Caviar weds oysters at The Kingsbury

Saturday, 12 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A luxurious addition makes its way onto the popular 100-metre Sunday Brunch

By Cassandra Mascarenhas Decadence and indulgence ooze from every inch of The Kingsbury’s 100-metre Sunday brunch buffet, with over 400 delectable dishes sampling a wide range of cuisines coming together to create a jaw-dropping and mouth-watering sight. The buffet was initially launched as the Oyster Brunch last year – and certainly lived up to its name with mounds upon mounds of oysters clustered at a station at a far corner of the airy Harbour Room. Washed down with a glass of complimentary bubbly, the buffet’s namesake alone made it a sinfully scrumptious way of lazing away your Sundays, but now, it gets even better. Redefining the ‘Kingsbury Lifestyle’, a celebration of fine cuisine and luxury living, the hotel re-launched its Sunday buffet last week with a new gastronomic addition and is now the ‘Sunday Caviar & Oyster Brunch’. Served in numerous ways – with traditional condiments, nestled within oyster shells and heaped upon delicate hors d’oeuvres – the caviar is simply an explosion of flavour in your mouth, especially as The Kingsbury’s chefs have artfully coupled the different varieties of caviar with food that complements it perfectly. Best brunch in Colombo “Oysters and caviar are the perfect couple, they always go together,” explained Executive Chef Kithsiri De Silva when asked as to why they had decided to add caviar to the Sunday brunch. “The Kingsbury’s Sunday brunch became number one in the space of a couple of months and we wanted to offer our patrons a new experience, keep up the high standards and retain the title of being the best in Colombo.” This addition has had no impact on the cost of the brunch, which remains priced at Rs. 3,200 per person. De Silva was quick to add that it is not about competing with anyone else: “It is all about giving our patrons more value for their money. Nowadays, people dine out more frequently and are more knowledgeable about food and therefore, appreciate luxurious additions of this sort.” Furthermore, the light-flooded Harbour Room, with its glass walls offering unparalleled views of the Indian Ocean, courteous and attentive staff and tasteful additions such as the live music playing in the background, is the ideal location to while away your Sunday. “While redefining the levels of luxury offered by The Kingsbury, such additions also raise culinary standards in the country. This is something new and innovative, and once again, we’ve out quality first, not price. This is what the Kingsbury Lifestyle is all about – it’s a celebration of fine cuisine and luxury living,” stated Corporate Communications and Public Relations Manager Dinithi Somaratne. Fresh experience every time Regular patrons of the Sunday Caviar and Oyster Brunch are never treated to a spread of the same dishes – Executive Chef Kithsiri De Silva ensures that dishes are changed every week in order to offer returning customers a fresh experience every single time. While the sheer range of the sprawling buffet alone is enough to draw people to it, artful little additions are what makes the buffet stand out from the other offerings in Colombo. A selection of achcharu, a surprising find at a Sunday buffet, is one such feature, along with the dedicated station for just sushi and sashimi, another action station which cooks up deliciously cheesy pasta with preferred condiments and the thrilling sight of a chocolate fountain over at the dessert corner, with marshmallows and toothpicks lying next to it, waiting to be stuck in the fountain and coated with chocolate (a messy yet delicious treat!) are some of the things that make this buffet a firm favourite with gastronomes. The Sunday Caviar & Oyster Brunch at The Kingsbury’s Harbour Room is priced at Rs. 3,200 per person, inclusive of a glass of bubbly, and is from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., during which time patrons could also enjoy free usage of the pool. Pix by Upul Abayasekara

Further additions at The Kingsbury

The Kingsbury’s new Director – Food and Beverage Malintha Pathiraja, who counts nearly two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, of which over 15 years were spent overseas, revealed a few of the new offerings the five-star hotel has got lined up for the next couple of months. “We are working closely with the chefs to re-launch the poolside as a new chill-out spot with live bands and great food so that anyone who feels like unwinding, maybe after a long day of work or over the weekend, would find the perfect ambience and treats to nibble on by the pool,” he revealed. The Kingsbury is also looking at introducing a range of pizzas, and will also offer delivery within Colombo. Even the newly re-launched Sunday Brunch will see more changes, with the inclusion of some interesting new dishes and a selection of wines. “The Sri Lankan palate has evolved from traditional food and we see patrons experimenting more with wines now too. We are also looking at introducing themed brunches every two or three months in order to promote different cuisines and will look at some wine and food pairings as well.”