Oporto Sri Lanka.

The streets of Colombo have been mushrooming with international franchise restaurants for the past couple of years, while creating a massive buzz among the Colombars. It's actually a good thing, and let's admit – it would be fun to have more of that kind. Some of them are absolutely interesting, so you'd go there every now and then. But there's a bunch of them that we tend to keep as last resorts – places that we go to when there's no other decent spot around, or for the sake of enjoying 'one-to-one' deals, or credit card offers. Sad, we know. But true enough.

So where exactly does Oporto stand? Jump into the conclusion if you're in a rush, and if not, please read on our impressions.

Ambience

Oporto comes all the way from Australia. Presenting themselves as a fast food franchise with a Portuguese-theme, their specialty is Portuguese style chicken and burgers. Their restaurant resides inside the Food Studio, the popular food court in Colombo City Center, and it's actually quite pretty. With artificial greenery hanging from the ceiling, it has got a separate space with neatly arranged wooden tables, stools, and chairs.

You can dine inside the restaurant itself, which is the convenient option in our opinion, as it tucks you away from all the hustle and bustle in the food court.

Food

Aside from the burgers and chicken, they also have a few wraps, bowls (a rice dish and a salad), a couple of snacks, sides, and some interesting dipping sauces. Our order comprised of Flame Grilled Portuguese Chicken (Rs. 790 for a quarter portion), a Oprego Burger (Rs. 430 for a Single patty) and a plate of Crispy Chicken Stripes (Rs. 350 for 3pc).

The meal of the Flame Grilled Portuguese Style Chicken added an extra Rs. 250 for the usual price, and for that, they offer you with a drink of your choice (we got Pepsi), a regular portion of fries, and some garlic sauce in a cup.

Despite the not-so-compelling presentation, the chicken was actually flavorsome. Succulent, with a firm exterior, it was grilled adequately, while leaving the inside all soft and juicy.

They brush it with a sauce of your preference, and we went with the Original Chili. However, we wish if they hadn't gone easy on the sauce. We couldn't quite locate its presence or the spiciness as promised, but still, this is some excellent chicken. Boasting a rich smokey, and mesquite type of flavor, with a teeny tiny limey hint seeping through, it probably won't blow your mind, but trust me – it's not bad. Not bad at all! Even the garlic sauce made for a flavorful condiment.

The fries were salty, but a little soggy than we expected. Why? We really do not know.
This is the Oprego Burger Meal. For an additional cost of Rs. 250, they offer you the same helping of fries, garlic sauce, and a drink.

The Oprego burger is an assortment of freshly grilled chicken fillet, some veggies (lettuce, tomatoes), cheese, a good drizzle of mayo and Oporto's Prego Sauce, neatly tucked in between a deliciously soft, sesame garnished burger bun. Everything blended well – it was a juicy burger. The sauce certainly spiked up the flavors with its tangy notes, probably a little too much in that case. At one point, we couldn't even taste the meaty flavors of the patty, which is not what we expect from a good burger.

The Crispy Chicken Stripes are essentially chicken pieces coated in a very thin batter. It was alright, and better with the Extremo Picante (Rs. 50) dipping we paired it with. This dipping deserves a special shout out for being such a delight. With the perfect combination of spiciness and sourness, it was thick in texture, and it goes well with anything. From chicken stripes, fries to burger and chicken, we dipped everything in it.

Service

They have two counters. One to place the orders, and the other one to collect your food. It's pretty much the same thing you experience at Mc'Ds. Sometimes they even serve food to your table.

The staff was quick on their feet, and helpful. Nothing to complain about.

Conclusion

So again, where exactly does Oporto Sri Lanka stand? We'd say it's somewhere in the middle, but more on the positive side. It's not bad for sure, and not brilliant either, and it won't leave you disappointed.