Mar 26 2014.
views 3103Little hesitation came with the daunting task of having to try out multiple lamprais outlets on the same day – one can never get enough of lamprais, after all! This is perhaps why we hold on to it so dearly years after it was first introduced.
The VOC Café at the Dutch Burgher Union and the Colombo Fort Café were hands down two of the better ones we have ever tasted, however we’re not sure how well we like the manner in which they were priced. Though VOC Café’s price caused some raising of eyebrows, by the time we got to the Colombo Fort Café and saw the price, we had definitely decided it’s not the place an average mortal would choose for lunch on a daily basis! The portion size at VOC Café was appalling, and was indeed a pity given the excellent taste of the lamprais. Green Cabin turned out to be a flat disappointment, and we won’t recommend you to try it out. The Fab did not even have lamprais on the day we turned up, though it still was very much lunchtime!
So we’re unsure of the verdict in terms of the entire package this time, although with regards to taste it’s a pretty obvious pick. Though Green Cabin was very decently priced, the downright low standard makes it impossible to pick it, while the prices at the other two venues look ridiculous despite the taste. If you’re an ardent lamprais fan however, the indulgence tip is to go ahead and try out our picks!
Chicken Lamprais - VOC Café at the Dutch Burgher Union (114, Reid Avenue, Colombo 04)
Price - Rs.450 (if you’re dining in, it amounts to Rs.490)
Value for money - average
Taste - *****
Variety - Apart from the chicken lamprais, the café serves a mixed meat lamprais.
Overall - Despite the lamprais being the excellent pick out of the three places we’ve featured today, it was a rather pitiful portion served. Ignoring that fact, the savoury rice with its accompaniments of blachan, seeni sambol, brinjal pahi, Dutch meatballs, fried ash plantains, and chicken, is a super treat for lunch. Everything was cooked to perfection, retaining an incredible flavour, and we must note that the blachan was possibly the best and we loved the sweetness of it, which went very well with the rice.
Chicken Lamprais - Green Cabin (453, Galle Road, Colombo 03)
Price - Rs.350 + service charge and taxes
Value for money - low
Taste - *
Variety - The restaurant also serves vegetable lamprais (Rs.230), fish lamprais (Rs.300) and a mutton lamprais (Rs.495).
Overall - Such a disappointing lamprais. Absolutely no flavour whatsoever in the savoury rice, and was incredibly bland. The accompaniments were just as disappointing in terms of flavour and taste. And nothing tasted fresh.
Chicken Lamprais - Colombo Fort Café (Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct)
Price - Rs.675 + service charge and taxes
Value for money - average
Taste - ****
Variety - None
Overall - Surprisingly, a good flavourful lamprais for lunch despite the huge price tag. The baked chicken was rather delicious with its smoky flavour. The brinjal pahi, fried ash plantains, blachan and seeni sambol were equally tasty in terms of flavour and freshness.
By Sarah Kellapatha and Nivedha Jeyaseelan
0 Comments
foodie says:
Mar 28, 2014 at 12:00 amactually i have tried all the places mentioned above except Colombo fort cafe, for me the tastiest and value for money would be the lamprais at charriot
Vanaman says:
Mar 29, 2014 at 12:00 amThe Best Lamprai in town is "The Dutch Grocer Lamprai"
the commenter says:
Mar 30, 2014 at 12:00 amI cant see any Lamprais on above pics. These are just rice and curry wrapped with banana leaf. Lamprais is something totally different than this.
Seriously says:
Apr 02, 2014 at 12:00 amto commenter, people like you are always negative, see below what Lamprais is rice boiled in stock with a special curry (it does say curry), accompanied by "frikkadels" (frikadeller meatballs), all of which is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked in the oven. It is a Dutch-influenced Sri Lankan dish.
sampath says:
Apr 02, 2014 at 12:00 amwhat about the Fab Foods Pvt ltd Lamprais?
The Cook says:
Apr 02, 2014 at 12:00 amFab :) Not the most massive portion but tastes good :)
typical says:
Apr 02, 2014 at 12:00 amanyway these things are not good - too much oil which is not good for health