Food & Drinks
The menu at The Avenue has bits and bobs of Asian, Sri Lankan, Western and Italian fare, along with an interesting range of coffee, mocktails, cocktails and other liquor. It's somewhat pricey – more or less on par with the other semi-fine dining and upscale dining restaurants in Colombo.
Their collection of steaks is particularly bewitching with Tomahawk (1200g), Bone-in-Ribeye (800g) and Porterhouse (1200g), but pretty dang expensive – ranging from Rs. 4200 to Rs. 18000.
We kicked things off with a portion of Honey Sriracha Wings (Rs. 980). Beautifully glazed with the said sauce, its meat was tender, succulent and fell off the bones so effortlessly.
The tanginess of the sauce is what grabs your attention first, along with the slight crisp of the meat produced from the oven, while the smokey, chickeny goodness eases it in. What a way to awake your tastebuds before the mains!
Placed on a chunky wooden plate, the Asian Chilli Prawns Wrap (Rs. 1300) arrived with a side of chips. A heap of plumpy prawns, tomato and lettuce, all rolled up inside a fluffy tortilla, it was delicious. The prawns were well-boiled and deshelled, the lettuce added a good crunch, while the tomato lends a lovely tang.
However, we'd have liked it better if it was a bit spicier – especially to support the chilli counterpart of it.
Foodness gracious! This MF Chicken (Rs. 1720) came sizzling! Gently touched with a sprinkle of pepper, the meat was easily cut through, incredibly juicy and oozing out with flavours. A slight crisp from being taken off the grill, followed by a rich wave of smokiness, it was well cooked through from the top layer to the bottom while keeping its moisture in check. A piquant burst, I must say.
There were three pieces of roast potatoes on the side, which was the perfect accompaniment to this meal.
Portionwise, it's enough for two, but you might not want to share it because it tastes so darn good. Definitely one of the best chicken dishes you'd get in Colombo.
Out of their range of desserts, we picked the Lemon Meringue Tart (Rs. 880). Featuring a crown of meringue, it had a rich buttery tart filled with a lemon filling.
Airy and adequately sweetened up, the meringue was like a sugar-coated cloud which did a good job balancing out the tartness of the deliciously creamy lemon filling.
As per the recommendation of the restaurant manager, we went with the Pomegranate Mojito (Rs. 1100). Minty and refreshing as hell, it had a swirl of sweetness running through, while the white rum gives the boozy kicks. A stronger punch from the latter could have made it even better.
The chocolate-to-coffee ratio in our Cafe Mocha (Rs. 450) was on point, but the texture of the milk wasn't velvety as anticipated.
Ambience & Service
The ambience here leans towards the semi-fine dining aspect of things, yet manages to give out homely vibes. We're not sure about this entirely, but it feels a lot like a cosy house flipped into a restaurant.
With walls embellished with some caricatures drawings of famous musicians and line arts, the neatly aligned wooden tables and cushy chairs, and the pendant lights that brighten up the place, it's quite charming and has a very sophisticated touch.
From what we gathered, they've got two private rooms, as well as a backyard, which is ideal for, if you're hosting parties or private gatherings.
We received some excellent service here. The staff was polite, courteous, and they know the menu like the back of their hand. If you need any recommendations, ask away – they're happy to help.
Conclusion
The Avenue is specialised in high-quality fusion food, and they seem to do it quite well. Our total bill was around Rs. 7000, which is not bad considering the number of dishes we ordered. There are some expensive stuff on their menu, but if you're managing under a budget, they've got a good range of options for you to choose from too. Family/friends dining out, date nights and parties – this is a great spot for everything.
