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Lankan meal in Bangkok
Ever starved for a Sri Lankan meal in Bangkok ?

With all the exotic food around one does sometimes really long for local food in a foreign land. That is exactly what happened to Palitha Wijeratna sometime ago in Bangkok which resulted in a Sri Lankan restaurant right in the heart of the popular shopping area Pratunam.

Palitha was determined to have the food that he is used to at home when he was in Bangkok next time. The Sri Lankan restaurant was set up with the help of one of his Thai friends. Located on Soi Wattanawong - the road that runs from Bangkok Palace hotel to Rajapararop Road ending near Indra Regent hotel the restaurant is in an area most Sri Lankans inevitably go through.

The restaurant is run by three of his relations, Anjana, Chandana and Dinesh. The three young cousins have taken the task of building up the business seriously, decorating the hotel with familiar Sri Lankan scenes, talking to everybody making them feel at home and attending to any other need.

They plan to add more dishes to the existing array of common Sri Lankan dishes. Rice and curry with Chicken, fish or egg are accompanied by popular dishes of lunumiris, pol sambol, dry fish fried, dhal, potato tempered or mallum cooked in the most authentic way utilizing Sri Lankan curry powder popular fried rice and other western dishes too are available.

Rotti, pittu and string hoppers are for the morning with that ever loving hot cup of pure Ceylon tea, prepared with the right amount of "kahata" for the milk tea or plain with ginger which is hard to get in many other parts of the world as is made in Sri Lanka.

Breakfast is not the main meal though, Dinesh said because most of the hotels in the area are on a bed and breakfast basis and they concentrate on lunch and dinner. Dinner however is the most popular and the crowded time, as many people tend to have a bite on the run during lunch. The prices are moderate and the portions are generous. Their idea was to have a place where the average Sri Lankan on holiday could enjoy.

Sri Lankan food is delivered at your hotel, if you wish to have it in the hotel. You can order by phone and pay on delivery. Yet it is a nice experience to be in the home atmosphere, listening to familiar chatter and songs.

The three young hoteliers are ready to help the Sri Lankans finding ecomomical hotel accommodation and organized tours to other areas of Thailand at moderate rates through the network of contacts they have built. One can make the first stop at the Sri Lankan restaurant, have a meal and wait till they help you find a hotel.

Seasonal happenings at Tea Factory, Kandapola
A time of giving and a time of celebrating is what the festive season is all about. The Tea Factory, Kandapola has made every effort to make this possible in their own special way with their specially designed festive plan for the holiday makers.
The revellers looking forward to get away from busy Colombo and enjoy a cool, relaxed holiday, the Tea Factory Hotel is the place. Its romantic setting amidst a tea plantation makes it the perfect place to unwind. The cozy ambience of this unique theme hotel can be enjoyed by the whole family and friends.

The Tea Factory also has many wonderful plans for the holiday makers this festive season. There's the traditional Christmas eve dinner with live entertainment to make the festive celebrations as memorable as possible. A sumptuous holiday feast from around the world with festive delights will give the true spirit of Christmas.

Extend the appreciation to loved one, colleagues, business associates and show the affection to the family and friends. Treat them to a X'mas day lunch with extravagant buffet of Christmas turkey with stuffings, Christmas pudding and complimentary glass of wine or Champagne will be on offer.

This year too the gourmandises at the Tea Factory have a sensational array of Christmas cakes, cookies, plum puddings, yule logs and delicatessen items as take away right throughout the festive season.

Get ready for another big bash, usher in the New Year and join the all night party. Live intertainment, grand dinner buffet, complimentary champagne at midnight, fireworks display will make the evening just perfect.

Kiddies Christmas party will come alive onthe December 25 at 4.00 p.m. with lots of entertainment and a snack buffet will be laid out in the Children's playground. Santa's arrival as always be a surprise for all the Children. The planters in the area are welcome for special offers throughout the festive season with special Christmas parties, family get togethers, take-away Christmas goodies and even home-made buriyani or lamprais.

Travel

New board boosts CHSGA
Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA) had its Annual General meeting recently.

CHSGA selected its executive Committee members for 2002 /2003 at this meeting.

Veteran hotelier Adrian Kulatunge, the General Manager of Blue Waters was elected as the new president of the Association.

Here are the other executive committee members of the CHSGA.

Front row from left : Ravi Divitotawela (Past President)-Management Consultant, President's House, Sumithra Gunesekera (Past President)-Managing Director, Ceylon Cold Stores Ltd., Nishantha Manawadu (Treasurer) -Associate Consultant, Triconsult, Palitha Wijemanne (Vice President)-General Manager, Club Palm Garden, Adrian Kulatunga (President)-General Manager, The Blue Water, Upul Atapattu (General Secretary)-Catering Manager, Unilever (Ceylon) Ltd., Lionel Koralage (Co-Editor)-General Manager, Hotel Mermaid and Club, Malin Hapugoda (Past President)-Managing Director, Hospitality Mgt., Consultants, Amaranath Mahawaduge (Past President)-Director, York Hotel Mgt., Services Ltd.

2nd row standing left Upali De Silva (Area Rep.South)-Manager, Hotel Horizon, Gemunu Srilal (Area Rep. Beruwela)- Manager, Tropical Villas Hotel, Samantha Gunaratne (Area Rep. NCP)-Manager, Le Kandyan, Mohan Panabokke (Area Rep. CP)- Director/General Manager, Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Christo De Saram (Co-Editor)- General Manager, Kani Lanka Resort & SPA, Saman Devasurendra (Asst.Secretary) Lecturer, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management, Wimal Dassanayake (Area Rep. Negombo)-General Manager, Ranweli Holiday Village, Charinda Witanachchi (Area Rep. Bentota)- General Manager, Hotel Serendib, Ronald Perera (Area Rep.Colombo)-General Manager, Hotel Sapphire, S. Anandaraj (Area Rep.Colombo)-General Manager, Galle Face Hotel, Chandana Amaradasa (Asst.Secretary)-Asst.Front Office Manager, Taj Samudra.

3rd row standing Roshan Perera (Area Rep.Kandy)- General Manager, Hotel Thilanka, Dilan De Silva (Batch Rep.1998)-Training Manager, Trans Asia Hotel, Manjula Rajapakse (Area Rep.Kalutara/Wadduwa)- Restaurant & Bar Manager, The Blue Water.

Not In Picture Jehan Karunaratne (Immediate Past President)-General Manager, Hotel Reef Comber, Bandula Ekanayake (Asst.Treasurer)-Director General, B.M.I.C.H, Kumar Senaratne, (Past President)-General Manager HRD, Jetwing Hotels Ltd., Gajendran Nadesan, (Batch Rep.2001)-Restaurant & Bar Executive, Tea Factory Hotel.

Thai Food Festival at Trans Asia Hotel
The Cultural Extravaganza of Thailand goes on with Spiced Vibrancy in the form of a Northern Thai Food Festival, which is now on till December 23 at Royal Thai, the specialized Thai Restaurant of the Trans Asia Hotel.

The Lobby lounge of the Trans Asia Hotel, is a showcase of rich cultural heritage of Thailand. Classical Dance Music will mesmerise and the gracefulness of the two beautiful musicians dressed in traditional attire will fascinate all Thai food lovers.

The Thai twins Nutthaporn and Khanitha Homchaem are now in Colombo to perform their traditional song and music. These two sisters have performed in most of the cultural shows around the world. Laos cultural festival in Laos, Music Festivals in Cheze Republic, Austria, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Malaysia and Global Festival in Dubai are some of the countries they have performed.

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