The sushi bar at the Cinnamon Lakeside lounge serves up quality Japanese cuisine at surprisingly low rates. We actually noticed it by accident after trying out their high-tea and despite being stuffed, decided it was worth a shot.
The Food
Besides the obvious sashimis, makis and nigiris, they’ve also got noodles, soups and bento boxes (for just around Rs. 1300). Like I said, we were kind of full from high-tea treats already, so we only tried a bit of the menu – the sake sashimi and the teppanyaki chicken.
The sashimi is an absolute win here – for only Rs. 750, you get eight perfect, thickly sliced pieces, very fresh and happiness inducing. The prices generally seem to stay in the Rs. 500 – 800 bracket, which is great and relatively rare for quality Japanese food in Colombo.
The teppanyaki was a heavier, more daunting dish, featuring four hefty chicken kebabs and vegetables slathered in shredded chillies and plenty of very sweet-spicy sauce and oil from the grill. This cost only 600 bucks. The chicken was soft, sweet and delicious, and if you’re at the Cinnamon lounge and looking for a quick snack for two, this is not a bad way to go about it.
Service & Ambience
This is a sushi bar – one long table with a few high chairs – though you can alternatively take a seat around the formal tables set up in the lounge. We loved the fact that you could lean over and watch the chef expertly slice through meats. Service was good, with an attentive waiter behind the counter and our dishes obviously reaching us fast and fresh.
After your meal, the pool and lake just outside the lounge makes for a good walk.
Conclusion
We are huge fans of quality Japanese cuisine, and we’re glad the options in the city seem to be growing, hopefully to be one day as easily available as Chinese food in Colombo. If you’re in the neighborhood or looking for an affordable, chill place that does authentic Japanese bites, this sushi bar does the job.
