The Jaffna food festival, Yaal Virindu, takes place this year at Ramada Colombo from October 27 to 30, Ramada Colombo managers said on Friday.
For the 20th time, Ramada Colombo makes it possible to acquaint one’s taste -buds with some of the most authentic flavours of Jaffna cuisine, warding off the potential threat of internationalisation and the pace of sophisticated chaotic life that might jeopardise the traditional way of gastronomy.
Jaffna cuisine is an integral part of Sri Lanka’s culinary identity with its distinct taste, authentic spices, and unique cooking techniques. Yaal Virindu, Jaffna Food Festival is a two-decade-long tradition continued by Ramada Colombo to celebrate the flavour and flair of the North with chefs from Jaffna.
As one of the first hotels in Colombo to introduce the Jaffna Food Festival in 2002, Ramada Colombo has built a reputation as one of the benchmarks for Jaffna cuisine in the city. Ramada is having Yaal Virindu in partnership with Thushara and Danu Innasithamby from My Sister’s Kitchen.
Thushara, with her grandmother’s traditional Northern recipes passed down for generations, and Chef Nuwan, Director of Culinary at Ramada Colombo, are preparing an exquisite menu for this year’s Yaal Virindu. The spread includes a wide array of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Jaffna delicacies like the famous Odiyal Kool, fried ash plantain, coconut chips served in coconut shells, mutton bone soup, lagoon crab curry, an array of seafood specialties, Northern sweetmeats topped with Nelli and Palmyra Hakuru ice cream and more.
Ramada’s Gardenia restaurant will hold the flavourful dinner buffet from 7 pm to 11 pm by the poolside. It will feature a special mixture of spices and fresh produce brought directly from Jaffna.
Yaal Virindu ambience will have captivating decor, a traditional arch entrance, and the timeless songs of the North.