A shopping mall would not be one of the first places you’d think of to get authentic foreign cuisine, yet Cafe Colombo in The Exchange TRX defies those rules. Located at the Dining Terrace in the shopping mall, Cafe Colombo is quickly identifiable by its lush, tropical facade of green and black, with palm trees imprinted onto the glass and patterned tiles welcoming guests into its home.
And it feels homey on the inside too—if your home is reminiscent of an old money family home in Sri Lanka, that is, complete with rattan furniture, dark wood flooring, massive paintings, and tall windows. The host in this home is Chef Akila Sanka, the mastermind behind Cafe Colombo’s menu of authentic and artfully-fusion Sri Lankan dishes.
On a sunny day, the GRAZIA Malaysia team, armed with an appetite descended upon the restaurant, ready to have our tastebuds tantalised and spice levels tested. Below are some of our favourite dishes that you need to add to your order the next time you visit.
Pulled Crab Tacos
When we mentioned artfully-fusion dishes, really, we were referring to the Pulled Crab Tacos. Before anything else, order these as your appetisers while you continue perusing the menu. Cocooned inside the hard shell tacos were a medley of avocado and pulled crab that had been cooked down in a variety of spices familiar to the Sri Lankan tastebuds. Creamy yet spicy, it was a fun prelude leading up to the mains.
Kochchi Chicken
Test your spice levels with this dish to share. The Kochchi Chicken’s name is derived from the Sri Lankan word for “bird’s eye chilli”, so expect a whole lot of kick to this. The chicken is marinated in a concoction of the cili padi, curry leaves, and vinegar, and then yogurt. It is then skewered and grilled to a medium-rare finish (although diners can ask for it to be cooked further if pink chicken isn’t your ideal level of doneness). Squeeze some lime juice over the chicken and don’t forget to try some of that green sauce that comes with the dish. Tangy, spicy, and smoky, the Kochchi Chicken will certainly get some people sweating.
King Prawn Jaffna Curry
You can’t say you’ve had Sri Lankan food without ordering at least one of their many rich curries. The King Prawn Jaffna Curry is a combination of decadence and tradition. Originating from the north of Sri Lanka, this curry is popularly made with crabs, but any seafood also works. It’s rich and spicy, and the king prawns add a hefty dose of protein to the crab. Eat this with Tempered Yellow Rice, white rice, or any of the rotis on the menu.
Lamb Shank Curry
Not keen on seafood curries? No matter—the Lamb Shank Curry will sate your appetite. Slow-cooked for several hours in a medley of spices, the lamb shank is fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and succulent. It’s a pretty generous serving, so don’t expect to have this all to yourself.
Lamprais
If you ever visit Cafe Colombo on the weekends, then you absolutely must order the Lamprais. Derived from the Dutch word “lomprijst” which means “rice packet”, this traditional Sri Lankan dish is precisely that: rice, meat or vegetable curry, and other assortment of ingredients are all wrapped in a banana leaf and baked. It’s an easy meal to-go whose history is traced back to the Burgher people of Sri Lanka; those who stayed behind after the Dutch handed colonial reigns over to the British, and continued living as Sri Lankans.
Cafe Colombo’s version of Lamprais remains authentic—like a certain traditional Chinese dish we’re familiar with, the concept of wrapping food in leaves and cooking it is quite special, fusing all flavours together for a rich, one-off meal.
Sweet Appam
No meal is complete without dessert, and you should definitely go traditional at Cafe Colombo with an individual serving of Sweet Appam. We repeat: Do not share this with anyone else. Every serving is made to order, and it comes out warm, crisp on the edges, and soft and sweet in the middle. It is everything an appam should be, executed delightfully.
Drinks You Should Order
With the abundance of spice on the menu in Cafe Colombo, it only makes sense to have the right drinks to cool off. The Bru Coffee Tarik and Masala Chai are solid, traditional options to have. However, it’s the creative drinks that you need to set your sights on. The Ribena Longan and Cinnamon Iced Lemon Tea were popular thirst quenchers amongst the GRAZIA Malaysia team, which we kept going back to when the heat was on. Drinks that were richer in flavour included the French Vanilla Rose Latte and Kopi Kelapa Bakar—these were certainly fun on the palate.
Address: L2T.08.0 & L2T.09.0, Level 2, Dining Terrace, Menara Exchange, 106, Lingkaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange, 55188 Kuala Lumpur.
Make a reservation here.
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