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By Madushka Balasuriya
Putting your bar on a rooftop is kind of like a cheat code; there’s very little chance it’s not going to work out well. However, the difference between being simply successful and truly achieving that elusive calibre of excellence that sets an establishment apart from the chasing pack eventually comes down to the finer details. It is in this aspect that the Botanik rooftop Bistro and Bar really comes into its own.
Located on the rooftop of the Fairway building, ever since its launch Botanik has been one of the more eclectic and stylish bars in town, but what has really set it apart is the calibre of its cuisine. Yes, the cocktails have also been consistently delicious, but the food – a delightful mix of tapas and contemporary Sri Lankan cuisine, using an array of localised and seasonal ingredient – is its true selling point.
So it’s no surprise then that earlier this month the powers that be at Botanik decided to push the bar that little bit higher by introducing a new menu and with it a new Sous Chef. Chef Kasun is an award-winning chef who has worked along many world-class chefs in his time including one Gordon Ramsay.
And the new menu – we at Daily FT were given a sneak preview – which has been conceptualised by Executive Chef Nizan sees all these global influences combine with Sri Lanka’s unique and rich local flavours.
The new additions total up to 13 – four starters, four mains, two desserts, and three cocktails – but for purposes of brevity we’ll only go through in detail some of our favourites.
As Botanik is a bar first and foremost, its bread and butter so to speak is of course its cocktails. As such, it’s pleasing to see that even new additions retain its trademark unique flavours.
A fresh take on the classic Bloody Mary sees the addition of Worcestershire sauce and tomato ketchup among other ingredients, to elevate it, while an arrack-based cocktail is given a refreshing twist with the addition of coconut water and Pandan syrup. A gin-based grapefruit and rhubarb drink meanwhile completes the exotic threesome.
But if the in-house beverages aren’t your thing, then Botanik still has you covered. Every Tuesday dinner guests will be allowed to bring their own choice of beverage to be enjoyed in the interior dining area.
There will be corkage fee of Rs. 2,000, which can be redeemed on a minimum Rs. 2,000 spend at the restaurant.
As for the food, we were not disappointed there either. Undoubtedly the most eye-catching is the addition of stingray to the menu. Paired with the most Sri Lankan of accompaniments – seeni sambol – the fish was cooked perfectly. Never having tasted stingray before, I was also pleasantly surprised that the bones were also easily bitten into, making the dish a breeze to eat.
Speaking of easy to eat, we’d be remiss not to then mention the lamb shank. Falling off the bone is the desired effect of any slow-cooked meat and this shank did not disappoint. All you really needed was a spoon to have your way with the sizeable shank, while the flavours themselves were precisely what you would expect from this most flavoursome of meats.
In terms of the starters, the clear standout was the burrata, an unusual dish where its delicate flavour is belied by a fairly bland exterior. Essentially its outer shell is solid buffalo mozzarella, which houses a delightful, oozing creamy centre, the effect being an unusual, soft texture. Served alongside a fresh tomato and a homemade kochchi sauce, this was one dish we kept going back for more.
We must also mention the fried handello, which is going to be a sure-fire favourite. The dish is a copious amount of handello piled up next to a generous serving of Botanik’s trademark spicy mayonnaise dip. It is truly the natural evolution of the ever-present Sri Lanka ‘bite’.
The sweet stuff get its own separate section because, well, they’re just that damn good. The new additions are a fresh take on a chocolate mousse and something many diners may not be familiar with, sago kacan.
The latter is extremely difficult to put into words, apart from the fact that it simply knocked our proverbial socks off. The only flavour you’re able to safely pick out is the delicious sago pudding, though there’s a lot more at work under the surface. A thoroughly cleaned out bowl was our signalling of extreme satisfaction.
But if the sago was secretive with its flavours, the chocolate mousse then might as well have screamed it from the rooftops. As with everything Botanik, this dish was more than what you might traditionally expect. The mousse itself was infused with raspberry bits and sauce, but what really blew our minds was the addition of miniature churro bits. We’ve never seen churros added to chocolate mousse, and now, thanks to Botanik, any future mousse that misses this glorious addition will always be doomed to second place.
On the whole, each of Botanik’s new additions will undoubtedly prove as successful as their predecessors, and with a refresh behind the scenes as well with new Sous Chef Kasun, standards are bound to be as high as ever.
Add into this the spectacular views afforded atop the rooftop, regular live music, delicious food, and unique cocktails, and it’s no surprise that Botanik is one of Colombo’s pre-eminent go-to evening hangout spots.
Pix by Shehan Gunasekara
