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New look, new tastes in town
By Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne
How often do you eat out? Once a week, twice or thrice? Dining out, for many Sri Lankans is no longer reserved for special occasions, it's an everyday affair.

The revamped Kafe Kent

Glancing through the newspapers, you cannot help but notice how new restaurants seem to pop up with increasing regularity. Some are not new but have reinvented and revamped their image in a bid to attract more customers. So what's on offer, we asked.

Kafe Kent
'Suddenly there are trees,' reads the logo. Kafe Kent set in an idyllic 98- year-old mansion down Bagatalle Road was established a year ago and recently re-launched.

"The seating capacity has been increased from 40 to 150, as a result of the continuous requests of patrons," says Gamini Saparamadu, the Managing Director of Kent Holdings of which Kafe Kent is a subsidiary. But it's not only the seating capacity that has changed. They now boast of a range of coffees, desserts and BBQ facilities.

Succulent steaks at the Taj's Steak and Grill House

The Kafe has an almost up country club housish effect, for they have a member system. Members of K2 are blessed with a Private Bottle Bar and other little perks such as entry to movie nights and so on.

The back garden has a range of well-grown trees, foliage and bamboo, which provides a relaxing atmosphere. While the 'old' cafe was just situated on the top floors of this majestic building, included in the plans of refurbishment are an extension of the cafe to the ground floor and the back garden.

There's also a private singing facility available for anyone interested and a pool table for all those lovers of the sport. Amongst the other novelties that have been introduced are theme nights, food promotions, singing and pool tournaments

The main menu at the cafe has undergone little change and includes Continental, Sri Lankan, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Italian and Indian specialities. The prices too remain unchanged.

The cafe has more plans for expansion . They propose to have their own 'home-made ice cream' and introduce a 'make your own sundae' option.

The Latin Lizard
Walk into this restaurant and your mood is transformed. Painted in shades of bold red and fresh green, the main focus here is the ceiling, where pictures of an arty yet earthy sun gaze down on you.

The Latin Lizard is actually ''Itzza Pizza' reborn. Is the pizza market declining then? "We like to stay ahead," says Athula Senanayake, the managing partner of the Don Stanley's Group of which this restaurant is a subsidiary. "This is an already concentrated market, and constant change is what is required to draw the crowds. The pizza concept is still quite 'in', but we decided to give the restaurant and the menu a whole new look."

On the menu are such items as The Greasy Gecko Special, a submarine loaf filled with Mexican hot roast pork layered with grilled vegetables and coated with caramelised mustard sauce.

Apprehensive? Try their pizzas in that case. For though the restaurant's decor and concept have changed, pizzas that were its forte still figure prominently on the menu. There's the Chilli Pork Cruster, the Veg Veg Baby, Luigi's Chicken Chaser and the Pizza of the Day to choose from.

The restaurant caters mainly to a young crowd with outdoor seating for around 25. It can also manage a group of 40 quite comfortably inside. Gino's Ice Cream Parlour is right next door for a quick dessert.

Amongst the beverages are fresh fruit juices including tamarind and melon and a range of after-dinner coffees topped with your favourite liqeur if you feel up to it.

The Steak and Grill House
Forget fine dining at Taj 'Rendezvous' for it has been completely usurped by 'The Steak and Grill House'.

Where did the idea originate? "Our new General Manager Praveen Nair, felt that the fine dining concept will not settle well with us Sri Lankans," says Priti D'Almeida, the Taj's Public Relations Manager. "This restaurant is totally unique in that it is the only completely steak house in the city." At the moment the restaurant has light piano-based accompaniment but is due to introduce country and jazz music.

The delectable range of appetizers includes smoked salmon parcels with cream cheese and citrus dressing and warm mushroom cake with seared breast of quail and tomato coulis.

A recommended wine, making things all the more easier for the guest, follows each item of food. Steaks understandably dominate the menu but it is not only the meat lovers who are sure to find it a treat. For amongst the other interesting items on the menu are four all-vegetable steaks for those vegetarians dying for something different.

These include a two colour zucchini and risotto steak, served with grilled vegetables and saffron sauce and penne with artichoke and olives in creamy pepper sauce.

The dessert menu is of a continental flavour with nougat and Kahlua parfait, served with chocolate sauce and hot Grand Marnier souffles. The Steak and Grill House is open only for dinner.

Sweet Chilli
Sweet Chilli as its name suggests is something different. Offering an array of Chinese, Indian and Pakistani food, Sweet Chilli is centrally located on Duplication Road.

Didn't they too want to do something drastic like the others? "Whatever said and done our people love Chinese," laughs one of the directors Mr. Subhani. "So we are in the process of giving them exactly what they want, at highly competitive prices with a uniquely different taste!"

An ideal family restaurant Sweet Chilli is open for lunch and dinner, targeting the office crowd at lunchtime with their weekday buffet for Rs. 190.00. There is also a weekend dinner buffet .

With a seating capacity of 100, Sweet Chilli finds it difficult to meet the high demand. There is also a pastry shop with breads and pastries available from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Another novelty is the BBQ grill that is also situated outside for anyone wanting something different.

The atmosphere inside is perfect for a casual family outing, the bright decor making it quite inviting. As we discovered, variety is indeed the spice of life.

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