Playtrix is the new sports bar at CR & FC, and it’s a welcome change from the generic bars in Colombo. They’ve got more than 15 flat screen TVs showing any and all sports events happening around the world, with good food and a great atmosphere.
Ambience & Service
CR & FC has had a mediocre run in terms of bars and clubs during the past few years. Playtrix now occupies the space that formerly housed the likes of Privé and more recently Kamikaze. While it may seem like the space is cursed, we feel like Playtrix is here to stay. They’re unique in just right way, and having a sports bar at a sports club just makes good sense.
They’ve got around 10 or so large, comfy and colourful couches with at least one large flat screen for each showing different sports events happening locally and internationally, all in HD which you won’t find at other bars. The place had quite an impressive crowd considering the fact that word about them is still only just getting out. They even had a small beer pong tourney the night we went, which was great since it got the entire crowd involved (also the beer was free!). All in all it feels like Playtrix is gonna be a hit with both sports lovers and bar lovers alike. Also they had quite a good girl-to-guy ratio which is a rarity at any Sri Lankan bar or club.
The service is still a bit wonky in the sense that the waiters are quite inexperienced and haven’t quite familiarized themselves with the menus yet, but that’s often the case with most new establishments. Hopefully they’ll have that sorted in due time. Besides that, the waiters themselves were friendly and seem to enjoy their work, which is always nice to see.
Food & Drinks
As far as bars go, the food menu at Playtrix is pretty good, with bites coming to around Rs. 500 and mains ranging between Rs. 700 – Rs. 1100. It’s not the cheapest place by any means, but they do give pretty big portions. Expect to spend around Rs. 1500 with drinks.
The playtrix burger (Rs. 700) is their take on a chicken burger. It comes with a side of fries and coleslaw. You can choose to add bacon strips and cheese for a bit extra (which we obviously did). Overall the burger tasted good but we felt the patty could have used a bit more seasoning and spice. If you choose to top it with bacon you won’t feel it as much because of the saltiness of the bacon.
We also tried their jumbo hot dog (Rs. 700). As far as hot dogs go it tasted pretty good but there isn’t much else for us to say. We did like the fact that it was topped with a good amount of cheese and had caramelized onions under the sausage, which gave it a nice mix of textures.
Drinks here were a bit pricey, with shots starting at Rs. 600 going up to around Rs. 1000, and cocktails ranging between Rs. 750 – Rs. 1200.
After a few beers we got a round of kamikazes (Rs. 600) which is vodka, triple sec and lime juice. They tasted just as a kamikaze should, but the heavy citrus flavour isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for something to jump start your day after long of work, this will most likely get the job done.
Conclusion
We think Playtrix have got a great theme going for them, and they seem to be amassing quite a following. However, they need to brush up on the service for the time being. If you’re a sports lover and you’re looking for a place to catch a match with some friends, we can’t think of a better place.
