Tucked away in a neat corner in Nugegoda, dwarfed by the Keells opposite to it only in terms of size, Cafe D Three has cemented itself as a favourite haunt of many regular customers and is a gem of a place if you're looking to dine on a budget.
Food and Drinks
They serve sandwiches, pastries, fried chicken, salads, cakes and also an array of milkshakes and coffee, but what made Cafe D Three stand out for us was not what was on the menu, but what they had decided to do with those on the menu. Without opting for the usual recipes that many cafes today adopt, Cafe D Three had decided to tweak them a little and thus producing an arsenal of good food to choose from.
What we loved about the sandwiches at Cafe D Three was the fact that it was not just a paste slapped in between two slices of white bread. They had capitalised on the versatility that sandwiches possessed, and in doing so, had created a variety of sandwiches with delicious fillings in between the Italian ciabatta bread, that had an entirely different texture altogether.
We opted for the Ciabatta Chicken Tandoori Mayo (Rs. 250) and was not disappointed. Toasted for a couple of minutes on the spot, which gave it a grilled feeling, the filling flooded our tastebuds as we bit through the crispy bread which perfectly complemented the relishing middle. The addition of the fresh, crisp slices of tomato and cucumber resulted in the amplification of the already pleasant sandwich.
The delicious chunks of chicken that constituted the majority of the filling of the Smoked Chicken and Egg pastry (Rs. 150) came as a wonderful surprise! Unlike other pastries, the element of vegetables here was barely identifiable, and the flaky pastry proved itself to be a meaty delight pastry, perfectly encapsulating the reason as to why biting into fresh pastries is so universally beloved. Not too buttery or dry, for the price of Rs. 150, it was undoubtedly worth it!
The crispy chicken strips were thinly sliced (one might argue too thin) and were thickly coated in batter, thus the taste of the batter almost overpowering that of the chicken. Nevertheless for Rs. 300, it was plentiful. More spicy than salty, it may not have been as crispy as was expected, but certainly satisfied our craving.
We found the carrot cakes served here to be an absolute delight. The nuts that entered our mouth with each bite that enshrouded our tastebuds with just the right amount of sweetness certainly added to its quality of enchantment. Although the icing on the cake itself was a bit too sweet, the cake as a whole is definitely Bugs Bunny approved.
A few awkward glances were directed our way by the one auntie who was seated across us, as we slurped every remaining dreg of the Cookie Shake (Rs. 350), a concoction of homemade cookies, ice-cream and chocolate milk. Along with the regular flavour of a chocolate milkshake, we could taste the thick texture and the flavour of the crushed homemade cookies, which is what made it so amazing.
The Capuccino we enjoyed had a slightly smoked, burnt flavour that took the coffee a notch higher, and the surface, swathed in foam, was tempting you to take that heavenly sip.
Ambience and Service
We were greeted with a warm, inviting smile and a cheery "Good Afternoon", and were attended to by two helpful and friendly staff members. The cafe itself cannot accommodate a huge number of people at once, but their seating arrangements make it the perfect place to hang out with a small group of people – perhaps your GOT support group, where you can complain about the very disappointing season finale (been months, but still fuming about it) and console yourself with some great, cheap food.
Although the interior of the Cafe lacks a personal touch to it, it gives off a super cosy vibe, and the seating arrangements by the pavements is a genius move.
Conclusion
Cafe D Three is certainly a delightful place to drop by if you're in the area and in need of some good food that won't dent your wallet.
