• Chef Dharshan Munidasa on what it takes to build a restaurant that lasts 30 years 

Colombo in 1995 was a very different city. The country was in the middle of a civil war, but its capital city was still growing amidst wartime practices such as some major roads being closed by 6 p.m. The food scene of Colombo was still in its infancy and Japanese food, particularly in its traditional form, was virtually unknown to most Sri Lankans. 

But into this space stepped a young engineer named Dharshan Munidasa with a vision that was equal parts personal and radical. His restaurant, Nihonbashi, set out to serve real Japanese food in Sri Lanka. 

Not sushi rolls with cream cheese and avocado. Not the latest Western interpretation of Japanese trends. Just unapologetically authentic, ingredient-driven, seasonal cuisine rooted in the centuries-old principles of Japanese cooking.

Thirty years later, Nihonbashi stands as one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic culinary institutions. It is a name synonymous with purity, consistency, and craft. And for Chef Dharshan, it remains a deeply personal project – one that he continues to micromanage daily. 

“I’m still hands-on with every aspect. There are still days when I walk around 20,000 steps, keeping an eye on things and getting involved. I still constantly bombard the PR team with ideas. But I love it. This is what I do,” he said.

Authentic Japanese cuisine

From its beginnings at Galle Face Terrace to its newest home in Port City with eight private dining rooms and one of the largest yakitori grills in the world, the restaurant has grown in ambition but never strayed from its core values. Even during its earliest days, when monthly guest counts barely hit 65, Chef Dharshan didn’t compromise. 

“One complaint we had early on was that the food was too authentic. They asked why I didn’t serve California rolls. I pointed out that there is no place in Japan called California,” he added.

Authentic Japanese cuisine has been the foundation of the restaurant’s identity. Growing up between Japan and Sri Lanka, Chef Dharshan was always conscious of the differences in how food was approached. But it was only after returning to Colombo following his father’s passing, having turned down a job offer in Tokyo, that he seriously considered building something of his own. 

“My father had actually planted the seed years before. It was something he used to talk about doing with my mother,” he reflected, sharing that he actually studied computer engineering and international relations and was offered a job in Tokyo in the tech industry. But his father’s passing brought him back to Sri Lanka and then led him to found Nihonbashi. 

Ingredient quality has always been at the heart of the Nihonbashi philosophy. In the early days, Chef Dharshan would visit Colombo’s fish landing sites once or twice a week, sorting through thousands of fish to find the few that met his standards. 

It was this access to fresh, high-quality seafood so close to the city that convinced him Sri Lanka was the right place to build his restaurant. “Colombo is a unique city. You don’t need to import everything when you have lakes, oceans, cinnamon, tea, and of course, Sri Lankan crab.”

Expanding with care 

Over the years, Nihonbashi has quietly expanded – not just in footprint but in influence. It was the first Sri Lankan restaurant to make it to ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list, ranking consecutively from 2013 to 2018. At one point, Chef Dharshan had two restaurants on the list. But the recognition never distracted him from his larger mission: to showcase real Japanese cuisine in a Sri Lankan context, without reducing it to novelty.

“I’m half Japanese and half Sri Lankan, so I am fusion,” he said when asked about fusion cuisine. “But I never wanted my food to be. If I had done pepper crab at Nihonbashi 30 years ago, the restaurant would never have stayed Japanese and Ministry of Crab might never have existed. Keeping those identities separate has been one of my greatest strengths.”

That said, Chef Dharshan isn’t opposed to adaptation when it makes sense. His shirunashi ramen, for example, is a dry ramen created in response to guests struggling with hot broth in Colombo’s tropical heat. “It’s our best-seller. It’s not a fusion dish – it’s an evolution, rooted in Japanese philosophy, adapted to local realities.”

For the 30th anniversary of Nihonbashi, Chef Dharshan has introduced Sushi Sen, a new interactive menu concept that takes handrolls to the next level. Guests can choose from 10 proteins, 10 vegetables, and 10 sauces, resulting in up to a 1,000 possible combinations. 

“It’s a far cry from when people thought Japanese food was only raw fish,” he smiled. “Now they are debating which combination of cooked protein and tare sauce makes the best roll. That’s progress.”

Even as the restaurant has grown to include branches in Kandy and the Maldives, each outpost remains unique. There is no cookie-cutter template – no copy-paste menus or decor. Everything is bespoke, intentional, and built with care. 

Three decades in, Chef Dharshan shows no signs of slowing down. “I didn’t go to culinary school. I learnt by eating. Eating in Japan, wanting to eat more. That curiosity still drives me.” He continues to experiment, to create, to walk the floor. And above all, to cook.

“It’s a privilege to cook for someone,” he said. “It’s also a lot of fun. And it builds respect. Between you and the ingredients, you and your team, and you and the person across the table.” 

That philosophy – of respect, curiosity, and commitment – is ultimately what has carried Nihonbashi through the decades. Not gimmicks, not trends, but a belief that food made with integrity will always find its place.