Hiriketiya Beach is a tough place for a restaurant to operate in. Everything is so good that there is a rather high bar to overcome when entering, assuming you can even find space anymore. The place is getting crowded.
Sea Breeze manages to secure its prime position at the quieter end of the bay with a combination of a nicely curated outdoor seating space and straightforward, simple dishes that do the job.
Food
The Rice and Curry was a little steep for Rs. 900. But the calamari served with it was unexpectedly good. It was cooked in coconut milk. Curries like jackfruit and dhal were given a boost by some pol sambol on the side. The portion is more than enough for one, and you can get refills if you need (except for meat and some curries).
I found the pol sambol and dhal to be so good that I kept mixing them together and stuffing myself long after the last grain of rice had vanished. Yes, I asked for more pol sambol to do this.
The Seafood Spaghetti (Rs. 900) is a divinely crafted dish. Parmesan cheese and olive oil tasted really great, while the fish and calamari added some texture into the whole mixture.
We tried the Tuna Fish Steak (Rs. 1200) next. It came with some amazing fries and the fried curry leaves were a brilliant touch. But the tuna we were served seemed to have been reaching the end of its shelf-life, which was not cool at all. A massive service gaffe by the kitchen which almost put this whole review into jeopardy. I mean this is a seafood restaurant.
Drinks
They serve some pretty smooth shakes (Rs. 450 each). I loved the pineapple shake. The banana-pineapple was decent, although it was a tad too thick. The vanilla was one of the best plain vanilla shakes I have tasted in my life. Plain vanilla shakes are so difficult to make memorable, amirite?
Service
Friendly and obliging. Nothing to complain about.
Ambiance
Again the ambiance is basically the beautiful Hiriketiya beach. You're also on a bit of a quiet(er) spot being on the far corner of the little bay. The swing is a nice little touch. On the night we were there, things were slow and it was rainy, so don't judge it by the pic.
Conclusion
Straightforward fare made really well. With the occasional gaffe that you might need to watch for. We're still giving this a 4 despite the bad fish because its the only problem we've had here in a few visits. But please let us know what you encounter.
