Saturday, 21 February 2015 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Cinnamon Bey’s fusion restaurant offers a unique culinary experience
By Sarah Hannan
On a not-so-busy Monday evening we got the opportunity to drive down to Beruwala for a unique fine-dining experience. Leaving Colombo at 4:30 p.m. we managed to beat the slight office traffic down Galle Road and reached Beruwala by sundown.
The hotel is located one kilometre off the main road and one cannot miss the signage indicating the distance to Cinnamon Bey, Beruwala. As a first time visitor, I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance and the architecture of the hotel. We started our evening with a refreshing cup of Ceylon Tea and watched nightfall set in.
Our culinary journey began at Rock Salt, which is a fusion restaurant. The ambiance of the restaurant was similar to the hotel, featuring cane lanterns and geometric weaves. The soup and starters were already prepared, so we had to only worry about the mains.
A plate of sushi was our starter, followed by a vegetable broth. We also indulged in some bread with three different dips and my favourites were the olive oil and hummus. The menu is presented to the diner by the waiting staff in the form of a scroll.
Once the order is placed, more waiting staff arrive bearing aprons and chef’s hats, which you would have to don to avoid your hair getting burnt and the oil being splattered on your clothes. Then comes the smouldering hot rock with spice-infused olive oil for marinating purposes.
Saving more of your time, the meat is presented in thin cuts to accommodate the cooking style on a hot rock. The meat needs to be dipped in the spice-infused olive oil to prevent it from sticking to the rock while cooking. The heat of the rock itself is around 300 degrees so you really can feel the heat radiating off it and onto your face.
I picked the Australian beef sirloin while my partner opted for the mixed seafood. These were accompanied by steamed jasmine rice, boiled vegetables, button mushrooms and mashed potatoes.
Just to be careful, it is advisable to step back a bit when you place the meat on the rock to cook. Within about two minutes, the meat can be turned; however, fish cooks faster than beef. Diners may want to cook all their meat while the heat is still high or there’s always the option of asking for a new hot rock.
To add more flavour to the meat, you are provided with three varieties of salt crystals and all you need is just a pinch of it on three to four slices of beef or you can opt for the teriyaki, soy or chilli sauces that are presented along with the meats.
The objective behind cooking your own meal is to identify the ingredients that go in to your meal while indulging in a true culinary experience and learning a thing or two about cooking as well. Rock Salt is one of the experiences that you should include in a trip down south.
The signature restaurant has an open show kitchen concept where a fusion of flavours from around the world are presented in a unique fashion, with food seared on hot stones at the table or poached in the shabu-shabu pot. The operating hours are from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. and accommodate private events such as a birthday celebration, anniversary or family reunion.
Our dinner came to an end on a high note with an assortment of chocolates for dessert and then we headed down to the famous I.C.E. – Ice Cream Emporium located at the lower lobby level overlooking the swimming pool. I picked the cinnamon flavoured ice cream which was a refreshing experience minus the brain freeze. According to the staff at Cinnamon Bey, this is one of the favourite aspects of the hotel for guests and their kids. I.C.E. is operational from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For reservations and more details contact Cinnamon Bay, Beruwala on 0342297000 or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/CinnamonBeyBeruwala.
–Pix by Mirshad Buckman
