Hilton goes tomatoes

Executive Chef Robert Mujagic

By Madushka Balasuriya

Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Why are you pronouncing it like that? Stop throwing it at me! That’s right, from its eponymous use in ketchup to starring in its own cocktail to being the central form of artillery in an annual Spanish festival, the ever-divisive tomato is never far from the spotlight. And for the whole month of March, the Hilton Colombo is celebrating this versatile ingredient as only they can as part of its now highly anticipated #EatDrinkHilton promotion.

It is in this context that we at the Daily FT were invited, alongside various other media personnel, to experience a specially curated menu featuring the humble tomato as its star – something this writer, truth be told, was rather sceptical about.

Now, to be clear, the Hilton Colombo under Executive Chef Robert Mujagic has yet to usher a false step in its monthly championing of individual ingredients, successfully navigating chocolate, coconut, sugarcane and ginger, to name but a few, over recent months. However, in taking on the tomato, Chef Mujagic and company have on their hands the first instance where an ingredient truly threatens to overwhelm the tastebuds with even the slightest slip in execution.

After all, who among us hasn’t had a too tangy tomato-based soup, or an overly zesty pizza base? Tomatoes live and die by their acidity, and balancing that out is a test many a seasoned chef has failed. So it was intriguing, to say the least, to see how this Hilton kitchen would navigate an entire set course menu using an ingredient that can so easily overstay its welcome. But as it turns out these fears were sorely misplaced. 

Served up two tasting platters of appetisers and mains, we were presented tomato-infused dishes in a variety of guises. To start off, we were welcomed by a fan favourite, a Frozen Virgin Bloody Mary, exquisitely concocted using freshly squeezed tomato juice and a trademark variety of spices. It was refreshing while simultaneously serving as the ideal appetiser for the meal ahead.

The stand out appetiser meanwhile was undoubtedly the Smoky Tomato Soup, as the smokiness of the cherry tomato perfectly balanced out any undue acidity, while the addition of curry leaves, cinnamon, red chilli and buffalo mozzarella added further complexity of flavour. A word of praise also to the sun-dried tomato dip, which was an outstanding accompaniment to the deliciously crumb-crusted tomato and zucchini fries.

As for the mains, there were broad flat ribbons of Roasted Tomato Pappardelle masterfully paired with grilled prawns, homemade Tomato Gnocchi concealing a bed of buffalo mozzarella, and an exquisite Tomato & Pumpkin Risotto elevated by the precision use of herbs, parmesan cheese and a soft-boiled egg. Suffice to say, each of the three components in the mixed platter were unapologetically “tomatoey,” though somehow also managing to offer subtle yet distinct flourishes to set themselves apart.

But if the mains were overflowing with tomato, the dessert pulled it back, offering a hint of tomato in its Flourless Dark Chocolate & Tomato Cake, though still quietly discernible. A wise choice in the end, as not many places do chocolate better than the Hilton Colombo.

On the whole it was a flawlessly constructed meal, all the elements of which can be enjoyed over the course of March at all of the Hilton Colombo’s resident restaurants. The dishes in this review can all be found at Il Ponte, which incidentally has an all-new menu to try out.

Pix by Daminda 

Harsha Perera