Forty Seven Spice is the resident resto at Colombo House by Ceilão Villas; a charming, modern mansion of a boutique hotel down Jawatta Road. Incorporating local ingredients with international technique is their speciality, and they do a darn good job at it.
Food
Upon placing the order, they offer a side of complimentary bread and butter. Soft and airy, the bread rolls had a tinge of sweetness to them and were served warm.
There was a nutty touch to the butter, which worked out quite well with the bread.
We kicked things off with a serving of Cheese Tarts (Rs. 850), featuring four homemade puff pastries filled to the brim with cheese custard and topped off with seeni sambol (onion relish) and pol sambol (coconut relish).
Every element on this plate contributed a distinct flavour to the mix. Puffy and flaking off to layers so beautifully, we enjoyed catching a whiff of butter in the pastry, while the cheese custard was a silky, indulgent affair packed with sharp, cheesy notes. Paired with the sweet seeni sambol and tangy pol sambol, it owns a stellar flavour profile that can satiate both Sri Lankan and Western flavour palates.
This is the Ambul Thiyal Strings (Rs. 1800); a giant, ambul thiyal-ed barramundi (Asian sea bass) fillet sitting on top of a stack of turmeric-infused string hoppers encircled with pol sambol and served with a side of kiri hodi (coconut milk gravy).
Generously rubbed with goraka (Malabar tamarind) and grilled adequately, it's the perfect marriage between ambul thiyal and sea bass steak. The fish itself had a lovely crust, while the inside is soft, moist and succulent. It wasn't sour as we'd have hoped, but flavoursome nonetheless.
The string hoppers were gorgeously yellow and had layers of more spicy and tangy pol sambol slathered in between. The kiri hodi provided a good dose of milky, smoky flavours, which altogether made every bite a piquant burst.
Glazed with treacle, the Roast Chicken (Rs. 1500) had pol sambol covering its surface. Crispy from the outside with golden skin, while the inner layers are juicy and tender to the bite, there wasn't a scrap of dry meat in sight. I quite enjoyed the tinge of sweetness it draws from the treacle, but my partner didn't seem to like it.
Well-buttered up and with the perfect touch from the oven, the chunks of potato that lies beneath the meat were simply wonderful.
This bedazzling sight would be the Curd Panna cotta (Rs. 850); a unification of two beloved desserts from two corners in the world – Sri Lanka and Italy. Lusciously creamy and smooth in texture, it was delightfully tart, while a swirl of sweetness eases it in. It comes with a shot of more treacle too, if you want it to be even sweeter.
Drinks
Pictured above – Coconut, Cucumber, Lime & Mint Cooler (left) and Pineapple Ginger (right)
Forty Seven Spice whips up a range of excellent mocktails, and we opted for a couple of them – Coconut, Cucumber, Lime & Mint Cooler (Rs. 500) and Pineapple Ginger (Rs. 500).
Refreshing from the first sip to the last, the Coconut, Cucumber, Lime & Mint Cooler is the ideal drink to beat the blistering Colombo heat. Made with coconut water, it's limey, minty and sweet, and has a few slices of cucumber swimming about.
The Pineapple Ginger was a sweet, sour and fruity treat with a nice ginger kick to it, which balanced out the acidity of the pineapple so excellently.
Ambience & Service
Cosy, chic, elegant and serene; the ambience at Forty Seven Spice is an amalgamation of all these elements. With lots and lots of natural lights seeping through its giant glass windows, it's well lit up and looks stunning. It caters for a sophisticated and indulgent dining experience, which is ideal for if you're looking at a classy dinner date with your significant other. From what we gathered, this space gets booked up for private functions and photoshoots all the time, which is why reservations are recommended.
Upon our arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and it was consistent up until the moment we left. Our server was a helpful gentleman who knew the menu like the back of his hand. It didn't take them more than 20 minutes to bring out our food.
Conclusion
It's a bit expensive choice, but the prices here are inclusive of taxes and service charges, so what you see is what you pay. Our total bill was Rs. 6000, which is quite worth it considering the number of dishes we ordered, their execution, flavours and quality. This is one of your best shots at Sri Lankan fusion in Colombo with a semi-fine dining setup. We highly recommend.
