Nuga Gama weekend lunch buffet loved by locals

Friday, 22 August 2014 00:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

While modern day cooking drives the need for instant food, there really is nothing to beat good old Sri Lankan rice and curry experience prepared to original recipes, slowly cooked to perfection. At Cinnamon Grand’s Nuga Gama, the acclaimed ‘village in the city’ these popular culinary dishes are preserved and presented, keeping to the age-old formula by expert hands of village ammés. Come the weekend, a lavish spread of local cuisine covers one end of the out-door venue, shaded by a 200-year-old Banyan tree for lunch, between 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. The 60-seater restaurant recreates the magic of the local villages and the quintessential lifestyles with mud huts, thatched roofs and the aroma of spices dancing in the air. The buffet menu is extensive and changes every week, giving diners different experiences to enjoy. From a variety of rice dishes, spicy and light vegetables, curries, salads, sambols, seafood and other fare; every dish has a tale of its own. The majority of the fruit and vegetables used at Nuga Gama are organically grown while the condiments used to cook are also made in-house by the ammés. On certain days, guests could even witness the making of these spices at the compound. For those who love a little mid-day high, Nuga Gama has special cocktails made with local spirits and fruits. To complement this is a bites menu spiced by local ingredients such as fried jackfruit seeds, manioc and polos cutlets. Three-types of rice dishes are a staple at the weekend lunch buffet. This includes red rice, white Suwadel rice and tempered rice turned out by using recipes of distinctive communities in the island.

Sri Lankan pickle from various fruits and vegetables will make an appearance every week, alongside a variety of coconut sambols. Chicken Curd dry curry, mutton black pepper curry, beef curry and babath are some of the more popular meat dishes while the Jaffna crab curry, dry fish (karawala), prawn and cuttlefish are hot sellers from the seafood spread. What is prepared at Nuga Gama is also designed for the health conscious. The sambols, which many come looking for, have medicinal value. When it comes to dessert, traditional sweetmeats make a presence, of which 98% are made in-house. After every meal, a good old ginger tea with jaggery will be served in kettles for the guests. What makes the weekend lunch at Nuga Gama even more special is the atmosphere; children can run around and enjoy nature and other village-like experiences, including learning about the country’s flora and fauna. The Nuga Gama lunch buffet is only available on weekends with a special dinner buffet on weekdays. The buffet is priced at Rs. 1,550+++. For reservations, contact 2497361/62. Spoons to serve best of US Angus

Hilton Colombo’s contemporary signature restaurant, Spoons, is helping diners celebrate their smallest successes with the infamous succulent US Angus beef promotion from 21 to 31 August, during lunch and dinner. Angus has always been a breed purely for the production of premium quality beef. Indentified by the smooth, close grained texture and colour, Angus beef ensures incredibly flavourful, tender and juicy beef due to generous marbling in every cut. All Angus grills will be served with bone marrow, Pont Neuf, mushrooms, watercress and a choice of hollandaise, béarnaise, au poirve, red wine jus, truffle butter and café de Paris butter. A sneak peak of the menu; Angus Tournedos Rossini Fillet Mignon served on Cruote, Black Truffle Cocotte Potatoes, Madeira Demi Glace Sauce, Stroganoff of Angus Tenderloin and Mushrooms with Brandy Paprika Cream and Herb Buttered Tagliatelle and more. For more details, please call the food & beverage office on 2544 644 ext 2012 or visit www.hiltoncolombo1.com/ www.facebook.com/TheHiltonColombo. Prior reservations are recommended.