Hotel De Pilawoos is one of the most popular 24 hour eateries named Pilawoos. Believe it or not, this is a big category; there are at least 10 Pilawoos in Colombo. The brand has become diluted and YAMU writers have gotten indigestion trying to figure out the best one. The original was supposedly in Maradana and is long gone. This is particular Pilawoos is OK, and it’s perhaps the most central. It’s gentrifying fast.
Hotel De Pilawoos is after the Durdan’s Hospital turn-off and before McDonald’s on the land-side of Galle Road. It’s most known as a spot to park your car and get atavistic drive-thru (people just come to your car) after a night of drinking. The place is, however, open 24 hours. If you’re just driving through get a cheese roti (like a chicken, onion and chili burrito) or a cheese kottu (chopped up roti with chicken). These dishes are good here if not spectacular. Don’t forget the iced milo.
The main thing we’ve noticed about this Pilawoos is how much it’s changed. This used to be a bit of dive but it’s going positively upscale. There are menus (what?) and prices have gone up as well. A chicken kottu is Rs. 300 and a cheese roti is Rs. 360. It’s also disturbingly clean and they brought out a whole roast chicken with garnish.
Another change is, perhaps facing competition from the Slave Island Burgers King, they’ve started offering burgers and BBQ outside. This smells good, at one point smoking up the entire restaurant.
As far as Pilawoos goes, this isn’t the best, we’re still looking for that, but it’s old reliable for a late night bite.
