London Grill is located in a discreet nook on the downstairs floor of the Cinnamon Grand. One might completely miss it if you don’t know where to look. The visit better be for a special occasion though, as this is a place catered to creating a pretty special atmosphere.
The Location
Everything about the London Grill oozes class and romance. From the warm, dim lighting and the wood and gold crests decorating the wall to the single rose adorning each table, everything is, well, fancy. This is your chance to dress up – Colombo has embraced casual chic, but this is one of the few places you can finally whip out that LBD for. The crowd veers towards couples, although there was one family gathering the night I went. The tables are placed well apart, enough to ensure privacy, while also creating a light buzz of conversation. There was a piano player stumbling over popular classics, which was the only slightly jarring element, but it’s forgivable.
The Food
The Eggs BenedictThe food is the highlight here. Pricey but you get what you pay for, including the rest of the experience. The starters we ordered, the eggs benedict with smoked salmon (Rs. 1400) and beetroot cured salmon tartare (Rs. 1400), were both excellent, and the portions were substantial – not like the fashionably tiny starters you get at most expensive restaurants.
Ze duckThe mains we had – I had the breast of duck with honey glazed baby onion & passion scented jus (Rs. 2400) and my date had the sirloin steak (Rs. 3500), were delicious too. The food could have been plated more artistically – a minor detail but something I’m sure they are more than capable of doing, but this is just in terms of being a perfectionist.
This is essentially an upmarket steak house, so meat is a specialty, although they had great sounding seafood and vegetarian options too. We were served complimentary sorbet in between the courses. We were too full for dessert, but were given tiny chocolate covered ice cream bites on the house, which was a nice touch.
They also have an extensive wine list.
Service
Professional and discreet. You don’t really notice them changing your cutlery to suit your order, and they talk in hushed tones. Something I really liked is that they don’t seem to have any objections to your menu choices, and don’t suggest unless you ask them for their opinion, something waiters think they must do nowadays to prove their worth.
Conclusion
A first class fine dining experience. Perfect for when you want to pull out all the stops and celebrate.
