Dinemore (Marine Drive).

Dinemore in Wellawatte by the sea has got their signature oozing-mayo subs and burgers, with a relaxing view of the ocean.

Ambience & Service

The waiters are generally polite – however if you’re there around 6PM these days, they’re rushing around attending to a whole load of customers crowded up in the diner for ifthar (breaking fast), so they might not be as attentive as you’d like. They did however bring us our burgers and subs quite fast. It was nice of the place to offer free kanji and dates in the spirit of Ramadan – the beef kanji was actually good, spicy and thick, though there’s tiny chunks of garlic in it that you don’t want to accidentally bite into. We weren’t fans of their tiny plastic cups of water though, surely they could have used glasses.

The downstairs area is smaller and more crowded, and there’s a nice space outside where you can nom on your food and enjoy the sea-breeze too. This is a good place to be when the sun is about to set, but it’s not so much fun if there’s traffic honking down Marine Drive.

The upstairs space is spacious and much more pleasant – it’s understandably packed at dinner time. The glass windows all around provide  a full view of the Drive and the sea. We wish someone would trim those pesky trees that obscure the view though.

Food

Spicy chicken sub

We ordered a classic Dinemore spicy chicken submarine (Rs. 410), shrimp submarine (Rs. 430), beef burger with cheese (Rs. 300) and a strawberry lassi (Rs. 200). As we’ve said in our previous reviews of Dinemore, there’s the predominant presence of mayonnaise in all their stuff – you’ll smell of it afterwards. Their submarines and burgers are usually good and filling, and they’re generous with the cheese – it’s a good place to drop by when you’re in the mood for tasty fast food.

The shrimp submarine is not very shrimpy, the shrimp is prepared in a very average way and the taste of it is overpowered by the mayo. You’re better off ordering a spicy chicken submarine – the chicken looks like tandoori and is slathered in sauce and mayo and slices of cheese. It’s alright. You can also go for their sandwiches which are usually good.

Beef burger with cheese

Their beef submarines and burgers are, however, generally superior to their chicken or seafood. The fries are okay, not the best out there. We loved the Dinemore strawberry lassi – if you’re a lassi person, you’ve got to get this, the yoghurty mix is a very satisfying way to wash it all down.

Conclusion

Marine Drive’s Dinemore is a good place to hang out if you’re in the neighborhood with friends or in the mood to go all-out on some local fast food.