Candle-lit dinners with low dropped antique ceilings, rustic shades of comfy sofas garnished with splashes of unique typographic cushions, I was mesmerised into a relaxing trance as I walked into this modern restaurant at the Colombo Racecourse…
Words Dheena Sadik Photographs Indika De Silva
Rejuvenation and Rejoice are not the only descriptive words representing this idyllic new restaurant. RnR also stands for their creative co-founders who love their food, and decided to open their own contemporary eating house in 2012 to share delectable dishes, which they personally enjoy. Hence, most choices you’d find here are family-oriented recipes to be enjoyed on regular days and special occasions as well.
The interior of the restaurant is based on a unique theme of music and cinema legends – The Beatles, Bob Marley, Marilyn Monroe and more… with imprints of their famous smiles creatively printed over cushions lying on comfy sofas. The warmly welcoming lower floor has rustic dropped ceilings giving a homely atmosphere. With ample space to accommodate large reunions, this entire floor is beautifully designed for family dining.
RnR continues to innovate charismatic fusions, which amalgamate Western meals with Sri Lankan traditional dishes…
The upper floor is more of a youthful lounge, with a funky world-class jukebox playing music to suit diverse audiences. Playing relaxing tunes in the background, the jukebox has attracted younger urban generations looking for fun-filled leisure. This floor is particularly popular during lunch amongst youngsters.
Both floors have soothing dim lighting, enhanced by candles on every table. Surrounded by a deep brick-red rustic hue, it sets a soft romantic ambience.
RnR is a fusion restaurant where East meets West. As most Sri Lankans generally prefer spicy food, RnR continues to innovate charismatic fusions, amalgamating Western basic meals with Sri Lankan traditional dishes for everyone to enjoy meals in a serene environment.
RnR’s signature dish that is gaining much favour amongst customers is the “Basil Style Blue Water Lagoon Crab” inspired by Minister Basil Rajapaksa. It was the Minister’s suggestion to innovate a unique spicy crab curry incorporating traditional Sri Lankan culinary arts. Much experimentation with recipes by RnR’s chefs and tastings by the Minister himself were done until the recipe was just right.
The dim lighting accompanied by candles on every table, surrounded by a deep brick-red rustic hue sets a soft romantic ambience…
A popular RnR dish is the “Tex-Mex Juicy Lemon Chicken”. Originating from America, this dish is a half-chicken curry, with bread, mashed potatoes and vegetables. It also includes a Sri Lankan honey butter sauce, giving a local texture to the flavour. The chicken is more crispy than a traditional curry as it’s fried, whilst the smooth butter balances the texture creating a beautiful combination.
Another must-try is the “Seafood Symphony,” an orchestra of various seafood such as fish, prawn, cuttlefish and crab merged into a single delight. For lamb-lovers there is the mouth-watering “Roasted Rack of Lamb.”Added to the wide spectrum of seafood and red meat choices, there are lovely salads and vegetarian dishes available as well.
For desserts, the cozy food sanctuary has a special in-house cheesecake with passion fruit sauce, a favourite amongst regular customers. RnR has a detailed beverage menu out of which the most popular is “The Rookie Magic Shake,” an incomparable smooth shake of vanilla ice-cream blent with chocolate syrup and Oreo cookies. RnR also serves a range of refreshing Cocktails and Mocktails as well.
Fusion, fun and family is how RnR can be described in a simple nutshell. A must-visit for anyone seeking a different dining experience within the hustle and bustle of Colombo.
Reid Avenue, Colombo 7
Tel: (+94 11) 269 1155
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