• Latest
Pilawoos: the Popular Joint

Pilawoos: the Popular Joint

December 2, 2022
Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

March 3, 2023
Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

March 3, 2023
DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

March 3, 2023
A Walk Down Cobblers’ Street

A Walk Down Cobblers’ Street

March 3, 2023
The Colombo Cultural Show: A Soiree into Sri Lanka’s Heart

The Colombo Cultural Show: A Soiree into Sri Lanka’s Heart

February 7, 2023
Kandy Central Market: The epitome of local ambiance

Kandy Central Market: The epitome of local ambiance

February 7, 2023
The Art of Local Writing

The Art of Local Writing

February 7, 2023
Carnival Magic

Carnival Magic

February 7, 2023
Ponniyin Selvan 1: Leveraging the Lure of History and the Power of Storytelling

Ponniyin Selvan 1: Leveraging the Lure of History and the Power of Storytelling

January 11, 2023
Rumination and Emotional Process

Rumination and Emotional Process

January 13, 2023
Segar Represents Sri Lanka in Asia Art Bienniale in Dhaka

Segar Represents Sri Lanka in Asia Art Bienniale in Dhaka

January 11, 2023
Good Conversations Start with Mlesna

Good Conversations Start with Mlesna

January 11, 2023
Retail
Friday, March 24, 2023
Subscription
Advertise
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 201_
      • 2010
        • January 2010
        • February 2010
        • March 2010
        • April 2010
        • May 2010
        • June 2010
        • July 2010
        • August 2010
        • September 2010
        • October 2010
        • November 2010
        • December 2010
      • 2011
        • January 2011
        • February 2011
        • March 2011
        • April 2011
        • May 2011
        • June 2011
        • July 2011
        • August 2011
        • September 2011
        • October 2011
        • November 2011
        • December 2011
      • 2012
        • January 2012
        • February 2012
        • March 2012
        • April 2012
        • May 2012
        • June 2012
        • July 2012
        • August 2012
        • September 2012
        • October 2012
        • November 2012
        • December 2012
      • 2013
        • January 2013
        • February 2013
        • March 2013
        • April 2013
        • May 2013
        • June 2013
        • July 2013
        • August 2013
        • September 2013
        • October 2013
        • November 2013
        • December 2013
      • 2014
        • January 2014
        • February 2014
        • March 2014
        • April 2014
        • May 2014
        • June 2014
        • July 2014
        • August 2014
        • September 2014
        • October 2014
        • November 2014
        • December 2014
      • 2015
        • January 2015
        • February 2015
        • March 2015
        • April 2015
        • May 2015
        • June 2015
        • July 2015
        • August 2015
        • September 2015
        • October 2015
        • November 2015
        • December 2015
      • 2016
        • January 2016
        • February 2016
        • March 2016
        • April 2016
        • May 2016
        • June 2016
        • July 2016
        • August 2016
        • September 2016
        • October 2016
        • November 2016
        • December 2016
      • 2017
        • January 2017
        • February 2017
        • March 2017
        • April 2017
        • May 2017
        • June 2017
        • July 2017
        • August 2017
        • September 2017
        • October 2017
        • November 2017
        • December 2017
      • 2018
        • January 2018
        • February 2018
        • March 2018
        • April 2018
        • May 2018
        • June 2018
        • July 2018
        • August 2018
        • November 2018
        • December 2018
      • 2019
        • January 2019
        • February 2019
        • March 2019
        • April 2019
        • May 2019
        • June 2019
        • July 2019
        • August 2019
        • September 2019
        • October 2019
        • November 2019
        • December 2019
    • 202_
      • 2020
        • January 2020
        • February 2020
        • March 2020
        • September 2020
        • October 2020
        • November 2020
        • December 2020
      • 2021
        • January 2021
        • February 2021
        • March 2021
        • April 2021
        • May 2021
        • June 2021
        • July 2021
        • August 2021
        • September 2021
        • October 2021
        • November 2021
        • December 2021
      • 2022
        • January 2022
        • February 2022
        • March 2022
        • April 2022
        • May 2022
        • June 2022
        • July 2022
        • August 2022
        • September 2022
        • October 2022
        • November 2022
        • December 2022
      • 2023
        • January 2023
        • February 2023
        • March 2023
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive
  • Find Us on Magzter
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

Pilawoos: the Popular Joint

in April 2018, Featured
0 0
0
Pilawoos magic draws the crowds

Twelve midnight on a Saturday and the capital’s kottu hub, the 24/7 open Pilawoos on 417 Galle Road, Colombo 3 is seamlessly moving into its third shift. It is the late night pit stop for night owl revelers and is the capital’s number one chop-chop kottu hub.

Words Manu Gunasena
Photographs Menaka Aravinda and Vishwathan Tharmakulasingham

Nadeer, son of Founder Mohammed Niyaz

It is Pilawoos at 417, Galle Road, Colombo 3, busiest session after sundown, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The time when the first wave of the city’s fun loving, nightclubbing, party-going set hits the Pilawoos shore. The pit stop to refuel, to fortify themselves with the restaurant’s offerings before they head off to enjoy the thrill and spin of another heady night on the party and clubbing circuit. For them the night has just begun. And for Pilawoos, the night is still young.

But before nightclubbing, partying set, another wave has already made landfall. The jet set. The tourist throng who storm its portals every night. Some have come to taste the Kottu experience for the first time, after having learnt of its existence before arriving in the country. Many are returning to its tables to relive its kottu cuisine. Some of them had even made advance bookings to reserve a table.

Then, of course, there is the expat clientele who are the regulars, patronizing Pilawoos on a double weekly basis as a part of their routine of dining out. For them it’s a family outing and they come with their children at an earlier hour to enjoy the kottu feed. Not to forget the Sri Lankans living abroad who, when they return home on holiday, make a beeline to this gourmet hub of the kottu straight from the airport to plunge their fingers into the good old kottu even before going home.

So what draws them, to Pilawoos’? On offer are the delicious biriyani, string hopper biriyani, egg roti special, chicken and cheese roti, chocolate roti and even a Masala Submarine, a fast food Pilawoos’ creation that come in a long hotdog style bun. Wash it up with refreshing Pilawoos faluda, milkshakes, ice milo, Sri Lankan green orange juice or lime and mint drinks, but there’s much more!

But the magnet and the magic that draws tourists, expats, Sri Lankans living abroad, and Colombo’s night owls to swoop on this small joint is the kottu!

Pilawoos offers the cheese kottu, the masala kottu, the palandi kottu, the dolphin kottu made of fresh parathas and the chicken and cheese kottu, the top of the kottu pops at the establishment.

It is not only the Sri Lanka’s cricket team that retires to this eating room to enjoy the Pilawoos kottu but visiting teams from India and Pakistan are regulars who come for second innings during their fixtures in Sri Lanka; to be willingly bowled over once again by Pilawoos’ Kottu’s enticing taste. Indian film stars too visit Pilawoos to enjoy their favourite dishes whenever they come to Sri Lanka. Also, Sri Lankan personalities too are regulars at this ‘happening’ place.

Mouthwatering variety of kottu – the Pilawoos signature

So what’s the secret of its magic spin? What makes its kottu special from all the other kottu places in town? What makes Galle Road’s stretch before Pilawoos’ be doubled parked each night? What makes the pavement be full of folks seated at Pilawoos be packed to jam? What makes the tables within burst through the door and find its place on the sidewalk and inside many a car lined in row with its occupants gobbling it up with relish?

What is its secret? What’s its magic? It is time to find out. Nadeer, the son of the founder, Mohammed Niyaz describes the origin of Pilawoos, which, incidentally has no connection with a host of other Pilawoos in town:

“My father started this in 1979 as a normal hotel. But it wasn’t that successful. Then with many nightclubs opening, he discerned a demand for a fast food venue that is open all night. And he chose the kottu as his flagship. Thereafter its’ rise became phenomenal…”

But what’s the secret that makes Pilawoos’ food such a hit? “the kottu is made according to my father’s recipe. We do not add any artificial flavourings or MSG to any of the dishes that we make. All are made using natural ingredients and we serve generously.” This is the secret of Pilawoos success.

The energetic, friendly and bubbly team at Pilawoos

The chop chop music of the Kottu being made can be heard throughout the night and whatever the order, the service is quick. All customers are served with a smile by all who work here right up to the car door. In fact, they don’t wait to be called. They run up to the vehicles to take the customers’ orders and “it is the service that we provide that has made our Pilawoos such a success”, says Nadeer.

The night’s not over yet. After the first midnight wave had lashed the shore and had its fill and returned to enjoy the night, a new wave lashes the shore each hour. New orders for kottu flow. The late night revelers making another pit stop at Pilawoos to feed on its prized kottu before heading home to hit the sack.

417, Galle Road, Colombo 3
(+94 11) 257 4795

TweetShareShare

Search

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

Explore Sri Lanka

Explore Sri Lanka Online, the web edition of Sri Lanka’s leading monthly corporate publication. Founded in 1996, the magazine currently has a distribution of over 6,000 copies island-wide.

Recent News

  • Investec Cape Town Art Fair
  • Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development
  • DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

Find Us

Explore Sri Lanka
20-2/1 Lauries Place Facing
R. A. De Mel Mawatha
Colombo 04
Sri Lanka.
(+94 11) 259 7991
(+94) 715 134 134
info@btoptions.com
btoptions.com

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 201_
      • 2010
      • 2011
      • 2012
      • 2013
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
    • 202_
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
      • 2023
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive
  • Find Us on Magzter

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In