Flavours of the Middle East

Saturday, 29 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Hilton Colombo Residences creates perfect atmosphere at Verandah Bistro

By Cheranka Mendis The lift stops at Level Three and what greets us as we step out is a beautiful hookah with the backdrop of a lined painting of a veiled lady, her mesmerising eyes inviting us to step forward and unravel the mysteries that lie beyond the doors of Verandah Bistro.

Hilton Colombo Residences is once again ready to take food lovers on an exotic journey to experience the world through the flavours and fragrances of gourmet cuisine. Moving from its latest journey to Thailand, this time diners are taken to a land that is making headlines with their developmental progress world over. Once known as the Fertile Crescent, the Middle East is one of the richest regions in culture and cuisine, carefully amalgamating the best of all worlds through the various influences that has helped shape the region. Located at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa, the region has been a hub for food and recipe exchange since long past and has somehow created flavours and colours that are uniquely their own. At Hilton Colombo Residences this unique taste is what is scintillating the taste buds of diners at ‘The Flavours of the Middle East’. Following the lead of Chef Hany from Hilton Cairo, Verandah Bistro has been transformed into a cosy Middle Eastern restaurant with the long list of dishes to tempt diners. While the fragrance of various spices wafts in and out of the restaurant, the poolside is filled with the sweet scent of shisha, a perfect draw to warm up during the rainy days.

"Flavours of the Middle East – the Middle Eastern food promotion will go on till 5 April and is held at the Verandah Bistro.
This buffet promotion for dinner will be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
American Express card members will enjoy 30% savings on total food bill for the food promotion at the Verandah Bistro.
For more information, please call the Verandah Bistro and Bar on 0-115-344-644 extension 634 or visit facebook/hiltoncr"

The food, as expected, is delicious. The starters need a special mention for being exceptionally good – so good in fact one might easily forget that there are mains to come. There is the Greek feta salad, tabbouleh, pickles, little bowls of couscous and vegetable salads to taste and love. Not a big fan of hummus, I managed to dig in so easily into the hummus presented at dinner. The secret? Fresh and authentic ingredients that have the ability to transform something average into extraordinary yummies. The kofta served in a bowl of thick gravy is also a must-try at the buffet. There is also cold and hot mezzah, baladi salad, pickled eggplant, muhammara salad, moussaka and falafel.

The main courses include some of the most popular Middle Eastern dishes such as chicken and kofta kebabs (yet another favourite), mouth-watering chicken shawarmas, shrimp targen, and okra with lamb meat among others. Each dish was so unique that there were flavours practically bursting in your mouth with every bite. There was also fish sayadiehtagin (sea bass fillet in sayadieh tomato vegetable sauce), chicken molokhia and rubyanhurra. For those who would like something more familiar, a limited number of international dishes such as beef lasagne and steamed vegetables and cauliflower are also available. If you are not already stuffed, trying the snacks that are lined up at the dessert bar is a must. Even if you are stuffed, it’s a pity if you give it a miss. From omali to rice pudding to a variety of oriental pastries such as konala, golachataif, balaha el sham and their famous melalabia (milk pudding) – it was certainly a feast fit for a king. One of my favourites was a little cookie called oyoun el-maha made with flour, semolina and ghee. To complement the typical Middle Eastern cuisine, try out the shisha. Handled by a professional, the shisha area offers five flavours, including apple, strawberry and peach. The flavours have been brought down especially for the occasion by the host hotel. The strawberry is recommended if you crave a stronger puff, while the apple is perfect to calm the nerves and put you at ease. Priced at Rs. 3,100 nett per person (children between the ages of six and 12 will dine for half the rate and children below six years dine for free), the Middle Eastern promo at Hilton Colombo Residences is the perfect getaway to an enigmatic land without leaving our paradise island.