Dinesh – Monkeybean Cafe, Cafe 1959
If there's a new cafe in town, with extremely good coffee, you're most likely to find Dinesh in there. As of now, most of his after-office hours and weekends are spent at Monkeybean Cafe and Cafe 1959.
Well, Monkeybean Cafe isn't exactly new, but after going through a bit of rough patch due to a tragic fire, they're back in the game and Dinesh couldn't be happier. Dinesh is their favourite monkey, and his favourite dishes here are Meatball Panini and Double Espresso.
Cafe 1959 is a hidden gem of a cafe in Colombo serving some incredible coffee which you can pair up with a range of interesting desserts done by Fig & Owl. Dinesh praises the desserts from his eyes as he has had enough health problems due to his sweet tooth, but he constantly finds himself here for their brilliant coffee. His go-to drink here is the Latte, but when he has to give in for his cravings, he always picks the Chocolate Biscuit Pudding, as it has a dash of Cognac infused in it.
Senuri – Rocco's, Cafe Mocha
Senuri is a fan of a lot of things, but pizza comes above all. And when she's craving for a slice, which is pretty much every week, she always ends up at Rocco's. She's in the process of covering every topping in their menu, and out of what she has tried up to now, Diavolo is her bae.
Aside from that, you might find her often at Cafe Mocha too, mostly because she can hang out there for hours and get some work done without getting bothered.
Bilaal – Chef Rooster, Thoma
Bilaal is a lucky duck who lives in the neighbourhood of Aluthkade, that one place in Colombo to get your street food on, even at 2.23 AM. He has a lot of cherished options here, but he bares strong feelings for Thoma and Chef Rooster.
Bilaal says that the Thoma's Dolphin Kottu is what dreams are made of, and even as a person who doesn't prefer avocado on everything, he quite enjoys the Mexican Burger by Chef Rooster.
Chandana – Big Bite Restaurant, Panorama Restaurant & Bar
Chandana likes to keep things simple, and thus patronises Big Bite Biriyani and Panorama Restaurant & Bar. When he's longing for a chicken biriyani, it needs to be pleased immediately, so the Big Bite Biriyani is where he steps into; and luckily, we have one nearby our office.
On the other hand, Panorama Restaurant & Bar is where he always picks when he wants to meet his "Kottawe gang" for a little bona party with a chat.
Buddhika – Machang, Lavinia Restaurant & Bar
Buddhika prefers a glass of chilled, frothy beer every once in a while, and when that happens, he finds himself at Machang or Lavinia Restaurant. Black Pork Curry with Yellow Rice is his beloved dish at Machang, and when it comes to Lavinia Restaurant & Bar, it's the Fried Handallo. Apparently, it's the bomb as they serve it with a side of kochchi sauce.
Farill – Seafood Cove, Arabian Knights
Farill is a seafood and shawarma fan, so he has chosen two restaurants in the city that he can count on to never let him down when the cravings hit. His top pick for seafood is Seafood Cove in Mout Lavinia Hotel, as they grill a superb seafood platter, and he makes sure to stop by Arabian Knights whenever he wants to grab a Syriana Lite Shawarma.
Kuganna – Malay Restaurant, Hotel Amirthaa
Kuganna always winds up at Malay Restaurant for a bowl of their zesty and lemongrass-y Tom Yum Soup, especially when he's under the weather. He believes that it's the ideal cure, as every spoonful of that soup works as a lemongrass-laced bullet that helps to warm himself up while cleansing the nasal cavities.
This picture is from four years ago. It doesn't quite explain why Kuganna loves Hotel Amrithaa, because unlike back then, now they serve up food on a banana leaf. His mom whips up the best pure-veg Indian treats that any of us have ever had, and Hotel Amrithaa is the only place that he can relate to when it comes to those homemade flavours.
Muba – The Mango Tree, Indian Hut Family Restaurant
Muba has two favourite restaurants, in two different cities; Colombo (where he works at), and Galle (where he lives in). If he's in Colombo, he often visits The Mango Tree, simply to gobble down their superb Chicken Fried Rice. And in Galle, his choice is the Naan Roti – Chicken Tikka Masala/Butter Chicken combo at the Indian Hut Family Restaurant.
Chathu – Hooch, Chana's
Chana's Tandoori Chicken Biriyani is simply one of the best biriyanis in the city, and they serve a very generous portion of it too, with a massive chunk of well-tandoor-ed up chicken, which is why it's Chathu's fav-spot. But there are times that she looks for a little snack in between meals/before heading home after a long day, and for that, she makes a stop at the Hooch; for their wonderful Pol Roti accompanied with a warm cup of Masala Chai.
Vishvi – Giovanni's, The Cake Factory
I have a lot of fond memories at Giovanni's; both pizza related and personal, so the very first portion of my salary goes here every month. Giovanni's take on Quattro Formaggi is bloody brilliant, and I haven't come across anything that could beat it. So whenever I'm here, I always make sure to opt for the half-n-half pizza with Quattro Formaggi on one side.
All of their toppings are equally good, but if I get to pick one (actually, three) aside from Quattro Formaggi, I would say Bacon, Pepperoni and Parma Ham.
As for The Cake Factory, I find myself here at least once a fortnight, for one reason and one reason only; their Chocolate Treat cake. Not a month goes by without me indulging in this pure chocolate bliss. I love it so much, that I wrote an entire piece dedicated for just that.
