What exactly is Sea Fruit Bar and Coffee Lounge and why is it named such? We don't know. What we do know is that it used to be Cafe Pascucci and they changed their name to this. The food isn't half bad though, with their local dishes (at least the one we tried) being really good.
Atmosphere and Service
The outside looks pretty deserted and run-down, but we were told that's because the restaurant had to remain closed for a few months due to road construction along Wijerama Mawatha. Either way, it appears dilapidated from the outside, but it's quite well maintained (and staffed) once you're inside. We think the deco could improve in terms of giving it a more warm and comfortable atmosphere because the glare getting in from the glass walls make it seem quite harsh, but the 80's and 90's beats that was on loop throughout did make the place seem more comfortable and nostalgic.
Service-wise, the staff are friendly and chatty. They gave us tidbits of info about prawn farms in Puttalam, where to get the best prawns and so on. They also didn't have 'kade paan' available and asked if it was okay to give sliced non-kadey paan with my local isso curry. We were okay with that and they kept topping up my bread plate and kept me full. Very nice people.
Food and Drink
Now… what do they serve? Salads, soups, hotdogs, sandwiches, pasta, seafood (including crabs and lobster dishes which goes up to over 7000 rupees!) and chicken and steaks. Add to this there's also a coffee, juice, and small milkshake menu.
We stuck to a simple soup (Minestrone, Rs. 350), Tiger Red Prawn with Lemongrass Curry (comes with bread and fries), and a Sirloin Steak. The prawns and steak cost Rs. 1,400 and Rs, 1,850 respectively.
Accompanied by buttery garlic bread, the soup had a LOT of flavour and was nice and warm. If you have a cold or just want soup, go get this.
We loved the prawn curry. A bowl full of prawns, this ticked all the boxes in terms of flavour, quantity, and quality. The price is justified because they most definitely didn't skimp on the prawns, and there was enough for two adults to go around. It also came with a side of french fries which were crisped and salted to satisfactory measures.
The steak on the other hand, was rather tough and rubbery, and a bit overcooked/ fried. We asked for it medium-rare, but it was very well done. Though a bit on the salty side, the sauce and flavouring was quite strong and on point, but it's the meat itself that was disappointing.
For drinks we had a Gianduio (Rs. 450) and a Jamaica Ice Coffee (Rs. 500). Despite its inpronouncable name, the Gianduio is basically espresso, chocolate, and tons of whipped cream heaped into a mug. It's also eye-candy. It required some amounts of navigation to get through the generous layer of whipped cream and into the coffee though.
The Jamaican Iced Coffee on the other hand was like any other iced coffee you'd get around Colombo. It's a pretty decent cup, but nothing to write home about.
Conclusion
Get past the dilapidated exterior and it's a surprisingly nice place with pretty decent food and drink. The coffees are alright and more than enough to make teenagers happy, and their prawn curry is enough to make us happy. The staff are friendly and the music is really good. It's a nice enough place for a quiet lunch or meeting.
