PappaRich now in Thalawathugoda

From left: PappaRich Chef Savinda Dharmadasa, Director Madura Amarasingha, Director Chehan Perera, Director Chanaka Perera and General Manager Savinda Sahabdeen

• New branch to attract diners in highly-populated area 
• PappaRich Director assures strict compliance with COVID health guidelines
• Hopes to launch a few more branches in year ahead

By Shevanka Kurumbalapitiya 

PappaRich, famous for bringing authentic Asian hawker cuisine to Sri Lanka, launched a new branch in Thalawathugoda on 6 August, bringing the much-loved cuisine closer to diners in the vicinity.

The new branch is an addition to the collection of existing PappaRich branches in Park Street, Nawala, and The Grove, Nugegoda.

Synonymous with the atmosphere in the area, PappaRich’s Thalawathugoda branch, which is located next to the walking path, provides a minimalistic yet appealing layout with a family friendly and relaxed ambience for its many customers, in contrast to its larger outlets located within the heart of Colombo. 

Speaking on the expansion to Thalawathugoda, PappaRich Director Chehan Perera said that the area was a very big residential suburban catch. “We saw very good traction in our Nawala outlet, which was our second flagship outlet, and we see even bigger potential in Thalawathugoda,” he told Daily FT.

He added that as there were many supermarkets within close proximity of PappaRich, it showed great potential. “It’s a good way of expanding the brand, because one of the biggest challenges we have is making the PappaRich brand better known in Sri Lanka,” he noted. 

The new branch also includes a private dining room, which is suitable for 12-14 diners, an addition exclusive only to the Thalawathugoda branch at present. 

New additions to menu

Along with the newly-introduced branch, PappaRich also introduced a new section to the already-extensive menu several months ago. In fact, the menu is constantly being expanded, with new dishes being a frequent feature, giving diners something exciting to look forward to on a regular basis. 

The most recent additions are the Chicken Rendang, which is a great side dish alongside a Nasi Lemak, and the Butter Chicken appetiser, a suitable entrée before the main meal. 

PappaRich’s menu also contains a plethora of unique Asian Hawker style drinks, the most popular among them being the Syrup Bandang Jelly and the Tropical Lime. 

Adherence to COVID guidelines

Given the prevailing pandemic, priority is placed on adherence to COVID-19 health guidelines at all its branches. As Perera said: “One big factor we really insist on is social distancing, so tables for four are now limited to two, and tables for six limited to three.” 

In addition to this, he assured that the Thalawathugoda branch, as well as the other branches, adhere to the strict health guidelines by carrying out sanitisation procedures, temperature checks and testing the staff on a regular basis. “We take it seriously, but at the same time we can’t close business, so we have to find a way to live with COVID, which is what we are doing,” he said. 

The PappaRich brand, which originated in Malaysia, currently has a plethora of branches worldwide under its belt, and one of its objectives is to further expand its brand within Sri Lanka, by making its authentic Asian Hawker cuisine available all over the country.  PappaRich Director Perera said that along with the new Thalawathugoda branch, there were opportunities in Mount Lavinia and Ja-Ela as well, which were currently being considered. 

“In the next year or so, we would like to have three or four more outlets,” he said.

Pix by Ruwan Walpola