Perched at the top of Colombo’s spectacular Lotus Tower, Blue Orbit presents a breathtaking view of the city coupled with a wide variety of food from different cuisines. Since its opening, the Blue Orbit has drawn local and foreign guests alike with its modern style and experimental food. The restaurant serves multiple different cuisines such as Middle Eastern, Italian, and Japanese, as well as new and experimental dishes for their customers to try out. The buffet is open for lunch and dinner and is priced at Rs. 9000 per person

In order to experience the magic of Blue Orbit, The Daily Morning Brunch visited the restaurant to sample their lunchtime buffet. 

The atmosphere

One of the best things about Blue Orbit is its stunning atmosphere. Located in the Lotus Tower, the restaurant boasts views of the city where diners are bound to witness the beauty of Colombo in a single gaze. 

Adding to the glamour and atmosphere, the restaurant’s platform completes a full orbit in 90 minutes giving viewers a 360-degree gaze of the city as they enjoy the mouthwatering food and drinks that the restaurant has to offer. 

Blue Orbit also boasts an impressive beverage station. One thing that caught our attention is the detox water filled with fresh herbs. The water gave us a sense that in spite of all the rich food, healthier food and drink alternatives were always available.

Perhaps what stood out to us the most was how calm and quiet the buffet was. While we are generally used to seeing buffets with a lot of people queuing and chatting, the large-scale restaurant and the blue and white interior gave it a peaceful almost soothing vibe, making it perfect for diners who prefer to eat their meals in a silent atmosphere.

Overall, the breathtaking views and the modern atmosphere marks the Blue Orbit not only as a beautiful restaurant but as an experience that diners ought to experience.

A memorable start

We started our meal with some sushi with fresh fillings. The sushi itself was filling, salty and the perfect start to a promising buffet. The sushi was filled with traditional ingredients like tuna and also more modern ingredients like spicy fish. 

We then moved on to the buffet’s cheese counter. The restaurant featured a great variety of blue cheese, brie, cheddar, and even a parmesan wheel, along with accompaniments such as olives that made the starter stand out as memorable and enticing.  The selection also consisted of a variety of cold cuts, including ham and salami that would tempt any meat lover, along with a selection of breads from a French loaf to focaccia to satisfy the diner’s carb cravings.

One thing we noticed was a pani puri station where diners are treated to an immersive experience of making their own pani puri according to their own tastes and preferences.

A dive into a gastronomic experience

While the meal as a whole starts off strong, the dumpling station at Blue Orbit truly got us excited. The station consisted of a wide variety of dumplings from chicken to beef to shrimp to vegetarian.

We sampled the shrimp and beef dumplings. They were rich and filled with flavorful meat, melting in our mouths as we took a bite.  The dumplings themselves were freshly steamed, tempting us to help ourselves to more.

We also sampled the restaurant’s Indian section which was filled with mouthwatering meat and rice dishes. The chicken tikka masala was fresh and mouthwatering, bringing together a vibrant mix of spices and flavours, while the beef curry was spicy and tender. 

What also caught our attention was the lamb lasagna. While many restaurants in Sri Lanka do not serve lamb dishes, Blue Orbit went a step further by including this dish in their pasta section. The lasagna was truly an Italian classic filled with bold flavours and well-cooked and seasoned meat that made us want to come back for seconds.

A sweet end 

No meal is complete without dessert. Blue Orbit featured a wide variety of desserts from fresh fruits, to Indian and Sri Lankan sweets to a chocolate kotthu station.

The cheesecake was rich and creamy without being too sweet, while the gulab jamuns were drowned in mouthwatering sugar syrup, making us long for more. We also had the wattalappan, which tasted so authentic that we never would have guessed that it wasn’t homemade. 

Finally, we had to try the truly unique and experimental chocolate kotthu. The kotthu was made in front of us and was a unique mixture of chocolate, nuts and sprinkles, making the dessert memorable. The kotthu was sweet and decadent, making it the perfect end to the meal.