine a Nicoise salad delicately placed on a hopper with a poached egg sitting majestically on top of the salad… well that is exactly what was served and it was made all the more delightful when I tore off the crispy edge of my hopper and dunked it into the runny egg. 

Next up was the orange-hued Carrot hopper with a generous serving of spicy chicken tikka embedded in the middle of the hopper. Minuscule pieces of carrot studded the lacy edges of the hopper. The chicken tikka with its hues of orange and flavours of coriander, curd and cocktail of spices found a perfect ally in the Carrot hopper. 

Continuing with the Indian theme, I selected the Masala hopper which is almost lilac in hue. Curious as to how that particular shade was obtained the chef informed me that the hopper was infused with red cabbage juice. This was served with a generous serving of masala potato which had delicate notes of ginger cumin, chilli and turmeric all blended perfectly together.

Four hoppers down and my serviette slipped to the floor, leaning over to pick it up my tummy reminded me that it was almost filled to capacity, therefore with much regret I had to stop sampling the savoury hoppers and move on to the dessert hoppers. 

Chocolate and honey with whipped cream, stewed fruit with cinnamon ice cream, nougat and vanilla ice cream,  chocolate chip mousse and fresh fruit and honey all served on a substantial hopper formed the various dessert hopper options.

Deciding to follow the path of decadence, I chose the Chocolate Chip Mousse hopper. Placed before me was a raging red ( thanks to the beetroot) hued hopper with a large rosette of chocolate mousse. Visually this hopper was the winner of the night. I tore off the crispy edge of my red hopper and using it like a spade dug into the chocolate mousse. The crispness of the hopper with the lightness of the mousse was a marriage made in hopper heaven!

With a need to balance the decadence of the chocolate, I felt I needed to sample a healthier option and decided to try the Fresh Fruit and Honey hopper which was packed with fresh tropical fruit with drizzled honey. A surefire winner for those who like their fruits!

Why travel all the way to The Fortress Hotel in Koggala to eat hoppers? Well, apart from the scenic drive (just over an hour) the hotel is just fabulous along with the ambience of the restaurant. In addition to the speciality hoppers, they also serve a fish, beef and chicken curry along with egg hoppers and plain hoppers. The main attraction is the selection of innovative hoppers the Chef and his team have created. The balance of flavours, textures and range of hoppers and accompaniments make it a suitable Friday night gourmet experience. Don’t just take my word for it, go there and try it yourself. You will like it!

Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana