A grand old colonial bungalow in the centre of Colombo houses what must soon become one of Sri Lankaβs hippest restaurants. Rare at Residence, part of Residence by Uga, is one of the newer elegant dining eateries in the city, and the team here is doing things with food that will elevate the corners of the mouths of even the most jaded gourmets.
Local ingredients are treasured and the chefs go to great effort to source produce that is so steeped in history that some of the younger culture might not even be aware of them. The kitchen crew believes that by honouring diverse native ingredients, the rich culinary heritage of the country will live on. International cooking techniques, which focus on gentle preparation methods and respect for each componentβs discrete flavour, showcase much potential for a fine dining experience that could potentially have people traveling to Sri Lanka solely to partake.
Butβ¦ many great stories begin in the bar, so thatβs where we start.
Meeting our gracious host, Ashan, weβre informed that local fruits, ambaralla and veralu (local olive), are used to make Residence by Ugaβs signature cocktails. Veralu (900) combines its namesake shaken with vodka, green apple and lemon juice, in a conical glass. Memories of my grandma come flooding back with the contrast of the salt rim against the crisp apple β she used to sprinkle salt on granny smiths (much to my own motherβs annoyance, but my childhood delight), demonstrating a positive launch. Raw Mango (900) features blended gin, green mango, ambaralla, and lemon juice in a whisky snifter, proving a refreshing combo. And, brandy provides the base of the Wood Apple (900), which is mixed with fruit and mint and poured in a margarita glass. The distinctive taste of brandy comes to the forefront evoking resemblance to a Brandy Alexander, but with a cooler edge. Overall, weβre impressed with the cocktails β not a hint of sugar syrup, no soft drink top ups, just alcohol and natural fruits β yums up!
βUga Escapes believe in giving experiences of a lifetime and an essential part of that is the food element,β says Ashan with an obvious belief in the propertyβs philosophy. Hubby notes that the cocktails feel βhealthyβ (a good thing in hubbyβs mind) with the simplicity of raw fruits and liquor. Ashan quickly jumps in unapologetically saying that the restaurant is not healthy, βwe want you to indulge.β And so we continueβ¦
Wine
A mouthful of fruit finishing with oak is found in the Las Moras Chardonnay from Argentina (950), which hubby chooses as his grape of choice to accompany the meal. The fresh acidity of my White Rhino Chenin Blanc from South Africa (850) pairs well with our seafood selections. Hints of guava and passionfruit linger in the mouth and the delicate prolonged ending goes well with food, but also makes easy drinking on its own.
A tray of warm breads baked in house is placed along with the wine. The aromas are saliva inducing, and although we try hard to resist, I succumb to the temptation to try something new. Sesame wholewheat, rye polenta, curry leaf, and roasted tomato breads are partnered with butter dusted with paprika.
Starters
A roll of Squid (850) infused with arrack is presented on a long black slate platter. The marinade of onion, garlic and celery is still visible on top, and βthe squid is best eaten warm,β hubby pesters as the camera eats first. Local pala, or mukunuwenna greens and red bell pepper coulis give colour to the dish. Delicious.
Vegetable Patties (700) feature a trio of small balls: polos (young jackfruit), sweet potato, and pumpkin rounds, are crowned with a green curry sauce made with spinach, basil and mint. A stripe of beetroot purΓ©e underneath contributes vibrancy and we condone them a tasty vegetarian selection.
Beef Tenderloin (1200) has hubby in moans of praise. Paper-thin slices of beef mirror Italian carpaccio in a graceful fan across the plate. Smoked sea salt and sesame oil season leaves that resemble rucola, but are grown locally: gotukala (centala) and mukunuwenna. A dot of porcini mushroom purΓ©e, aged balsamic and a drizzle of green pesto oil each donate their own detail in taste and adornment.
Perfectly cooked Octopus (850) is presented as a beautiful trio of legs on a mash of yellow bell pepper and carrot. Green wedges of avocado, Campari soaked lychee and tiny dots of balsamic reduction make for a pretty composition both for the eye and the tongue.
Soups
Our host and chef have difficulty recommending just one soup to try as we suggest, so we end up with a trio of the most popular choices on the menu. Mutton (850) soup features a pumpkin curry base infused with arrack, with the meat as the garnish. Itβs wonderfully thick and satisfying. Lemongrass (550) is roasted with tomato to provide a hearty soup with the familiar taste of Europe, but a slight intrigue of the exotic with a lemongrass underlay. Scallop (950) ends up being our favourite with the local vegetable, βdrumstickβ leaf (not chicken but leaves of the murunga plant), providing the curry base and supporting the seafood garnish. The soup enters the mouth creamy and departs with a sharper note β we like this amusement and keep scooping βtil game over.
Mains
My vegetarian picking is Innalla (1100). Local yam is layered with cream to form a delicious tower with a velvety interior encased in crispy walls. Hubbyβs not so fond of the stickier outer layer, but it reminds me of paella (or claypot rice) and scraping the edges of the dish to get the bits that have been caramelised and hence the richest of the grains. A legume red curry and bitter gourd salad seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil, tomato and grated coconut balance out the account with bitter, creamy, salty and sweet.
Kalu Pol (3800), or shoe lobster, is barely recognizable in the salty black rub that coats its entirety. Roasted coconut resembles a dry risotto base and thick slices of roasted bread cushions it all. Powerful and smoky, itβs one of the restaurantβs fastest moving dishes.
Hubbyβs Lamb (3600) is plated in small mounds along a dark platter. Itβs been sous vide for many hours so is soft and flaky. A smoked sweet potato mash, kohila leaves, onion jam and polos (jackfruit seeds) gift a tremendous complexity of flavours, making this another tasty recipe.
Sides
Tempered Sweet Potato Mash (500) is right up my alley. This is the type of food I could happily spoon up instead of popcorn as a satisfying movie-viewing snack. Chili, garlic, onion, olive oil and turmeric add savour to the root mash.
Rare Fries (500) are wedges of potato seasoned with the chefβs own seasoning featuring curry leaf, chili, cumin, salt and pepper. Theyβre first blanched and then deep-fried ensuring a fluffy middle and brittle surface.Β Our green veg, Beans with Maldivian Fish (500), is finished off table side with the creamy stock of onion, celery and garlic poured atop in front of us. These too, Iβd order again.
Desserts
I should have predicted trouble when we left the ordering of dessert in the hands of our host. A conversation between Ashan and the chef manifested individual opinions on which house made ice creams (550) were the most adored and the various merits of numerous sweets ⦠so⦠we ended up with five ice creams plus two desserts! To be fair however, I do understand their indecision. When the menu offers over 20 desserts and more than a dozen house made ice creams⦠choosing is no easy task We could easily return for a dessert sampling alone and have more than enough to feature in an article (or three!).
Of the ice creams (which I do recommend you sample), Passionfruit Chili is the favourite of the boys. Clearly holding a penchant for sweet, this version elicits broad smiles from both. Black Pepper and Green Olives is intriguing: enticing me to keep digging back in for more to decide whether or not I love it or hate it. I get to the end and am still undecided. Seeni Sambol and Sprats (dried salted fish) is the Sri Lankan version of the controversial European pepper and olive. It fills the mouth with savoury and sweetness at the same time. Extremely rich, I only manage a spoon or two. The Salted Peanut has a fantastic texture with the crumbled nuts, and the Jaggery and Sesame is fabulously creamy in the mouth, realized even more so in contrast with the rich nutty sugar rocks β much like crushed peanut brittle. I think this one is my jewel in the line-up.
Carrot Cheesecake (600) has a base made from the jackfruit seed (again showing the versatility of this fruit). The hub is creamy with a mild strain of carrot through it, and a treacle topping drizzled across the crown makes for spectacular presentation. While hubby and our sweet tooth host Ashan both lapped up the dessert with huge grins of childhood glee, in a reorder Iβd ask for the syrup on the side to allow the core taste to lead.
Billin Tart (550) with coconut ice cream, uses slices of the billin fruit (belimbing asam in Malaysia, or cucumber tree in English), which have been stewed with sugar to reduce their acidic bite. Itβs naturally very sour so matches well with the saccharine meringue topping. The coconut ice cream showered with crisp grated coconut acts as support, but could easily be elevated to protagonist.
We began in the bar, so ending there too seems to make sense: finishing with a post dinner sup to ease our stomachs before bedtime. Sri Lanka has a long history of arrack (coconut liquor) production and as weβre on the local trail, it would appear to be the most adept way to conclude. Ceylon Arrack is one of the more refined products on the market so weβre sure to sip this one at a leisurely pace as we contemplate the extraordinary programme weβve just feasted on as our introduction to Sri Lanka and its bounties.
Reasons to visit: contemporary cuisine with distinctively Sri Lankan ingredients; great vibe; be sure to have a cocktail in the bar before or after dinner (or both); Beef Tenderloin Starter; Scallop Soup; Tempered Sweet Potato Mash; Lamb; Jaggery and Sesame, and Passionfruit and Chili Ice Creams.
Rare at Residence
You know what?!
I don’t think I have tried Sri Lankan food before!
(Does Ceylon tea count? He he)
South Indian, yes. π
Are they similar?
Hee hee… I suppose tea counts… as a drink! I found Sri Lankan food to be a little less oily than South Indian food.
Oh my Goodness!
I feel like Peter Sellers in the movie – “The Millionairess” when as the
Indian doctor who examines Sophie Loren ( the Millionairess) – he exclaims
“Oh Good Gracious Me”!!!
This “Residence by Uga” is just so colonial PUKKA !!
Wow – El Caning Cordobes Jnr. – “Healthy cocktails” – now that has GOT to
be a first – ha ha. Who cares if they are healthy, it is the taste that counts.
I like my steak a lot thicker than what is shown above.
The Carrot Cheesecake ???? Now that would be intriguing to
sample.
El Colin Cordobes
PS; Good array of International wines – I guess when my back improves
Caning and I could race our Andalusian steeds across – a choice – the
Savannahs of South Africa or the Pampas of Argentina.
Oh dear – Peter and Sophie would be appalled.
That should be ” Goodness gracious me”
Colin
Oh they will be “goodness gracious”ing you now won’t they π
Healthy cocktails… we try our best to give our drinking a positive spin. π Yes good array of wines and I think you’d like the carrot cheesecake, but probably with the syrup on the side so you could adjust the sweetness to your preference.
What a perfect place!!! I have never tried Sri Lankan food before…All looks yummy I would go for Octopus and the original ice cream flavoursΒ ;-))
This should be another place on your “to visit” list. Actually, it’d make a great stopover on your way to or from your next travel from Europe to Malaysia. π
Gosh!!! Love that colonial building!!! Stunning! That sure would make an awesome-looking mansion.
Very elegant right? We were only in the city for 36 hours so didn’t get a chance to try out the rooms. We did get a chance to see them though (as they kindly let us have a shower as we’d came directly to dinner from the plane). We can attest that the rooms are very special too.
I love the exposed brick, the light and warm ambiance and the colour scheme! I also love the vintage photos of Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities on the wall. I can see that a lot of thought and work went into the lovely presentations, because it shows! Very creative and attractive! I don’t know why, but I am very squeamish about some foods, so I have never tried them octopus, squid, frog legs, just to name a few. I do see the octopus and squid sometimes at my local supermarket and I shudder when I see them. LOL! π
You really know how to choose a place, Monica, and your blog is such a joy to visit. Thank you so much for sharing.
So much detail in the design – you can see the attention mirrored in the food also. When I was younger I was much more squeamish about what I’d eat. As I’ve traveled and grown older however I’m willing to give more things a try. Although I must say that I do eat a mostly vegetarian diet. I do love my veggies. π
Hi Monica,
I agree, I love vegetables! My favourites: turnips (Rutabaga, the large purple and yellow skinned one), green beans, cabbage, onions, potatoes, carrots, spinach, Romaine lettuce, tomatoes (which are really a fruit but often used as a vegetable), asparagus, wow! π I think it is healthier to eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables.
The place looks majestic. I would love that octopus dish as I’ve grown to like them of late. That green bean dish looks similar to a Chinese stir-fried version minus the cream stock, of course.
Octopus has been popping up on many menus in KL recently haven’t they? And this one is just so pretty – hard to know where to begin π
Interesting discovery, amazed that you guys were able to travel to so many countries in such a short period of time!
Always on the run Ken. π
I do care for the pink from the windows in the building, it’s different.
Food looks magical.
Magical is a great descriptor for the food. I wonder what you’d think of some of the out of the ordinary ice cream flavours? π
Monica – I only eat vanilla ice cream, can tolerate chocolate once in awhile – however –
There is a place here in the north that sells all kinds of ice cream, I tried a coconut one and that was ok, would have it again.
what a stunning bungalow … it’s intriguing to imagine its history, to imagine its past inhabitants and everyone who’s ever lived and eaten here π
Agreed Sean, this old buildings certainly have many stories to tell.