Food & Drinks
The menu at the British Pub is comprised of a few starters, bites, grilled meats, signature British delights like Beef & Beer Stew, and Shepherd's Pie, which you can accompany with alcoholic beverages. Aside from that, they have a few lunch combos that are priced at Rs. 990, offering food alongside a glass of beer.
Due to unavailability, we couldn't get our hands on the British delights, but the other dishes we managed to try out were quite good.
Sliced up French bread toasted to perfection and topped off with bits of tomato and parsley, this plate of Bruschetta (Rs. 600) was the perfect way to kick things off. The bread was slightly crunchy and had a whiff of butter emerging through.
Deliciously tangy and fresh, the tomatoes were dressed in olive oil and complimented the bread, while the parsley added a bit of leafy note to the flavour profile.
One of the many things we loved about British Pub is the sheer range of dipping sauces they've got. From British Tartar and NY Anchovies to Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol Mayo and Indian Butter Masala, there's a good variety to it. You can select two of them to pair with your Fish & Chips. Our choices were Japanese Wasabi and Cuban Hot Sriracha Mayo.
Clocking in at Rs. 1200, the Fish & Chips was served with two fillets of battered fish, a side of French fries, two dipping sauces, some lettuce and a couple of lemon wedges.
Perfectly crispy, well seasoned, and not overly greasy, the layer of batter on the fish was light and had a nice peppery kick to it. It wasn't exactly golden-brown, but a bit darker shade of that, but we didn't mind as it didn't interrupt the flavours of the fish.
What follows that is the beautifully cooked white fish. Tender to the bite, it was juicy, moist and flaked off to chunks so easily.
Creamy in texture, both of the dipping sauces managed to deliver the promised flavours. The Japanese Wasabi sauce was packed with the signature wasabi heat and aroma, but not in a pungent way – because it's a mayo-based sauce after all.
Carrying subtle kicks of garlic, the Cuban Hot Sriracha Mayo had the perfect balance between spicy and sweet elements.
Out of the range of bites available, we chose the Black Pepper Chicken (Rs. 990). Featuring pieces of bell pepper, onions, greens and of course, chicken, this portion is quite adequate for two people.
The chicken was cooked right – a little firm from the outside while the inside is juicy and succulent. Each and every element on this plate was smothered with pepper sauce, which wasn't exactly piping hot, but carried a good peppery flavour, nonetheless. A bit more pepperiness would have made it better.
This tiny bowl of fluffy Jasmine Rice (Rs. 600) is infused with garlic and ginger. A little pricey, but paired with pepper chicken, it creates an explosion of flavours.
The Cranberry Juice (Rs. 500) was refreshing but tasted a lot like cranberry cordial.
Ambience & Service
On one side, it's all glass doors and walls allowing the natural light to seep through, while the other side is adorned with an orangey brick wall. The red, yellow, blue theme they've got going on here certainly makes the place colourful and coupled with the bar stools surrounding the bar counter, along with the telephone booth in the corner of the hall, all add up to the charming, British pub vibe.
They also have this outdoor area if you're looking for a breath of sea breeze as you gulp down a mug full of chilled beer.
The staff was friendly, efficient and helpful throughout our experience. They were happy to make recommendations whenever we need any and managed to deliver our food and drinks within around 20 minutes.
Conclusion
The order was for two hungry adults, and yet there was plenty for us to take home too. It's a good choice to get your drink on when you're in One Galle Face without leaving a dent in your wallet.
