Category Archives: Food

My Hotspot – The Cricket Club Cafe

The Cricket Club Cafe has been a dear friend of mine for over 10 years now. I’m quite sure I’ve sampled and indulged in all the menu offerings. I really did get familiar with the place when Saturdays came along. Back in the early part of 2004, when I got into advertising, the only way I could relax was by reading a few books and knocking down a few pints.

I’d walk to British Council on sunny Saturdays and spend and hour or two devouring an Agatha Christie novel. Then I’d hop to The Cricket Club Cafe and give into a few beers. The pub fare truly is delightful. There’s always something for every single mood here. Crave for some greasy? Your best bet would be the nachos. You can either choose beef or chicken or simply opt for the vegetarian offering.

There’s also a splendid array of burgers that reek of quality. The batterfried prawns does do justice to the menu as well. The only disadvantage I see is that some of the portions have got smaller and the prices have increased since of late. This is precisely why I currently favour The Gallery Cafe or Cheers Pub. This is not to say that The Cricket Club Cafe is a hopeless affair.

I find it rather disappointing that pork is not offered since it really does spoil the mixed grill. Additionally, one must also mention that there are quite a few soups and vegetarian offerings that are quite good. However, if you do drop in, make sure you ask for the bites menu. The buffalo wings and the devilled chicken are the perfect accompaniments if you do decide to have a few whiskies.

The whole ambiance that is present in this monument to cricket is something unique. It is a must visit for all those who consider themselves aficionados of cricket. While I’m hardly a fan of this game, the place does offer a portfolio of signed bats, shirts, caps and a myriad of cricket paraphanelia from cricketing legends.

While most of my weekends have been spent here traversing classic novels and dreaming up advertising ideas for some of Sri Lanka’s top brands, I’ve also introduced this charming place to many of my friends. Needless to say, they adore the place. It really is worth a visit. Except for long weekends, this is one restaurant that is always packed during lunch and dinner.

It truly is favoured by foreigners and the expat community in Colombo. One needs to give some attention to the array of desserts that are on the menu too. While the pavlova is certainly delish, I find myself gravitating towards the ice cream sundaes. The chocolate brownie wrapped in chocolate sauce is also worth a try.

Caps, shirts and mugs resplendent with The Cricket Club Cafe logo are available for sale as well. All said and done, despite its exorbitant prices, The Cricket Club Cafe is a place that needs to be visited at least once. Chances are that you’re sure to make it a habit.

Juicing Away!

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Just went for a 2-hour walk and came back home with a bag of mandarins and strawberries. Blended it all with some ice and water. It tasted so good. I swear this juice contained youth, life, health, sunshine, love and joy! It tasted so much better thanks to that walk at 6 a.m. Independence Square in Colombo looks super amazing. I basked in the sunlight, sweated out all that negativity and worked out my cardiovascular system so hard. Now off to work. I just had to post this before I leave. Ciao for now!

Lunch Out!

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Met a friend who I have been talking on Facebook for a long time. It’s great to know that there are people you can connect with and forge a good friendship with. Started out at Cricket Club Cafe and ended up at Gallery Cafe. Needless to say, he was enamoured by the whole experience. What you see above is a Strawberry Sundae with Red Wine and Mascarpone. Yum for sure.

Adore fruits!

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I have lost 10 kgs within 2 months. Fruits that are high in fiber and high in nutritional value are central to my progress. Quitting cigarettes and alcohol to a great degree has helped tremendously too.

What you see is my breakfast and lunch for today. Sticking to such natural offerings helps kill unhealthy cravings too. And the taste…is pure heaven. :-)

Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream!

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This is such a simple dessert to make. Plus it is super healthy. Just had it and I want more! It’s very easy to make. Take two bananas that have been stripped off their skin. Keep it overnight in the freezer. Cut the the frozen bananas into small pieces and put it in a blender. Pour in around four drops of vanilla essence. Also put in around a tablespoon of cocoa powder. Pour in around half a mug of coconut milk and start blending. Keep adding very small amounts of coconut milk until your ice cream is semi solid. Once done and all the bananas have been mashed up proper, scoop it out into a dish and put it in the freezer for around twenty minutes or till it is a bit harder. I acted quite vague on the quantities since you could vary the ingredients depending on how you want it. For example, add more cocoa if you want it more “chocolatey”.