• How Kampong is revolutionising the Colombo dining experience 

Many people find Colombo’s dining scene limited to hotel restaurants, cafes and fusion food stores. This is what Kampong attempts to change. With its surprising welcome and its creative take on fine dining, Kampong transforms the heart of Colombo into the heart of culture. 

The restaurant is hidden adjoining a liquor store in Slave Island and is famed for its take on Colombo life and cuisine. Following its popularity with both local and foreign visitors, The Daily Morning Brunch visited Kampong to sample the food, beverages and the much talked about ambiance. 

The ambiance 

One of Kampong’s finest features was its unique style and atmosphere. From the outside, the restaurant looks like an average gram store in the streets of Slave Island. A person who walks on the streets would be sure to miss it as they go about their daily routines. 

Yet, behind the unassuming gram store was a restaurant filled with good food and even greater variety. 

We were instantly greeted with soft red lightning, antique designs and candlelight. The decor featured pottery, bottles and even an old fashioned telephone, inviting diners to step into a Colombo in which our parents and grandparents lived. 

The walls were also decked with paintings of Colombo during a bygone era, helping visitors soak up the history and culture of the city while they dine. The overall ambiance not only made us relax and reflect on our history but also gave us the excuse to take aesthetic pictures for social media. 

The service was also attentive without being intrusive and provided the perfect opportunity for us to escape from our everyday lives and experience the flavors of Colombo. 

The beverages 

What makes Kampong unique is their take on Sri Lankan style cocktails. The drinks were inspired by local favorites such as curd and treacle and had unique names ‘Kompanni Sour’, ‘Nippon Highball’ and ‘Castle Special’ which were inspired by landmarks such as Castle Street and the Nippon Hotel. 

The menu featured a map of all Colombo’s landmarks from the Beira Lake to Hotel Nippon, making it a perfect location to appreciate the city we spend much of our time in. 

However what we really found interesting was the fact that they honored the betel leaf in their cocktails. The leaf, which is often associated with the working class, had been rebranded as a symbol of Sri Lankan cuisine and fine dining. 

In short, the drinks were a perfect way to start our culinary journey at Kampong. 

The mains 

The food at Kampong was truly a mix of local flavors with a fine dining twist. We ordered the mushroom cigar with parmesan foam and the tiger prawn, Tamara butter and Kade paan. 

The mushroom cigar had a crunchy exterior and was bursting with a rich earthy flavor. It was paired well with the Parmesan foam on the side. The dish definitely made our day and reminded us that plant-based food could be just as creative as non-vegetarian food. 

The food is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and those with different dietary needs such as celiac disease. 

Meanwhile the tiger prawns were cooked to perfection and would be great for anyone who is a fan of seafood, vibrant flavors and fine dining with a Sri Lankan twist. 

The menu also featured other creative dishes such as duck,betel leaf and nam jim and deviled eggs, fried oyster and tobiko, which would be sure to entice any lover of culinary creativity. 

The deserts 

While the meals in Kampong were nothing short of amazing, it was the desert that really stole our heart. The chocolate cannoli with pistachios was the perfect combination of sweet, bitter and nutty that made the dish complex and memorable. 

The cannoli was also light and airy and made a wonderful end to the richness of the meal. The dish was indeed a perfect conclusion to a great day out and a reminder that bold flavors are not so far away. 

Our take on Kampong

While every part of the Kampong experience was new and exciting, nothing was more interesting than the bill itself. A meal for three people cost us more than an entry-level employee's salary and made us rethink our financial decisions. 

However, we must say that the entire experience was unique and had a level of escapism that made the price worth it. 

We left Kampong with our stomachs full and our hearts happy. We had never expected such a luxurious gastronomic experience tucked away in the streets of Slave Island and we were glad we got to visit the place.

We decided Kampong’s creative variety and their mission of staying true to Colombo culture makes it worthy of another visit.