Thursday, 29 March 2012

Verru, 69 Marylebone Lane, London, W1U 2PH

A Scandinavian restaurant in London. 

That's all. 

...

I kid. Unfortunately for my overworked editors, that's not all. 

Perhaps, slightly more fortunately for you, there will be a tad more information. 

The most important thing to note: Meaties will not want for choice. Vegatables, we get one starter and one main...and an array of puddings, but then who doesn't offer an array of pudding?! Vegetables is a working collective name. I plan on seeing how it sits with me over the next few weeks...chances are it will sit so comfortably that I'll forget that I'm testing it out...I digress...again...but, I haven't admitted my penchant for digression since post one at The Garrison. 

Back to options, or lack thereof: 
To start: Lightly truffley creamy cheese, beetroot, apricot chutney, walnuts and lingonberries
Mains: Roast squash, wild mushrooms, Västerbotten cheese.
Dessert: Elderflower and Strawberry cheesecake.

Verdict: pleasing (and precise) presentation (now that's what I call plosives), well prepared food and perfect service. 
The only downside for Veg Monsters (another working title), one choice per section, so check that the menu sounds agreeable before giving your cash card a work out.


Price: £81.38 for  small glass of white wine, 1 small glass of red wine, 2 x starter, 2 x main, 1 x dessert
Veggie Friendly: 1/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5 (My reason for deducting a mark has nothing to do with the restaurant...it's just...well...as we were enjoying the last precious mouthfuls of cheesecake, another patron let one rip...and I can't erase the subsequent assault on my nostrils from my memory)

Monday, 26 March 2012

Gauthier Soho, 21 Romilly Street, London, W1D 5AF

Warning: The meal took over fours hours...so might this post...

I'm not brilliant at handling super serious places. To be frank, I find it nerve-wracking with all that clean damask waiting to be sullied, and waiters that have an air of pomp (or finesse, depending on how you look at it).
Gauthier Soho made my list of places to eat at because I'd heard that it was a French restaurant with a Michelin star, and a vegetarian menu to match it's meat counterpart in taste and choices. For these reasons, braving my inferiority complex was a must.

If, like me, uber trendy or posh places give you the heeby jeebies, then I should warn you that you have to ring a doorbell to get into the restaurant. Yes, that's correct - a doorbell. The covert nature of entering, and our location, led me to worry for the briefest of seconds, that we were at the wrong door and we were moments away from a Soho surprise.
Inside, Gauthier Soho is beautiful (minus the weird papier mache, Victorian lady's head in the bathroom - what's that about?!). The restaurant is a converted Town House, so it's on different levels - not good for negotiating if you plan on binge drinking but perfect for making each room feel personal and intimate.
The decor is simple but the lighting was so dim that it was difficult to see: other tables may not face this but we were on the first floor in a corner away from an overhead light which meant that every time our words hit a 'th', 'p' or 'b' we came close to blowing out the candle which would have left us, quite literally, in the dark.

Lets head back to my inferiority complex for a brief moment: it dissipated as soon as the staff talked to me. Also, I was people watching a fair bit and the staff were able to adapt to the customer. There were little nuances in their behaviour that prevented them from being overly friendly to stuffy patrons or too formal with nervous or more relaxed ones - very impressive.

Now the food. Oh my...the food. I'll try and keep this as short as possible, which will be difficult as both Fiancé and I opted for the 8 course tasting menu: him meat, me veg.
His menu included everything from seafood to lamb and on the whole he was happy.
I started with Jerusalem artichoke veloute, goats cheese and swiss chard ravioli - interesting, innovative, not risotto, delicate and delicious. 
On to Kentish carrots and a medley of vegetables (I forget the name of this dish) but it was filling, the veg was cooked perfectly and once again, delicious. 
Next, the loathed risotto, this time with black truffle and brown butter - tasted amazing. The meat counterpart also got a 'happy face' and big thumbs up from Fiancé. 
The next dish was poached duck egg on purple broccoli and quinoa. The broccoli and quinoa were delicous but I'm not a huge egg fan unless it's scrambled (or in a pudding) so I couldn't bring myself to eat it...those of you not as wary of poached egg as I am will probably enjoy the whole thing. 
Yuzu curd and a roasted root vegetables followed. Without even an inkling of doubt I can tell you that Yuzu curd and I, don't get on...at all. One of the meat starters also involved some Yuzu curd and it elicited the same response from Fiancé. The response being; 'what is this sloppy, weird tasting, coagulated stuff?'. 
OK, so this dish represented a severe reduction in enjoyment, especially when set against its predecessors (and the subsequent dishes), and had I not done the tasting menu and ordered this as my main I would have been disappointed, hungry and definitely poorer. However, on a tasting menu where every other dish offered was incredible, I think I can let it slide. 

A cheese plate marked the end of the savoury section. Nothing wrong about that. 

Some kind of passion fruit sorbet/fruit combination was dessert number one: flawless. Seriously it was wonderful and light and managed to be full of flavour and cleanse my palate at the same time. 

The last dessert of the evening was a Golden Louis XV. It was just as decadent as it sounds: Dark chocolate and Praline soufflé. After Gauthier Soho and the wonderful soufflé made by the chefs at Bistrot de Luxe, it would seem that soufflé has won a place a rather large space in my heart.   

Anyway, I think this review has been long enough, but if you can't be bothered to read the above, just take heed of the following: veggie choices galore and tastes that just may rock your world. 
Then again, if you've come this far...the summary really isn't necessary. 


Price: £229.00 for 1 x bottle of still water, 1 x tasting menu with 4 glasses of wine, 1 x vegetarian tasting menu with 4 glasses of wine and service charge.
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Fino, 33 Charlotte Street, London, WIT 1RR

As soon as I walked through the glass doors and could no longer hear Charlotte Street, I felt like I was in NYC...or at least Carrie Bradshaw's NYC.
The lighting made the staff look trendy, the patrons beautiful and me chic. Despite all my efforts, I'm not chic. I'm about as far from chic as you could possibly get, yet somehow, the lighting in Fino allowed me to attain a quality that, over the years, I've struggled to achieve. 

This place is perfect for an after work dinner with colleagues or friends, and even though there isn't a huge selection of tapas for vegetarians, there is enough to keep us veggies happy. 

I think I ordered every veggie tapas and I only mildly disliked one: the artichoke which was a tad too 'fried' for my liking, but then again, it is meant to be fried artichoke. 
Everything else was delicious, albeit salty as See Food Eat Food pointed out...and that girl likes the salt. 
In particular, my favourite was the Piquillo Croquetas, from the Para Picar section: beautifully melted cheese with a nice hit of chilli. Trust me (and See Foot Eat Food), the croquetas are very, very tasty. 
While I'm recommending things to order, I should also mention that dessert was warm, sugared donuts with ice cream...and they were goooooood. 
I'm going to end there as I now have the hugest craving for croquetas and donuts...not on the same plate of course. 



Price: £96.70 for 1 carafe  of red wine, 2 small tapas plates, 5 tapas, 1 dessert and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 2/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

Saturday, 17 March 2012

Ed's Easy Diner, The Plazza, Euston Station, London, NW1 2DY

Ed's Easy Diner is only easy if you like meat. If you're vegetarian, you'll find them about as veggie friendly as a pescetarian is vegetarian.

There were two different veggie burger options that both tasted like feet.
The cheesy fries also tasted like feet.

The only tasty things were the chocolate and vanilla milkshakes...which just tasted like good milkshake.

Price: £29.65 for 2 x milkshake, 2 x burger and chips and service charge.
Veggie Friendly: 2/5
Food: 1/5 (they avoided a 0 due to good milkshake)
Service: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5 if you want to be in Grease, 2.5/5 if you don't.

Zizzi, The Strand, 73 The Strand, London, WC2R 0DE

On Tuesday 24th April, 2007 a man ran into this restaurant and tried to cut off his penis...I now understand why.

Orangaphant ordered a Zucca e Pancetta (butternut squash and pancetta risotto). 
With a down turned mouth and furrowed brows she told me that it tasted like it had been made with butternut squash puree. Enough said. 

I ordered the Italian bread board and Zucca Al Forno from the Cichetti section. 
The bread was fine. 
The Zucca Al Forno primarily used three ingredients: butternut squash, goats cheese and garlic. 
To me, these three ingredients represent a world of taste and flavour. I've been lucky enough to have  enjoyed this combination on a number of occasions. 
It would seem that my luck has run out. How Zizzi's, The Strand managed to take three such flavourful fellows and turn them into a barren wasteland devoid of taste, I will never know. 

The major problem with bad food is that it leaves you hungry, even if you manage to eat it. The hole of needing to taste something fabulous is still there. 
For this very reason we ignored our better judgement (it wouldn't be the first time) and ordered dessert. 
I can tell you with confidence that it was a dessert disaster...though for the alliteration that it has produced, it just may have been worth it. 

The cheesecake was meant to be amaretto flavoured. It wasn't. 
There were however, a sprinkling of amaretto biscuits on top of the slice. What?!
It was also meant to come with fruit compote. It didn't.
Thank God. 

The Chocolate Melt was decent, but it also tasted like the stuff you can buy at Marks and Spencers and heat yourself. 
If you DIY'd this dish you would also probably not put the ice cream slap bang in the middle of the pudding, deflating it and, as Orangaphant frustratedly pointed out, solidifying the very bit that is meant to be melting. 
Rookie error for them. Rocky Horror for us. 


Price: £44.00 for 4 x tea, 2 x mains, 2 x dessert and service charge.
Veggie Friendly: 2/5
Food: 1/5
Service: 3/5 (our waitress was great, but they were severely understaffed)
Atmosphere: 2.5/5

Ishtar, 10 - 12 Crawford Street, London, W1U 6AZ

Apparently Ishtar is an Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, war, love and sex...so pretty much everything.

Despite using such a potent name, the restaurant fails to evoke any emotion when you see it.
The elements of great decor are there, but they straddle a line between the opulence of plush, red cushions and vacant, cold space. Personally, I think they should either go for stark and minimalist or just run head-first into deep reds and dark wood tables. 

The food, however, was lovely: rich flavours, presentation that fell somewhere between gourmet and home cooking and generous portions. What more can you ask for? A nice plate of baklawa...which we did. 
Unfortunately, the baklawa tasted dry: like it had been left out too long...or they'd run out of syrup. 

Unsurprisingly, this Turkish restaurant is great for T-Rexes. 
Surprisingly, it wasn't so bad for Veggiesaurs either. 

Theres a small vegetarian section with 7 main meal options, not to mention (but mentioning none-the-less) a spattering of veggie-friendly dishes in the mezze section. 

Huzzah! 


Price: £15.00 for Sote Kuskonmaz & Mantar (sauteed asparagus and mushrooms served with tomato sauce and cous cous) an service charge.
Veggie Friendly: 3.5/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Atmosphere: 2/5

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Meat Liquor, 74 Welbeck Street, London, W1G 0BA

I fancy writing this as a parody...a parody of Cormac McCarthy, The Road. Take my choice of book as you will. 

I've orderer you a burger said the boy.
A burger?
A burger. 
The girl got on the bus and drove down the road and got off the bus and unzipped her coat and walked down the road and called the boy and went to the entrance and walked in. 
It is loud said the girl.
Your burger is here said the boy.
My burger?
Your burger. 
The girl looked at the menu and read the section titled Rabbit Food and saw only one burger option and looked at the art on the walls and looked round the room and looked at the people and took a bite of the Halloumi Burger and put down the burger and picked up the burger and ate the burger and put down the burger. 
It's like Walkabout said the girl.
Walkabout?
Yes.
Are we cool enough to be here said the girl?
No.
The Australian bar said the boy.
What?
Walkabout?
Yes. 
But with designer clothes and people said the boy. 
Are we going to die said the girl?
Eventually said the boy. 
The girl finished her burger and wiped her mouth with a paper towel and looked at the boy and told him she liked the food and pulled on her coat and checked her bag and got up and walked to the door and left the restaurant. 


Price: £52.00 for 5 x coke, 3 x burger, 3 x sides and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 2/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Atmosphere: 2/5 

Galvin at Bistrot de Luxe, 66 Baker Street, London, W1U 7DJ

The food is phenomenal...now that I've oversold it, I bet no one will agree. I should really learn more about managing expectations.
But seriously, they managed to make Fiancé and I eat...no...devour, a predominantly aubergine based starter. I should state, for the record, neither of us are all that fond of aubergine except for in Bistrot de Luxe's Imam Bayildi...and Mother's homemade kathirika poriyal. 

I can't remember what meaty surprise Fiance ordered because I was too busy loving my Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Risotto...and hating myself for it. This is the second time that a French restaurant has offered me this loathed and all too familiar dish...and the second time that it's been prepared in a way that has a definite French spin on an Italian classic. I'd like to tell you what the difference was...but I can't quite figure out why it didn't taste Italian.
Dessert was Mandarin Soufflé with chocolate and Grand Marnier sauce. Don't order it...actually do order it and then give it all to me. It's better for you because I won't be wrestling the plate out of your hands, it's better for me because I'll have the soufflé and it's better for Fiancé because I think I'll be friendlier fatter.  

Service was a little all over the show. Individually, everyone that dealt with us was perfect, but as a whole they didn't operate efficiently at all. There seemed to be enough wait-staff per table, but they weren't working in synergy. Someone, somewhere hadn't organised the staff into sections, roles, or both. 

Just a little note for...let's say, the under 25s: The crowd is older. In fact, the only under 30s in there on a Saturday night, apart from me and Fiancé, was one table that included two not-so-surly teenagers. 


Price: £81.56 for 2 x red wine, 1 x starter, 2 x mains, 1 x dessert and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 2/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Atmosphere: 3/5 

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Blue Elephant, The Boulevard, Imperial Wharf, Townmead Road, London, SW6 2UB

What was once a veritable jungle complete with river, nestled across the road from Fulham Broadway station, is now a restaurant with plants in the slightly hard-to-get-to location of Imperial Wharf. 
That being said, I personally thought that it looked beautiful, though Moose Head was a little disappointed. Granted, it was Moose Head's birthday and she was yearning for the wow-factor of old. Still, she had an awesome night, so the quantity of shrubbery and presence of catfish turned out to be irrelevant. 

Despite the large party, the staff were on-the-ball: orders taken and delivered with minimal fuss, courteous without being awkwardly over friendly and their outfits made my wedding dress look boring. 

There is a vegetarian section for Veggiesaurs, though it's a bit tofu heavy for my liking. Still, each dish was tasty, tasty, tasty...bar the first one of minced mushrooms in filo pastry (Khang Khao Phuak). It was a little....squidgier than I or Orangaphant expected. The 3-Flavoured-Towhu and Massaman made up for the disappointing start and I would have ended the night with dessert but it was getting late and Orangaphant, the ambassadors for Najaf and I, were in serious danger of missing our trains home. 


Price: £300.40 for 8 teas/soft drinks, 7 x starters, 8 x mains and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5 if you're a footballers wife, 4/5 if you're not

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

5 Pollen Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 1NE

You enter into a psychedelic kaleidoscope of colour, before passing through into the main body of the restaurant which is marginally muted in contrast to what you've just seen. The art on the walls is interesting without being annoying and in some ways the whole thing resembles a living room. I'm not quite sure how or why it works, but it does.
I only had one niggling, issue with the setting: the music consisted of one CD...one CD on repeat...one CD with three songs on repeat. 
The other diners didn't look too bothered, but then, only 30% of the tables were full and 90% of those were parent/children combinations of some description. I think a memo must have gone out saying 5 Pollen Street is the best place for a 'Meet the Parents' dinner. For that reason, I wouldn't recommended this restaurant for a first date...or any early date...instead, keep it as a venue you go to with people that you're acquainted with already. 

The food was sublime. 
We started with the Burrata of Putignano with Sicilian Caponata which I recommend for Veggies and T-Rexes alike; Fiancé shared it with me and it catered to his tastes too. 
He ordered the Veal Milanese for mains (thumbs up) and I ordered the Beetroot Ravioli with butter and poppy seeds (double thumbs up). 
The Chocolate Fondant Pancake was rich and delicious, but perhaps a little too heavy after such a 'butter-heaven' meal. The Lemon Cheesecake however was high in the taste and lightness stakes. 

The veggie selection isn't huge, but there are two options in the starters and three in the pastas section...nothing in the mains. That being said, I have a large appetite and I was completely full...probably a little too full. 

Price: £99.00 for 2 x red wine, 1 starter, 2 x mains, 2 x dessert and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 2.5/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 3/5 

Monday, 12 March 2012

The Raintree, Vivanta by Taj - Connemara, Binny Road, Chennai 600 002, Tamil Nadu, India

Dining outside in Chennai wasn't something that I was looking forward to...that was, until I had the pleasure of dining at The Raintree. 
I'll admit, for the time of year, any minute area of bare skin was feasted on by pesky mosquitoes, but now after no apparent symptoms of Japanese encephalitis, Dengue Fever or Malaria, I can say it was worth it. 

The flavours hail from Chettinad so though the dishes had familiar names, the taste experience was a new one.: unsurprisingly, different combinations of herbs and spices make the world of difference. 
In order to experience it fully, Mother ordered a thali, while Fiance, Father and I ordered rice with a selection of vegetarian curries. 
I didn't love the food, but I definitely liked it. 
What I did love was the entertainment. Now, usually, entertainment with my food screams of Butlins...or Hell...but I think The Raintree did it well: open air, the distinct aroma of Chennai masked by great smelling food and classical South Indian music and Barathanatyam...it was not a show put on purely for foreigners and for that reason, the experience was authentic. So much so, that as people started to filter back to their rooms, we cheapened it by requesting songs from Tamil movies...ok...I cheapened it. Father requested some old school classics of Tamil Films...while I asked for Padayappa (a classic in it's own right...but probably not the right music for dining). 

The staff were amazing: accommodating, polite and knowledgeable about the food. 

I don't know what the setting would feel like during the day, but I can vouch that the atmosphere for dinner was perfect for families, friends and couples...probably not business dinners as it's a little too intimate for people that you're not well acquainted with. 
I do know that next time I'm in Chennai...in the words of The Terminator, 'I'll be back'.


Price: Under 3000INR (£38.39) for 4 x soft drinks, 3 x curries, 2 x rice, 1 x thali, 3 x dessert
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5

The Verandah, Vivanta by Taj - Connemara, Binny Road, Chennai 600 002, Tamil Nadu, India

Firstly, Vivanta by Taj is a lovely hotel.
Secondly, The Verandah is their 24 hour restaurant and I loved it! 

They provide a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet which is excellent! Choices are varied, the flavours are good and the food is freshly prepared...there's a mini kitchen area by the buffet where you can see them making some of the food. Particularly handy when things like Thosai and Poori are amongst your favourite things to eat...and we all know just how much better they taste when freshly prepared. 

The menu at The Verandah is also very varied with phenomenal choice for both Veggies and Meaties alike...It covered a selection of cuisines as well...Pizza followed by Hot and Sour Soup...YUM! 

I could go on and on about choices and options...but there is no point. Like I've said before, Chennai and Vegetarians go hand-in-hand, and Vivanta by Taj just ensures that the relationship is a friendly one. 


Price: Approximately £15.00 per person
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

Saturday, 10 March 2012

Copper Point, GRT Grand, 120 Sri Thyagaraya Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600 017, Tamil Nadu, India

No trip to Chennai is complete until my dad drags us all into the GRT Grand...something about scenes from Tamil films being filmed there. 

Luckily for us, the food at Copper Point was delicious, and the waiter was so sweet, attentive...and apologetic - I have no idea why! 

In general , Chennai is a Vegetarian's PARADISE. That deserved to be in capitals...and just in case you didn't get, I'll say it again: Vegetarian's Paradise
Copper Point was no exception to the rule. Well prepared, wonderfully presented Indian cuisine with generous portions and plenty of choice for Veggiesaurs. 
Fear not, to the big fat meat eaters that have accidentally stumbled across this page - there is plenty of choice for you too. 


Price: I honestly can't remember but I think it worked out at approximately 600 INR (£7.70) per person for a main and soft drink. 
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

Governor's Restaurant, Mount Lavinia Hotel, 100 Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka

You know the old saying...something about 'singing for you supper'...well, at Mount Lavinia, after breakfast, they sung for their tips...a little too loudly. 
OK, there was no actual singing involved (though, that would have been nice), but there was definitely an overbearing quality to the staff: that kind of forced friendliness that betrayed the pound signs behind their eyes. 
In fact, the doorman was so in my face that he ruined the experience by following me around to tell me that I was going to be blessed with nine sons - I'm not tipping you for talking rubbish...besides, to me, that sounded more like a curse than a blessing...nine sons, honestly! 

I can't comment too much on dinner, as we only had a buffet breakfast at the Governor's Restaurant, but I can say that the quality, taste and presentation fell in between that of Galle Face Hotel and Amaya Hills. Despite being better than Galle Face Hotel, I think I'd rather stay there as the view catered to my tastes better...and the doorman at Galle Face Hotel did not follow me around like a leech. 


Price: Approximately £15.00 per person
Veggie Friendly: 2.5/5
Food: 3/5
Service: 2.5/5
Atmosphere: 3/5

Thursday, 8 March 2012

Raswasala Restaurant, Amaya Hills, Heerassagala, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Some of my family used to live at the bottom of Heerassagala Road - the part of the road that is accessible. 
Amaya Hills is at the top of the road. That's the bit that verges on inaccessible. Still, if you can hold your stomach, and brave the one lane, pot-holed monstrosity, the hotel and the view is priceless. I can't stress that enough. 

The food at Raswasala is buffet style, but such a huge improvement on the choice and flavour at Galle Face Hotel. Plus there is plenty of freshly prepared, beautifully presented choices for Veggiesaurs and Meatiasaurs alike. The food is primarily Sri Lankan cuisine, but if you've been in SL for a while, and you've overdosed on the delicous food, Raswasala also has a pasta station. Mmmmm...pasta station. 

If you go there for lunch, grab a table near the window and you'll be able to enjoy the gorgeous view throughout your meal, and if you're really lucky a curious green parrot might show up to say hello. 


Price: Approx £15 per person
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

Green Cabin, 453 Galle Road, Kollupitiya, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Green Cabin is exactly what it sounds like: A little oasis of plant-life in Colombo. 
The setting is such that you're kind of inside...and kind of outside: There are two rooms that are fully behind walls, an uncovered patio area in the middle of the space, and the rest is a horseshoe covered by a roof, but you're essentially outside, so wear mosquito repellent...especially after the rainy season. 

As previously mentioned, I love hoppers/appam. I love all kinds: plain, egg, milk...though I am partial to the latter with a touch of spicy sambal. When it comes to the flavour of beautifully balanced opposites, the intense sweetness of coconut milk and palm sugar complemented by a kick of spice is unparalleled by any other dish.

Green Cabin not only does the humble hopper proud, it provides a tranquil, star gazing setting in which to eat them. 


Price: Approx. 7000 LKR (£36.61) for soft drinks for 9, a variety of approximately 36 appams, 3 curries, 8 desserts and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Navratna, Taj Samudra, 25 Galle Face Centre Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka

Now this is what I'm talking about! 

No mash, no steamed veg, no chop suey and the word insipid, had no place at Navratna. 

Let's just say that my reasons for visiting Colombo will now rank like this:
1. Family
2. Family
3. Family
4. Navratna
5. Green Cabin - but we'll get to that later

Navratna is in the Taj Samudra so appearance-wise, it's very stark hotel-come-attempt-at-homeliness, but food-wise: Mmmmmmmm. 
I think all the flavour that Verandah at Galle Face lacked, had waddled across the street, adding to what Navratna already had. 
We ordered a vegetarian selection of curries: paneer to dhal, and there was not one dish that was sub par. 
An adequate selection for T-Rexes too! 


Price: Approx. 12750 LKR (£66.00) for variety of soft drinks x 8, 1 x prawn biryani, 1 x lamb biryani, 1 x chicken biryani, approx 7 x various vegetarian dishes and rice, 3 x gulab jamun, 2 x kulfi and a very generous tip.
Veggie Friendly: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 3/5