From savory goodies to sweets, Meal Cart at Ratmalana has been one of the most popular eateries among the residents in Ratmalana – Moratuwa area for years. Their offerings may not be the best in town, but if you get the right stuff, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Food
After spending a few minutes of staring at the immense selection of baked goods and being dubious about what to order, we got a plateful of buns and pastries from both of their savory and sweet departments.
*Pictured above – Chicken Mushroom Calzone, Mutton Roll and Onion & Cashew Bun
- The Chicken Mushroom Calzone (Rs. 120) was well-stuffed with a properly seasoned filling of mushroom and chicken. However, it was quite dry, so we had to revive it by dipping into a cup of tomato sauce. The bun itself tasted fresh with a tinge of sweetness.
- Spiced to perfection and packed with flavor, the Mutton Roll (Rs. 100) at Meal Cart was quite the steal. It wasn’t as good as our favorites at The Gourmet Station, or The Kafé (obviously), but came to a close second. While it was equally packed with subtly cooked meat and mashed up potato, the crust was very crispy, golden brown and delicious.
- The Onion & Cashew Bun (Rs. 90) was slightly salty, but had a generous filling of roasted cashews, caramelized onion and karapincha, tucked between a soft, fluffy bun.
*Pictured above – Chef's Special Sandwich and Chocolate Doughnut
- The Chef’s Special Sandwich (Rs. 170) had a lot to offer. It came with ham, egg, and chicken, folded in between two slices of bread and wrapped in a godamba roti. While the ham was cooked well with a hint of crispiness, the egg and chicken mixture was seasoned with pepper and salt. The crunchy onions and lettuce added a fresh feel to it, and altogether, everything blended very well.
- We also tried the Chocolate Doughnut (Rs. 60), which was actually your basic bakery doughnut; a slightly dense pastry, topped with chocolate icing and filled with super sweet chocolate cream. It was spongier than puffy, so we presume it was baked, not deep fried.
Meal Cart does a range of rice and curry for lunch, even on weekends. We opted for the Chicken Biriyani (Rs. 390), which wasn't the authentic or traditional biriyani, but still pretty good.
The rice itself carried a rather strong punch in terms of seasoning, and honestly, it felt a bit too much. It had plenty of chopped cilantro, caramelized onions and potato scattered about. The chicken was tough on the outside, and soft on the inside.
Ambience & Service
It's a regular bakery, not a fine dining place, so you cannot expect a lot from the ambiance. The interior is mediocre with just cement-topped tables and normal chairs with steel backs.
The service can get really crummy during the rush hours, but they seem to be trying their best to serve the food as quickly as they can.
Conclusion
Colombo and its suburbs have many, many bakeries, and Meal Cart stands out from the lot, particularly because of the wide array of baked goodies they offer for a reasonable price tag. While their offerings may not be brilliant, they're not expensive like BreadTalk either, which makes it a reliable place to grab some decent snacks on the go.
