Colombo Kitchen Putney opening night review

There are two types of restaurant grand opening: one is where everything is perfect, pristine, cutlery in place, servers lined up, and the doors are swung open to (hopefully) expectant crowds. And the other is where the owner is simply excited to get going, get the punters in and serve up their food.

Opening night of the new Sri Lankan restaurant on Upper Richmond Road, Colombo Kitchen Putney, was definitely the latter. The staff seemed a little unsure and uncertain as we came in and told us to sit anywhere we liked. We choose the top of the split-level floors and seated ourselves, in among two other groups who seemed similarly unsure.

The fact that the tables were laid out randomly and were empty, while the waitress was clearly struggling to get up to speed, jarred with the restaurant’s styling and approach. Colombo Kitchen Putney clearly intends to be a high-quality dining experience in Putney but in terms of atmosphere, the result was more Pizza Express.

But then it was that second kind of opening night, where the food is the focus. Fortunately, then, we had the good sense to order a Sri Lankan speciality: hoppers.

There were three types of hopper on offer: plain, coconut milk and with a poached egg in the bottom. They’re hard to describe if you’ve never had one but a hopper is a kind of bowl-shaped pancake – the shape coming from the small, deep pan used to make them – made from the same kind of rice flour used to make Indian dosas. They are both crunchy and a little chewy at the same time, and came with an assortment of chutneys.

There’s no other word to describe them than delicious. The fermented batter was incredible in both taste and texture, and the chutneys, which ranged from mild to spicy, had such depth that the combination was nothing short of a flavour bomb.

We considered abandoning the main course and just ordering more hoppers. Combined with delightful, colourful and well balanced cocktails, the meal and our mood took an immediate lift.

Sri Lankan food is very similar to Indian food. It uses many of the same ingredients and spices along with similar cooking styles but with a few notable differences: more seafood, thanks to Sri Lanka being an island; more heat and spice; and the addition of lemongrass and pandan leaves to give it its own unique smell and flavour.

The other Sri Lankan speciality – lamprais – different flavours of curry wrapped together with rice and baked in banana leaves are sadly only available on weekends, so we went for some curries instead: tofu and king crab. They were good but didn’t meet the high standards of the hopper explosion and so felt a little underwhelming.

Ordering the king crab was also a mistake: it came whole, unbroken and smothered in curry sauce, which meant that breaking it up was both time-consuming and extremely messy. We had to ask for a bowl for the pieces, and also a hand bowl to wash hands which never arrived.

At other Sri Lankan restaurants, the chef will often break up the crab and pull out and plate a lot of the meat in advance, plus offer a pair of gloves or a basin, to stop the meal from becoming a test of endurance and constant hand-washing. Colombo Kitchen Putney should consider doing to the same.

It’s fair to say the pleasure of this meal was somewhat undercut by the fact that one of us finished 10-15 minutes before the other, having already handed over their napkin to help mop up the mess.

You should also be aware that Sri Lankan food has a reputation for being hot for a reason. Ask for it spicy and for some the heat will be so intense that it may be difficult to enjoy. Kids will struggle.

Having got through the mains, the dessert menu temptingly offered more hoppers – this time with sweet fillings of nutella and jaggery – but in the spirit of exploration, we went for another Sri Lankan favourite – watalapan – a pudding made from coconut milk and jaggery, as well as a Western style chocolate biscuit pudding. They were good but not outstanding. That said, they were also finished and the cleaned plates may tell a different story.

In all, Colombo Kitchen Putney was a bit of an odd mix between a casual and somewhat disorganised service and environment, combined with decent food punctuated and elevated by a showstopper dish – the hoppers. The design of the restaurant has also always been a little unusual and unhelpful, as it was when it was the Holy Cow Indian restaurant (which still operates its takeaway service next door). But there is real potential here if locals embrace it.

We look forward to seeing how the restaurant fares once it has found its feet, and we’ll be back, especially if it decides to offer an after-work cocktail n’ hopper snack special.