With creativity coursing through her veins, Dilu Punchihewa is one who is never short of ideas especially when it comes to creative projects be it interior design or as a restaurateur.  The owner of O Mirissa Café and Bistro situated in the southern hotspot of Mirissa, Dilu has worked hard with her team to ensure that O Mirissa Café and Bistro remains the number one dining spot in Mirissa. From serving wood-fired pizzas to a smorgasbord of various cuisines, O Mirissa Café and Bistro offers a great respite for those travelling further south who need hearty sustenance or even a cosy hangout spot while spending time in Mirissa. Running a restaurant during the prevailing conditions is not a mean feat and here Dilu explains what motivates her to run with her passion project.

Q What motivated you to open a restaurant?
I have always loved entertaining people at home. From planning the menu based on what is in season to the taste and texture of the dishes I serve I always put a lot of thought in it. I have always been told the menus I curate for personal and family functions have been great and this gave me food for thought! (pardon the pun). It made me think that if my friends and family liked what I served up then maybe the general public would too. That is when the idea to launch my own restaurant came to being.

Q Why did you decide to open a restaurant in Mirissa?
My husband and his business partners already had a business in Mirissa called Hangover Hostels. Mirissa is a lively and happening place and I thought it made sense to open a restaurant that served a selection of good quality international cuisine in Mirissa. There was a void and I wanted to fill that.

Q Have you had any previous experience in the restaurant industry?
I have travelled to many countries and have tasted their many cuisines, and reading all about them inspired me to open my own restaurant.

Q What cuisine do you serve at O Mirissa Café and Bistro?
We serve wood-fired pizzas, pasta, seafood dishes, starters, burgers, and homemade desserts, along with our range of cocktails and flavours of coffee for coffee lovers. All are made with our own ingredients which makes O Mirissa so special.

Q What are some of the challenges you have encountered?
Despite the prevailing situation in our country we managed to be the No1 restaurant in Mirissa and we hope to keep the flag high. This is a testament to the team pulling together and working in unison to overcome the many challenges we faced.

Q As a solo female entrepreneur what advantages have you experienced?
I would not say there have been advantages as such, as I have had to work hard to raise my head above the water to keep the business afloat. I am very fortunate that I work with a great team of staff who are very loyal and work to a high standard. That has made my life easy to an extent.

Q How do you select what appears on your menu?
I do a lot of research on culinary trends overseas, and new ingredients and see what ticks people’s palates. I then talk to our consultant chef, my husband who is my biggest support and then devise new dishes. One thing I push for is to use fresh produce which is available locally.

Being located so close to the ocean is a huge advantage as we have some of the freshest seafood which we serve to our guests.

Q What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs starting out in their restaurant business?
Do not give up. The journey will be tough at the beginning but the secret is to take small steps and then before you know it everything will fall into place. Also, don’t take notice of people who will try to dissuade you. Be creative and adventurous when it comes to creating your menus.

Q How “hands-on” do you get with the day-to-day running of the business?
I work out of Colombo mainly but go to the restaurant in Mirissa at least thrice a week. On a daily basis we communicate via phone and am always available to troubleshoot should there be issues.

Q What role does social media play in your business?
We have very active Facebook and Instagram pages which we use to communicate our new dishes and promotions to people. Based in Mirissa we tend to rely on social media to get the message across to those who live in other parts of the country to visit us.

Q How important is it to use local produce?
For me personally, it is important that we use local produce because it is fresh and also is a way of supporting the local community which is absolutely vital in this current economic climate.  Fresh produce also gives a great taste to the dishes we create.

Q Where do you see yourself in five years?
Ideally, I would like to have a franchise with a couple of restaurants dotted around the island. O Mirissa Café and Bistro is placed in a really convenient location in Mirissa on the main road and I would like to see more people from Colombo, Galle, Kandy and other places who even drive past to stop and enjoy our unique cuisine and our serendipitous ambience.