This August, Cinnamon Lakeside’s The Dining Room is running Indian Flavours: One Spread to Savour – an Indian-themed buffet curated by Chef Ravindra Singh and Executive Chef Ashan Liyanage. The spread promises a journey through India’s diverse culinary landscape, from the tandoors of Punjab to the spice-rich coasts of Kerala.
The Sunday Morning Brunch sampled this buffet last week and found a wide variety of Indian and international cuisine with flavours that were balanced, well-executed, and approachable, even for those who shy away from heavy spice.
We started with the salads, which set the tone for the evening. The paneer tikka salad with grilled apple was a standout, offering a gentle flavour profile where neither the cheese nor the fruit overpowered the other.
The curry-roasted gobi salad was a personal highlight, its warm, spiced cauliflower both comforting and complex. The tandoori salads are not spicy, making them ideal for those who prefer milder palates and even for children.
The Indian influence even extends to the pizzas, which are part of the broader international dining buffet at The Dining Room. We tried the malai chicken pizza, which might sound unusual, but works out well, with creamy, lightly spiced chicken paired with a crisp base.
Among the kebabs, the chicken chapli was packed with flavour and best enjoyed hot, the green chilli adding a pleasant kick. The tangdi kebab was milder, with perfectly cooked chicken and a subtle spice rub. The proper tandoori chicken sat somewhere in between, slightly spicier but with flavours that hit all the right notes.
Not everything was a knockout, but even the less-impressive dishes had merit. The seafood satay, coated in a green spice mix, was not really to our liking, but it shared space with the grilled tuna, which looked intriguing.
The aloo kebab, while unlikely to be a star on its own, made for a satisfying component in the broader spread. Keerai vadai was fresh and well-done, but ultimately unexciting because it is the sort of dish you could find in the many South Indian vegetarian restaurants that dot our roads.
For mains, the badami murgh – a creamy chicken curry enriched with ground almonds – was a highlight, rich without being heavy. The Kerala seafood curry leaned into its coastal spice profile, offering more heat than most of the buffet.
The palak paneer was a comforting constant, while the brinjal masala, with its tender eggplant and balanced seasoning, was another dish worth going back for. Across the board, the food is not chilli-hot; the emphasis is on depth of flavour rather than sheer heat.
The setting of The Dining Room, cool and spacious, lends a relaxed air to the meal. Service is attentive without being intrusive, and the live-action stations (pani puri and chaats) add a sense of energy to the evening.
The Indian desserts on offer are also expertly done and had a very respectable variety, complemented by the traditional dessert fare one would expect from an international buffet.
While purists may prefer more aggressively spiced fare, this buffet strikes a smart middle ground – authentic enough to please enthusiasts, while being approachable enough to welcome everyone else.
Indian Flavours: One Spread to Savour runs throughout August at The Dining Room. It’s a worthy addition to Colombo’s buffet circuit, offering a carefully curated taste of India that is as much about variety and technique as it is about spice.