At the time of writing, Colombo's temperature is a balmy 27 degrees. Inside London's zone 4, by my desk? You're looking more like 9. Bearing that in mind, and while we let this fact really sink in, you're probably now thinking about jetting off to tropical shores. But here's the thing, you can sample sunny Sri Lankan plates at a brand new restaurant here in the capital. Enter: Kolamba East.
Keep reading our Kolamba restaurant review to find out more.
DesignMyNight Review Of Kolamba East Liverpool Street
Nestled behind Shoreditch High Street, this hidden gem threw open its doors in August 2024 and is the sister site to Kolamba's much-applauded Soho outpost. Once inside, it’s clear that the space is a stunner: honey and neutral cream tones match nicely with the elegant, stone-like finishing touches and exposed brickwork. The Kolamba restaurant was airy yet cosy at the same time. We particularly loved the angular comfy seats, paper lampshades and industrial beams above, a reference to East London’s working past.
Our first round of cocktails, whipped up by the 'alchemists' behind the bar, saw us try a Pol Mezcalita (£14) and Bloody Malani (£14). The latter was similar to a margarita, but with smoky, punchy mezcal notes, plus the rim of aromatic herbs, coconut and citrus (almost white chocolate-like) was completely lick-able. Don’t judge me, I have a habit of doing this. My date’s citrusy twist on the bloody mary is ideal for brunch, combining curry-infused vodka, soy sauce and cherry liqueur for sourness, topped with springs of coriander.
We had real difficulty picking from the
Kolamba menu, there’s so much choice.
Everything here is designed to be shared, so prepare to get stuck in. My partner’s succulent Jaffna spiced lamb chops (£17), served with a gorgeous aubergine side, excelled. In fact, he gnawed it all off the bone. Our idli (£9), a fluffy, savoury rice dish, was presented like a spaceship and we loved the spicy lentil soup sambar drizzled on top.
Although meant for three people (the bowl really was that huge), our jackfruit biryani (£28) was a welcome winter warmer for us gluttons, using vermicelli noodles instead of rice, chunks of meaty fruit and dotted with cashews. The layers were great but take their advice and stir it up, as this ensures a moist mix of different textures. In addition, the swirls of ghee-laced and expertly charred roti (£5) were an ideal accompaniment to my standout plate of the night, Kolamba's famous roasted pineapple (£13). Bear with me, as this cardamom and mustard seeds-sauteed sharer skilfully balanced bursts of juiciness and spice with a rich, thick and creamy sauce. Forget the pizza topping debate, this is a sweet 'n' savoury masterpiece I'm still dreaming about.
Head to Kolamba Shoreditch for one hell of a dining experience.
Next up at Kolamba East London came the oozy, runny egg hopper (£6.50) which we used to mop up the dhal (£9); a bowl of earthy sunshine boasting puffed rice, crunchy fried spinach and chopped coriander on top. If you thought we were done? Nope, because the sea bream (£21) was my date’s fave; flaky fish with an oh-so-crispy skin carefully placed on a tomato coconut sauce. Hurrah for our elasticated waistbands. Oh, and they’re not shy on chilli here, so for the fire-adverse, pick up the chunky cucumber sambol (£4); a raita-esque soother using coconut milk.
Needless to say, because we were so excited about the Kolamba East menu, plates were plentiful and to be honest, we ended up being a bit greedy. Our tip? Maybe prioritise your order and ask for guidelines on portion sizes from the team.
My dinner date sipped an Arrack Old Fashioned (£15) while perusing the dessert menu at Kolamba London. This delightful, rust-coloured bitter elixir was infused with curry leaves and was so well executed that it didn’t blow our socks off. Nice one, bartenders. While I opted for a divine rum-heavy yet fruity Spiced Mango Iced Tea (£13 – make sure to eat the candied skin) to close our evening, my partner couldn’t resist trying Payasam (£7), a sensational warm rice pudding heralding from the north of Sri Lanka, combining fresh coconut and cinnamon with raisins, decorated with pistachio.
Kolamba East Liverpool Street: Overall
Well, that’s how to launch a new venue. Fusing chic interiors
with homely traditions and memories from the teardrop-shaped
island, we couldn’t get enough at our Kolamba East
review, and judging by how busy it was on a Tuesday night in
January, everyone thinks the same. Service here was next level; we
were told to have fun by our host Tania, and we most certainly did.
Sampling recipes from friends and family from the founders’
hometown was a joy, so for a slice of Sri Lankan sunshine? Pay
this paradise a visit pronto.
💰 Price: £175.50 (excluding service). We did end up taking food home too. 📍 Address: 12 Blossom Street, London, E1 6PL. 👌 Perfect for: Trying out new flavours with friends. ⭐ Need to know: There's a cool private hire space towards the back. |
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