Hangla–The Ocean Lounge: A global culinary expedition

Krypton Maritime Solutions Managing Director  Capt. Anirban Banerjee

By Divya Thotawatte

From the first moment itself, with a picturesque view of the Indian Ocean and the flags of 84 countries surrounding the restaurant, Hangla–The Ocean Lounge sets the stage, inviting guests on an international culinary journey. Hangla’s outdoor area on the sixth floor of One Galle Face mall provides an enjoyable time spent in the cool sea breeze while the indoor space is also instantaneously captivating with its ocean-themed interior and cozy living room ambiance. The concept of the restaurant is unique, just like its menu!

Hangla is the first culinary project of Krypton Maritime Solutions Managing Director Capt. Anirban Banerjee. With a lifetime of sea-faring experiences and travels across diverse countries, he aims to weave together a tapestry of cultures and cuisines in his restaurant in Colombo. He has further introduced themed nights such as karaoke nights and ladies’ nights, adding to the restaurant’s appeal. Banerjee spoke to the Daily FT about his journey as a restaurant owner and creating the concept for Hangla. Following are excerpts:

Q: Given your extensive international travel experience how does your exposure to various cultures influence the diverse menu offerings at your restaurant?

We serve food of 20 countries at present and I have travelled to 84 different countries. My aspiration is that one day, maybe in a year’s time, we should be able to sell at least one item from those 84 countries. That would be my pinnacle of achievement!

In Sri Lanka, everybody is aware of Sri Lankan food and of course, the neighbouring countries like China or India. But there’s more, I want Sri Lankans to try out different cuisines of different parts of the world. I always believe if there is something good in this world, we should all enjoy it. People out here should give it a try, good things are for everyone.

Q: Transitioning from a managing director in the global shipping industry to a restaurant owner is quite a shift. What inspired this change and how do you leverage your leadership skills in the restaurant business?

This is a very new industry to me. I have always been a person who liked to travel in unchartered waters. Otherwise, life is more of a set menu. Again, the shipping business is still thriving, it is not that it has stopped, it is doing well and continues, but the question, “what’s next?” has always been on my mind. I think these are the things that keep you inspired and motivated.

The restaurant was in my bucket list. I’m a foodie, I love to eat and I think everybody should love to eat. The name of this restaurant is Hangla and the meaning of the word ‘hangla’ in my native language Bengali, is a greedy boy. My parents used to call me ‘hangla’ because I was a foodie, foodie and foodie all round. I also think there is a little bit of hangla in all of us. That is what Hangla is all about and if you see the potions out here, they are huge. The potions are good for two and provide value for the money and fill you up.

Q: How have your maritime experiences shaped the concept of the restaurant?

Everything in the restaurant has a marine touch to it. If you look at the ceiling in the indoor area, I have tried to create a replica of a wavy water scene and these are exclusive and very expensive stuff that I got over from Europe and from places that I have seen once upon a time. The beauty is that the restaurant also overlooks the Indian Ocean.

People come here in the evening, to admire the sunset, enjoy the cool breeze and the place gets packed. The side chairs get filled with people as they try to catch a glimpse of the evening sunset. Many young couples have come and proposed here. We had a couple who called and asked us to do the background scores. So he went down on his knees and got his ring out, and our waiters cheered and clapped. It is a romantic place.

Q:  What led you to incorporate karaoke into the dining experience and how has the response been from customers so far?

Generally, in my last nine years here, I have seen that Sri Lankans have music in their blood. A few shots down, and they love to sing and dance. It does not really matter if they are good singers or not, typically, when a group of Sri Lankans get hold of a mic, they won’t let go.

So, the whole objective was for the people to unwind themselves from the stressful lives they  spend in their office; to come here and shed a little of the stress and sing and enjoy the evening. Singing is a de-stressing mechanism too. So, we do karaoke nights and people love it. On weekends, this becomes a dance floor from 10 pm and we are open until 2 am. We also have a package called the ‘Nite Bite’ because well, happy hour can be past the midnight hour also!

Q: Could you describe the ambiance you aimed to create and how you believe it enhances the overall dining experience?

This is more of a hangout place in the evening where you see the Indian Ocean in front of you, and we have the open area and the indoor space. For some reason girls love to come here more. Our tagline is, “Come to Hangla and experience a piece of heaven on earth.” We think this is almost like heaven on earth. We are the only people to have these lighted furniture and we change the colour of the lights every day. This is the first restaurant in Sri Lanka with this kind of LED furniture called the new generation furniture.

Q:  How do you source your ingredients to maintain the quality and authenticity of the international dishes you offer?

That is very important. When you taste the food out here, you can distinguish the quality I am talking about. It is second to none. Our guests are the privileged, fine dining guests and we have to serve them the best. So we serve the most expensive cuts of the meat products and the vegetables are all organic. We make sure the vendors are all certified and quality controlled. We have health inspectors, in-house and of the mall. We get the best because when it comes to food, if a little bit goes wrong, you could mess up the whole thing.

We also have separate freezer and chiller rooms where the meats are kept because everything has a different temperature control. The quality is something I will not compromise on. The food’s beauty is only when it is freshly cooked. Reheating and giving it to a guest to make a quick buck will tarnish your name in the long run.

So far, the ingredients for the dishes from the 20 countries that we are managing are all available in Sri Lanka. No rocket science ingredient, everything is sourced locally. But going forward, I think we will need a few Chinese and Japanese spices when we make it bigger. Let’s hope so, but at the moment we are managing well.

Q:  What steps have you taken to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for guests of different cultural backgrounds?

One thing I make sure is that my waiters, chefs and managers speak three languages; English, Sinhala and Tamil, because these are the three languages widely spoken in the country. So, it is very important. When guests come in, we should be able to talk to them in their preferred language. My staff is also the highest paid, as per my market sense, in Sri Lanka. I pay them 25-30% more than any of my other competitors because I always feel that before I keep myself happy, they should be happier. So, due to this loyalty factor, they don’t leave, and because they are happy, they are not normal servers. They are of a different class and provide services typical to a five-star hotel. We do not compromise on quality and we are particular about it. We are inclusive of everyone, and are very LGBTQ+ friendly.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara