The Cauldron
The Cauldron is one of those cafes in Colombo that has been consistently good over the years. Putting a Lankan zing on Western delicacies is a talent they have, and now they've got a bunch of new items on the menu which we quite enjoyed. If you happen to drop by here this weekend, try their Cheesy Kochchi Chicken Bubble Waffle, and the Three Cheese Pol Roti Kottu made with mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan.
If you want a froth moustache, give a shot at their Butterbeer. We were told that based on the feedback they've received so far, it's a love-it-or-hate-it kinda drink, and we happen to belong to the former. You might too.
Mala Hot Pot
When Mala Hot Pot started off, they had this whole, actual hot pot thing. A hot pot with a Ying Yang design, placed on a cooker with bubbly mushroom broth and spicy-as-hell Mala broth side by side. You can throw in veggies, meats, and seafood as you like, let it boil and then serve yourselves.
But now, the hot pot is gone, leaving the veggies, meats and seafood to be stir-fried with Mala sauce. It's still delicious, packs a spicy punch, while the white steamed rice on the side helps to tone it down a bit.
Niyambalawa
If you live in Malabe, this particular buth kadey should not be a surprise to you. With a very gamey gedara setting, they do some interesting rice and curry. Grab a plate of their dunthel buth paired with pork curry, and you've got yourself a winner.
Chill Lakeside
Chilling with a view is what you seek for this weekend, try Chill Lakeside, which is a popular Sri Lankanised Chinese resto located overlooking Boralegamuwa Lake. Their delicious Sweet Corn Soup is just what you need to warm up during these gloomy days.
Cafe Noir Petit
A sister cafe to Cafe Noir and Cafe Noir Blanc, Cafe Noir Petit is spot hidden amidst a very orderly jungle of ceramic bowls, teacups and plates of Dankotuwa Porcelain shop down Independence Avenue. The ambience here gushed with flowers and greenery, and they serve some good snacks and drinks. Make sure you have a bite of their Polos and Cheese Puff – it's amazing.
Badagini Station
Keep your frownies at bay by ordering brownies from Badagini Station. No preordering is required – it's available at your fingertips, on Uber Eats. Chocolaty, fudgy, and enriched with the promised flavours, they are super interesting. My favourite was the Toblerone Fudge Brownie which is packed with chunks of Toblerone.
Salad Maps
Here's to a healthy weekend with Salad Maps! With layers and layers of colourful meats, carbs and veggies, Salad Maps's salads are stuffed in jars. They are available in variants that directly speak to the country that the salad takes inspiration from, like Japanese Sushi Salad, Greek Salad, Mexican Taco Salad and so on. You can get them delivered to your doorstep through PickMe Food and Uber Eats.
Kottulabs.lk
A lab solely dedicated to making kottu, Kottulabs.lk is a wonderful option to get your kottu fix this weekend. They make kottu with everything – roti, string hopper, pittu, kadala, and pasta, along with the proteins of your pick – chicken, beef and seafood.
Fun fact; PickMe Food offers a solid deal for their regular-sized Chicken Cheese Kottu today (6th) and tomorrow (7th). Its original price is Rs. 800, but through PickMe Food it costs only Rs. 495.
