If you’re looking for a scrumptious and sumptuous lunch that’s packed with flavour, look no further than Shoulders by Harpos at Havelock City Mall, which serves souvlakis that tick all the right boxes in terms of taste, portion size, and price point.

The small yet impressive lunch menu that’s available daily from 12 noon to 3 p.m. features a range of souvlakis – Greek wraps – which have proven to be vastly popular among diners, packed as they are with delicious meats and greens and wrapped in pillowy-soft pita bread.

While Shoulders has understandably been associated with dinner and drinks, this space is ideal for business lunches too, given that the food is on your table within 20 minutes of ordering.

So why such emphasis on souvlakis in a country where rice and curry usually takes the top spot on lunch menus? “A lot of people have been craving souvlakis and they are widely loved by anyone who tries them,” explained Shoulders Partner Asherah Gomez, adding that pre-ordering is also an option, which is ideal for corporates.

That’s not to say leisurely lunches aren’t encouraged – given the size of the portions, which make for ideal sharing platters, one can comfortably spend lots of time here, enjoying the innovative beverages by the mixologists and dipping into the varied food platters.

“Our special lunch menu is ideal to enjoy over a meet-up. People always connect Shoulders with night time, but it’s a great space for lunch,” asserted renowned Lankan restaurateur Harpo Gooneratne.

The ‘Souvlaki Bar’ features five kinds of souvas:

• Chicken souva – charcoal chicken from the rotisserie, with mustard aioli, onion, parsley, and chips
• Mutton kebab souva – mutton kebab, onion, garlic aioli, coriander, and chips
• Pork belly souva – pork from the rotisserie, mustard aioli, chilli, green chilli, pickled cucumber, coriander leaves, and chips
• Zucchini souva – zucchini chips, beetroot tzatziki, parsley, and onion
• Lamb souva – kochchi tartar, chips, beetroot tzatziki, mint, green chilli, chilli flakes, onion

The chicken souva was our top choice, followed by the pork belly souva – both bursting with flavour, utterly enjoyable, and filling.

As Head Chef Sashika Wickramatunga emphasised, for diners who wish to enjoy Greek food with a Sri Lankan touch, Shoulders is the place to be. “The souvas are great for a quick lunch, making Shoulders a perfect choice for business lunches as well,” he added.

But it’s not all souvas: there’s a range of starters available too, from irresistible pita breads, an amazing taramasalata (our all-time favourite dish on the menu), and crunchy cheese burger cigars, along with a lunch board, featuring the dip of the day with meat or veg of choice, and salads and chips options on the side.

Rounding off the menu are desserts: burnt feta cheesecake with strawberry basil sorbet (we tried this and it was exquisite) and rice pudding with cardamom butterscotch and coconut biscuit crumb. 

Without a doubt, when it comes to Greek-inspired food with a Sri Lankan twist, Shoulders is the best place to be. It’s no surprise really, given that culinary mastermind Shehan ‘Juppe’ Setunga is the man behind the menu. The restaurant is a partnership between Shehan, Harpo, Asherah, and Shehan Gomez. 

Despite being a small space – which explains the name – Shoulders serves some big dishes and has drawn diners back for more ever since it opened its doors six months ago. While the dinner menu has consistently been in great demand and seen many repeat customers, the lunch menu is slowly but surely gaining ground with dishes that delight.

PHOTOS VENURA CHANDRAMALITHA