Hospitality and Friendliness of Staff : 5/5 

The Chinese restaurant Xilaton will be celebrating their 10th anniversary on the 28th and 29th of May 2016 with a buffet featuring a fabulous spread. Xilaton is inviting everyone to come and join in! It opened its doors for us to come and enjoy some of the best Chinese food. We were greeted at the door by their manager, who continued to impress us with his hospitality. 

Food and Value for money : 4/5  

We first ordered two drinks - a papaya juice (Rs.330) which was fresh and lovely and a Xilaton special mocktail (Rs.700) which was a wonderful blend of mango, papaya, pineapple and grenadine. We were also served Chinese green tea, which the manager promised is served complimentary. If you want more green tea, a pot that serves 6 to 8 people is priced at Rs.800. 

We then tried their soup. The Sweet Corn and Crab soup (Rs.649) served warm was definitely the highlight for me. It was absolutely delicious! We also tried their Hot and Sour soup (Rs.649) which was quite tasty as well. 

The soup was followed by the main course. We tried their Thai Style Fried Rice (Rs.599) with Sizzling Lamb with Herbs (Rs.1099), Sautéed Chicken with Black Bean Sauce (Rs.799) and Mixed Vegetables in Batter (Rs.659). I found the salt and spice levels a little too low for my palate. But all the portions were big enough for two and the food was quite delicious. 

The manager confirmed that all the food is prepared by two experienced Chinese chefs who ensure the taste and quality of their food is authentic to their heritage. 

However, the desserts Cream Caramel (Rs.250) and Chocolate Mousse (Rs.300) were disappointing as it was served too cold. It still tasted quite good. 

The restaurant is very inviting and has a family friendly atmosphere. Guests are allowed to freely enjoy themselves and have a good time. There are family and VIP rooms upstairs for large groups if they want privacy. There is ample parking space as well. 
The manager also said that they host parties at the restaurant and can easily accommodate 50 to 75 people. They also cater for outside events. There is also an open bar and they serve beverages from the morning itself. 

Parking and Other Facilities : 5/5 

It’s open all 7 days from 11am to 2:45pm for lunch and 6 to 10:45pm for dinner. If you love authentic Chinese food this is the place to go. Make your way to Xilaton which is located at No.126, Havelock Road, Colombo 05. (Opposite Police Park) 

For any further details check out their website www.xilatonrestaurant.com. Or call 0112508887/ 2586552 for enquiries and reservations. 

By Jithendri Gomes 
Photographs by Kushan Pathiraja