Colombo city is witnessing a beautiful culinary rising of ethnic restaurants that will dazzle gourmets. Interestingly, there are quite a few food venues in the Colombo 7 area and one such place is Indian Summer. The chain has a strong presence in India and Dubai, and has two operations in Sri Lanka; the second venue is at Nuwara Eliya.
The Colombo venue’s outer entrance has a lovely open lounge that faces Horton Place. A wall with water cascading down continually gives a very soothing echo to the mind. Walking through the heavy wooden doors one enters a truly Indian domain. The orange and light green cushioned chairs are very cozy, set around large round black tables.
The lighting builds up a private, yet elegant aura. A handcrafted wooden screen ushers you into a private dining room suited for family reunions. Soft music is playing in the background.
After browsing the menu, which is clearly presented in simple language (some venues tend to confuse the diner using culinary terminology) I order a mango lassi. Served in a tall glass it is a delightful tropical concoction. A plate of round large poppadams is placed, with accompaniments of spicy mango chutney and pudhina (mint). Again pudhina is a vital ingredient in many forms of Indian cookery.
Shortly, our starters of pakkoda and chicken drumsticks arrive. The pakkoda is evenly fried, has the right level of oil and tastes very nice.
However, the platter didn’t have any garnish to enhance the visual appeal of this dish. The chicken displayed a wise distribution of spices and was tender and succulent to the bite. There are many options for the main course and we decided to try the naan.
The buttered naan is served in a cane basket along with dhal tarkka and chicken tikka masala.
The dhal dish is very different from our native cooking style. It is boiled and then ghee is stirred in, and the pot is covered in flames. Thus, the dhal has a creamy consistency and is a real treat. I am quite sure this style of dhal preparation will even suit our rice and curry moments. The tikka masala again enhances the authenticity of Indian cuisine.
The mango lassi lasts up to the end of the main course, offering a contrast of flavours. Dessert at dinner time is a mild challenge, so I opted for the carrot halwa, which was served hot in an ‘ever-silver’ cup. Ever silver dishes are another distinct hallmark of Indian food service.
This dessert is a good option in comparison to other western sweets and puddings that are rich in sweet and fat content. The team at Indian Summer lead by dynamic Muntaj Ali provides a good service. The restaurant’s menu has reasonable value for money pricing. Parking space can be improved, but it is a common challenge in many of the city’s eating hot spots. We don’t have autumn and winter here, but can surely enjoy this culinary summer!