The newly opened Chambers at Park Street Mews specialises in Moroccan cuisine. Probably the only restaurant that delivers in terms of authentic Moroccan cuisine in this part of the country, you're left spoilt for choice with a proper, extensive menu full of delights like hummus, a variety of tagines and a glorious dessert which you can read about if you scroll further.
Tl;dr: We love it.
The Experience
Dining here really is an experience. The flavours are undisputed, the presentation is great and the quality of their ingredients is so good, you can practically taste how fresh everything is. I'm not exaggerating, I promise, but you'll only be able to tell for yourselves if you visit. Mind you, I'm not implying that this is the BEST restaurant in Colombo, it's just one of the good ones out there.
Make sure you start your meal off with some Moroccan Tea. The tea is brewed well, so it's not too heavy and makes for a light and refreshing palate cleanser. Subtle notes of cardamom and clove play a role here with mint seeping through as well.
The Hummus starter dish costs a clean Rs. 500 and is worth every cent that you'll spend. It isn't overly mashed but instead is well mixed to the point where it still has a lightly grainy chick-pea presence.
There aren't any heavy flavours at play here, just a very good execution of simple ingredients like olive oil and perhaps a sprinkle or two of salt. Served with four thick slices of pita, this'll probably fill you up fast, so make sure you have someone to share with.
Man I'm really going to enjoy talking about this next one. Here we have the Za'atar Arayas- which is essentially a type of pita sandwich. In this case, it's filled with feta, za'atar and more cheese sandwiched between lightly toasted pita. Heavenly, dude. The za'atar adds an entirely different level of piquancy and in combination with all these other ingredients, the entire thing tastes like a pizza- minus the pizza. All for Rs. 500.
This photo doesn't quite capture how pretty the Falafel Wrap (Rs. 650) is. It's a huge portion complete with a side of chunky fries, lettuce in balsamic dressing and a dish of mayo. The wrap was alright, and my only qualm here is the fact that the falafel wasn't very crunchy- but had a rather meaty, slightly soggy texture. Not bad, but don't get this if you're looking to enjoy falafel in its original form. Opt for the Falafel Starter, instead.
Now for the main event: the Mutton Tagine. Their tagines are beautiful with intricate designs and make for great photo ops. We got ourselves a Mutton Tagine which clocked in at Rs. 1,500 but you can opt for other types as well. I've heard their Seafood Tagine is the bomb, so maybe try that and let us know how it is?
Anyways, the tagine comes piled high with about four hulking blocks of mutton (careful with the bones), cous-cous, boiled carrots, potatoes and chickpeas- all soaking in a rich mutton gravy. Every bite of this dish is luxurious and decadent from the vegetables to the cous-cous, to the meat itself. The mutton is a beautiful shade of pink- tender as ever and practically melts in your mouth upon consumption. An easy A+ here.
Their Pistachio Gelato, is sourced from Isle of Gelato. Although my initial experience with their Pistachio Gelato in their Galle outlet was a bit iffy, this time proved to be much, much better.
This stuff is made for royalty, it doesn't come with pistachio chunks in it but damn is it good. I enjoyed it so much that despite being stuffed to the brim after my starter and main I somehow single-handedly finished the entire thing. One portion comes at Rs. 475 and is enough for two, unless you get hooked onto its flavour and texture.
The Peach Riki is a simple drink that's essentially comprised of peach syrup, orange juice and soda. It isn't mind-blowing, I'd recommend the Mint Crush instead, but it's still pretty decent. Upon consumption, you're first greeting by a nice orange-y kiss and left with a whisper of peach. I don't quite know how this happens, but it happened, so…
The Ambience
The ambience is extremely straightforward. You won't find any unnecessary decorations cluttering the walls and the entire place is a clean and neat space that's great for a laid back dinner affair.There's also an upstairs seating area if you feel like dining at an elevated height.
The waiters are polite, efficient and well-versed menu-wise. Ask them for recommendations if you're at a loss on what to order.
The outdoor area essentially borrows its ambience from Park Street's relaxed environment. Mood lighting, faint music and people bustling about exudes an air of casual sophistication.
Conclusion
All I can say is that their food is phenomenally good- especially the tagines. Don't leave until you try the Pistachio Gelato, because there's really no point to this whole ordeal if you miss out on that.
