Taste of Sri Lanka at Waters Edge

Wednesday, 23 September 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The aroma, colours, local culture and the sea of Sri Lankan cuisine enthusiasts brought together a vivid narrative of a true Sri Lankan experience as the Boardwalk garden at Waters Edge was completely transformed into a Sri Lankan village. With typical native quirks, activities and a feast like no other were held from 10 to 13 September. A vast number of guests were pleased with the delicious plethora of classical Sri Lankan dishes. Similar to the vast geographical variances of the country, the cooking techniques, flavours and certain ingredients greatly differ from region to region. For the purpose of introducing and presenting such variances in the spice-rich cuisine of Sri Lanka, Waters Edge initiated ‘Tastes of Sri Lanka; ft. King of Hoppers Chef Ravi & Rotti Maestro Chef Farris’. tuj

The ‘All You Can Eat Buffet’ provided the perfect opportunity to experience a united island with authentic Sri Lankan cuisine featuring a galore of signature mains ranging from lamprais, red/yellow rice, a spicy range of kottu/ rotti and of course a spectacular selection of hoppers. Over 60 Sri Lankan dishes originating from distinctive regions of the island – prepared to different recipes, were enjoyed by all the guests. The specialty in Sri Lankan food is that the same food is differently made in different regions; Negombo Pork Stew with Liver, Batticaloa Mutton Curry and Jaffna Kool Curry are a few dishes out of the many which were made able over the weekend at the Boardwalk.

‘Tastes of Sri Lanka; ft. King of Hoppers Chef Ravi & Rotti Maestro Chef Farris’ showcased the culinary experts Chef Ravindrapala (also known as ‘Appaya’) and Chef Yusuf Farris Mohomad (known as ‘Rottiya’) in their expertise of rotti and hoppers. The dynamic duo enticed their guests by keeping their palate whet and wanting more. In addition to the traditional Sri Lankan mains and sides; the esteemed culinary brigade of Waters Edge created a dedicated ‘sweetmeats’ corner with a range of kavum, kokis and hot hot dodol. To bring about a homely feel to the ‘sweetmeat’ corner the hot dodol and kokis were prepared and fried by ‘Kavum Achchi’. In addition to the magnificent feast, Waters Edge offered a chance to experience authentic Sri Lankan day to day quirks and activities, with Fortune Tellers visiting guests’ table to table, ‘Saravita’ Sellers taught the concept of chewing bulath (Betel leaves) to keen foreigners, an Achcharu&Kadala cart for everyone’s guilty pleasure and of course a traditional Bite Kade with all the favourites: wade, fried handallo, etc.

The Boardwalk was completely transformed into a ‘village’ setup with pol athu huts and guests were welcomed and served by the staff dressed in redda and hatta for the ladies and sarongs for the gents. With a traditional arrack cocktail at hand the guests were entertained with an exciting cultural show with traditional yaka dances and fire entertainers on all four days. As a nightcap to end the perfect evening Chef Ravi brewed Yaara or ginger tea for all diners at each of their tables; making it a show of its own with his bright smile and intriguing humour.

Whether it was to entertain foreign friends or satisfy your own foodie cravings, ‘Taste of Sri Lanka’ at Waters Edge provided all guests a night of rich cultural experience and delicious Sri Lankan cuisine.