It's nice and summery in Sri Lanka, but it's also really bloody hot. Every. Single. Day.
And CityRest Fort Hotel is taking this dire need for something to curb the heat really seriously by serving ice cream 24/7! That's right, need ice cream at 2.57 am? No problem, machang because CityRest Fort has got your back!
But are the ice creams worth the drive to Fort? Or should you just pop into THE.RE.PUB.LK, which is right across, for an unplanned shot of tequila instead?
The Ice Creams
CityRest Fort has quite a wide variety of ice creams, ranging from smelly Durian to nutty Hazelnut. Scoops priced at Rs 150 come in either a waffle cone or a cup – your choice.
We decided to get a scoop of Peach and good old Strawberry.
While tasting quite strongly of peach, this was also tangy. There was a good balance between the sweet and sour elements.
Definitely something I'd get again.
This tasted a lot like what I used to gorge on as a fat 7 year old. It was your standard satisfying Strawberry ice cream. It didn't come with any dried bits of strawberry or anything fancy. So don't expect anything royal, princess.
I also tried their Salted Caramel, New York Cheesecake, Mango, Cherry and Durian. Apart from New York Cheesecake and Durian, I liked all of my free tastings. The flavoring, which was neither overpowering nor underwhelming, was on point.
The New York Cheesecake tasted like yogurt and not very cream cheese-y. So it was quite meh.
Durian, according to Shalini, who loves the godforsaken smelly fruit, tasted pretty much like Durian. So for the ones with the queer taste of liking Durian, here's an alternative to get your fix from when the vendors decide to flee Havelock Road during off-seasons.
In general, the ice creams weren't uber creamy, but they would work well for cooling you down at 12 noon or 12 midnight.
Service and Ambience
Service at CityRest Fort was warm and friendly. We were attended to by a very patient, young man by the name of Marshan who put up with my "Can I try this?" "Can I try that?" with a smile, although he may have cursed me mentally.
It's not your conventional ice cream parlour.
Ice creams are stored in large plastic tubs in a freezer located in the corner of the lobby. So you can either enjoy your ice cream at the lobby which is slightly weird because you're not a hotel guest. Or, walk out and patrol the streets with your ice cream.
Conclusion
I personally like the whole 24/7 service idea because you never know when you'll need a Mint Choc Chip or a smelly Durian kick in your system. It's also positioned right across a bar, which makes it a perfect post-drinks scoop spot.
