Risi Rasa Bakers is a buzzing spot in Kotte, known for their sheer spread of Lankan style breakfast options. It's a tiny place and doesn't have a lot of space in terms of dining, which is why we decided to grab the stuff to go.
Food
Risi Rasa has got all the beloved breakfast staples, from string hoppers, rice & curry, noodles, lavariya, rotis, and short eats etc. They do rice & curry for lunch as well, and a range of more Sri Lankan goodies for dinner.
They're quite friendly on the wallet too. We spent only Rs. 600 for everything we ordered for this review and considering the number of dishes and the portion sizes, it's quite the steal.
First up, we tried the String Hoppers and Egg Roti paired with Dhal Curry, Chicken Curry and Pol Sambol. The roti was thin, featured a good layer of egg on the inside, the dhal was milky and carried a lot of curry notes, while the pol sambol provided the sour and spicy kicks.
There were two hefty chunks of chicken soaked in a well-spiced gravy, which went quite well with the string hoppers. All in all, it's a breakfast that fits for royalty!
Our Noodles arrived with more Dhal Curry, Pol Sambol and Egg Curry. The noodles itself had bits of carrots and leeks tossed in and was cooked adequately. Combined with all the milky and curry flavours in the mix, it was a success.
Judging by the looks of it, we expected the Tempered Chickpeas to be on the spicy side, but unfortunately, it wasn't. There was a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a few green chillies in the serving, but it didn't do much in terms of adding heat to the meal.
Nonetheless, the chickpeas were cooked well, not oily, and had bits of onion and karapinchcha (curry leaves) scattered about, to make things interesting.
We also tried the Lavariya. With a nice, thick layer of pol pani (caramelised coconut), stuffed to the brim of a fluffy string hopper roll, it was superb. A cup of freshly brewed tea is all you need to accompany this one.
Conclusion
Delicious, and affordable – we like them for those two reasons. If you find yourself in Kotte and looking for a budget Sri Lankan style breakfast, this one serves as a good option.
