The latest offering from Black Sheep Restaurants puts a fun spin on typical dishes from the region—but let’s not get too hung up on authenticity
There is always a challenge in parlaying the traditions of a cuisine that have not yet had a strong foothold in Hong Kong, where representations of Sri Lankan food are few and far in between. Hotal Colombo, the newest project by Black Sheep Restaurants (with newly Michelin-minted New Punjab Club and Belon in their stable), takes a confident stab at showcasing the myriad flavours and culinary offerings of the island nation. Located south of India in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is often conflated with its northern neighbour; while there are many parallels in terms of ingredients and dishes enjoyed in both countries, Sri Lankan cuisine has developed a personality of its own.
At Hotal Colombo, executive chef and Sri Lankan native Gisela Alesbrook does her best to translate the cooking of her upbringing through a series of concisely constructed dishes that represent the core of the cuisine—one that is largely centred around rice and curry (kari, more accurately), with vibrant chutneys and sambols playing supporting acts.
This review is not meant to appraise whether or not Alesbrook’s cooking is “authentic” or representative of the genre—as with any dining experience, taste and enjoyment is highly subjective and the best we can do is inform, to our best abilities, why something tasted good to us or not. After all, I cannot admit to having an in-depth knowledge of Sri Lankan cuisine—I’ve only sampled a handful of restaurants both in Hong Kong and abroad, and I’ve never been to the country. Fortunately, between my fellow diner, food writer Janice Leung Hayes (who offered valuable insights from her most recent trips to Sri Lanka) and the well-trained staff, I was given a bit more context to the food than the average diner.
You’ll spot the restaurant as soon as you approach its pastel-pink facade, where popular south Asian sundries such as canned coconut milk, Krackjacks and Good Day Biscuits are lined up in the windows. Inside, it’s like a Wes Anderson-meets-Polly Pocket dream of a diner, with pale blues and pinks dominating the room; mirrors are strategically placed along the walls to expand the narrow space, previously occupied by a dark and gloomy shisha bar. There’s a happy vibe inside, facilitated by the cheerful tropical uniforms worn by energetic staff and the sunny soundtrack interspersed with the occasional old-school hip hop (RIP, Aaliyah).