'Tis the season of Hajj, which to many Muslims is a month of spirituality and sacrifice – and shared food. The classic dish Sri Lankans share is a biriyani sawan, a big plate of rice, meat and more, finished off with watalappam.
Nowadays, most of us opt to order in even when it's something as significant as biryani (because it takes a serious amount of time to make, and we're all just too lazy). So we're thankful for places that cater to our carnivorous desires, by whipping up silver platters of intensely flavourful rice, more oft than not accompanied by an equally flavoursome (and intensely sweet) dessert, watalappam.
Here's where to order from when it's time to binge on biryani. Get your friends together, coz these huge plates can feed an average of at least six hungry people.
Indian Summer
Visit: 42, Horton Place, Colombo 07
Call: 0112662124
Pay: Chicken Dum Biryani- Rs. 4,440 (large) Rs. 2,774 (medium). Mutton- Rs. 6,327 (large) Rs. 3,884 (medium). Fish- Rs. 6,166 (Large) Rs. 3,329 (medium)
Galle Caterers
Visit: 122, Kalubowila Road
Call: 0114200926
Pay: Rs. 2,950 for chicken (plus Rs. 300 for deposit) and Rs. 3,600 for mutton (plus Rs. 399 for deposit)
Pot Biryani
Visit: 21A, 1st lane, Kirulapone
Call: 0777330938
Pay: Rs. 3,000 for chicken and Rs. 4,000 for mutton or prawn
Big Bite
Visit: 124/B, S De S Jayasinghe Mawatha, Kohuwela
Call: 0750222777
Pay: Rs. 2,500 for curry chicken and Rs. 3,300 for a BBQ quarter (chicken)
Aahaara
Visit: 46, Initium Road, Dehiwala
Call: 0766477677
Pay: Rs. 3,000 for chicken and Rs. 4,000 for mutton (with Rs. 250 as a refundable deposit for both)
Chana's
Visit: 50, W.A. Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte
Call: 0113288788
Pay: Rs. 4,000 (Serves 8 people, includes beef and tandoori chicken), Rs. 3,600 for vegetarian
White House
(We got this picture off their FB page coz we haven't reviewed it as yet)
Visit: 21, Dalada Veediya, Kandy
Call: 081 2 232765/ 0771075115
Pay: Rs. 2,500 for chicken
House of Biryani
Visit: 35A, Temple Road, Kalubowila
Call: 0771404052
Pay: Rs 2,900 for chicken and Rs. 3,300 for beef
