Mad Dog’s Bodega (Heritance Negombo).

To be perfectly honest, we were very pleasantly surprised by Mad Dog's Bodega. The food, ambience, and service were all pretty superb! If you're searching for it, it's within Heritance Negombo's restaurant complex named Banyan, placed across the road from the ginormous brown and orange hotel.

Drinks & Dining

Our expectations were pretty low because of our previous experience at Blue Tan, the main restaurant at Heritance (within the main hotel structure). However, MDB was pretty dang good. We started with a couple of cocktails, a Negroni and a Sex on the Beach, both at Rs. 990. We're not sure why cocktails at hotels the country over need to be so incredibly expensive, but we appreciated the fact that MDB included tax and service charge on menu prices. Their wine menu is pretty extensive too, with cheap bottles starting at about Rs. 4000.

Both cocktails were perfectly executed – no nonsense plasticky fruit juice and syrup concoctions here. The sex on the beach was refreshing, strong, and featured lovely peach schnapps and freshly-squeezed orange juice. The negroni isn't a complicated drink, but you need the right ingredients, which they did. Actual Campari and vermouth rosso got this drink tasting like a perfect aperitivo evening.

We opted for a manic variety of food, because we wanted to taste a bit of everything. We later heard their pizzas are great (between Rs. 870 and Rs.2000), but didn't have a chance to get some, so go ahead and leave your review in the comments section if you have.

My Caesar Salad with shrimp came out first, a filling portion at Rs. 1300 complete with fresh grilled prawns, crisp lettuce, lovely garlic-aioli croutons, and shavings of parmesan. Overall a perfect dish, but I'm not sure it justified the price tag.

We also opted for hot butter cuttlefish, because no bar meal in Sri Lanka would be complete without it. It wasn't the classic HBC you'd find at say Randoli or one of the other beach strip bars, but it held its own. Lightly battered calamari rings coated in a sweet and spicy sauce and topped with onion rings, this was crispy, crunchy, and delicious at Rs. 1000.

Next up was our shared main, Pork Spareribs at Rs. 1550.Don't let the picture fool you, this was a solid portion that sated both of us. Juicy, crispy, cinnamon hot smoked meat, with a lovely sweet chilli mango sauce, the crackling skin and succulent pork made for a delicious Sunday lunch. We might have preferred some light sides like mashed potato or salad with this though, because the pork overwhelmed us after a bit and needed some flavour juxtaposition.

To bring our meal to a close, we tried the pannacotta (Rs.870). It was ever-so-slightly tinged with lemongrass, and came with a nice biscotti. This was alright, but not quite near as yum as our savoury starters and mains. 

Service & Ambience

While Banyan features a beautiful Banyan tree (what else?), the impossible perfection of the hotel's manicured lawn and the building's architecture come together to make it look and feel like a themed building in Disneyland or a movie set. Most of the other spots within the complex don't appear to be functioning yet (Rouge, and another that we've forgotten about), but MDB is fully functional.

Once inside, the interior is quite carefully curated – to a fault.

Both bodegas and mad dogs are known for their wild, rowdy, boozy, impredictability, but MDB's interior is a calm, soothing collection of elegant tables downstairs and couches upstairs.

Near the entrance, there's also a classy wine cellar section with a beautiful driftwood chandelier. Don't get us wrong, it's all very elegant and pretty – it's just not very mad or wild. Even the crowd is generally sedate and polite.

Overall

We'd strongly recommend Mad Dog's Bodega. It's expensive, but each dish and drink delivered. The ambience could be wilder (okay not as wild as Rodeo), but our overall experience was great.

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp

Highlights.

Latest.

KAMU.

The Sweetest Valentine’s Treat from The Sweet Room!

by Shamrina Carim February is here and love is in the air—So is the irresistible

Kamu

Sawan for Seven! A Gigantic North Indian Meal from Rosewood Ceylon

By Shamrina Carim If you’re craving an indulgent North Indian meal that brings together bold

Kamu

Culinary Adventure at Long Feng by Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo : The Chinese Food Festival 2025

If you’ve never journeyed to China, a  grand opportunity to immerse yourself in its true

Kamu

Cheers Pub at Cinnamon Grand Colombo: The Ultimate Spot for Great Vibes, Delicious Food, and Fun

By Sharon Nonis Looking for a place that blends great food, refreshing drinks, live music,

Highlights Kamu

Across Borders: A Culinary Bridge Between India and Sri Lanka Through Peshawri’s Timeless Flavors

By Vimasha Vishvadari Peshawri, a renowned restaurant chain, originated from the iconic Bukhara restaurant in

Highlights Kamu

Tenkū – a hidden Gem of the Japanese Cuisine

By Vimasha Weerawansha Ambience  The Kingsbury Rooftop offers a breathtaking panorama of the cityscape and

Highlights Kamu

Trending.

Radisson Hotel Colombo Achieves Hotel Sustainability Basics Certification

Radisson Hotel Colombo proudly announces its certification in Hotel Sustainability Basics, a globally recognized framework

Trending

Celebrate Love This Valentine’s Day at Cinnamon Grand

Indulge in the ultimate romantic experiences this Valentine’s Day at Cinnamon Grand. From an exquisite

Trending

Love This Valentine’s Day at Cinnamon Lakeside

This Valentine's Day, immerse yourself in romance with an array of exclusive experiences at Cinnamon

Trending

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Style at Cinnamon Red

Indulge in the ultimate romantic experiences this Valentine's Day at Cinnamon Grand. From an exquisite

Trending

Mount Lavinia Hotel Celebrates World Pizza Day with Special Guest Chef Roberto Radoni

Mount Lavinia Hotel’s celebration of World Pizza Day on February 9th was an unforgettable gastronomic

Trending

A Valentine’s Day to Remember at The Kingsbury

This Valentine’s Day, let your love story unfold at The Kingsbury, Colombo. Set against the

Trending

Yamu Guide.

Colombo’s BYOB Gems: 15 Perfect Spots to Pair Your Drink with Delicious Food

by Vimasha Weerawansha Are you on the hunt for dining spots where you can bring

Yamu Guide

14 Romantic Places to Spend  February 14th – Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you're looking for the perfect place

Highlights Yamu Guide

Valentine’s Gift Guide for Him 2025

by Fathima Rukaiya Looking for the perfect way to show your special guy how much

Highlights Yamu Guide

9 Valentine’s Day Picks for Her 2025

By Fathima Rukaiya, With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, hearts are filled with anticipation.

Highlights Yamu Guide

New Year’s Eve at The Kingsbury Colombo

Embrace the wonder of Christmas with a world of joy and togetherness this New Year’s

Trending Yamu Guide