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6/13/2016 Cloud Café, a truly unique venue :::DailyFT

http://www.ft.lk/article/444245/CloudCaf%C3%A9atrulyuniquevenue 1/6

Cloud Café, a truly unique venue :::DailyFT

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By Channa Fernandopulle

Colombo Courtyard has steadily been building a reputation as a novel urban getaway, an island of relaxedluxury in an otherwise chaotic city. This artful boutique property seems to be designed around open spaces andyet is simply overflowing with unique and tasteful features, from its enchanting poolside, cosy Scarlet Room andswanky Loft Lounge Bar.

Given its improbable yet entirely successful feat of creating open spaces in the midst of hustle and bustle ofDuplication Road, perhaps the (arguably) quintessential Colombo Courtyard experience can then be found at itsrooftop venue, the Cloud Café.



A truly remarkable place

Cloud Café is a truly remarkable place in which to kick back and tune out after another intense round of theweekly ratrace. Elevated well above the traffic and frantic rush of evening commuters, we were put right atease. Unassuming ambient music the wafting scent of shisha mingling overheard snatches of conversation hasthe effect of putting patrons at ease from the moment they step in.

Cloud Café is a surprisingly large space, particularly for a rooftop venue and the management’s decision to gowith a minimalist style – concrete tables and benches rising out of the floor, thoughtfully deployed lighting andquite nooks along the walls for smaller groups with nothing but the night sky for a ceiling – it is a fun destinationsimply on its aesthetic alone. Fortunately the Cloud Café experience is about much more than its looks.

Upon arriving we were greeted by Colombo Courtyard’s cheerful and friendly General Manager, RoshanGeorge and Cloud Café’s Sous Chef, Chinthaka Wimalaratahna. An internationallyexperienced chef who spentseveral years of experience working with threeMichelin star chefs in Dubai and Qatar and mastermind behindCloud Café’s spectacular Italiancentric menu, Chef Chinthaka’s unassuming nature quickly changes toenthusiastic excitement when discussing the art of cuisine, from planning a menu to securing quality ingredientsand preparation it is no wonder that every dish prepared at the café has to go through him first; but ultimatelythe food itself spoke volumes.

No slouch in the beverages department

Of course Cloud Café is no slouch in the beverages department either and so we commenced our evening byfirst sampling from the plethora of signature cocktails on offer. It was a tough choice but we eventually settledfor the Cherry Blossom, Jamaican Breeze, Mango Arrack Sour and the Pimm and Proper.

Taking a cue from the Japanese heritage of its namesake, the Cherry Blossom was comprised of Sake,



Gordon’s Gin and Melon Liqueur garnished with slices of fresh watermelon interspersed with tomatostuffedolives. A unique cocktail to be sure, the Cherry Blossom was an interesting mix of refreshing watermelonsweetness neatly blended with the cutting flavour of gin and a curiously sour note of sake as an aftertaste.

The Mango Arrack Sour – made of Mango Arrack and fresh lemon juice with a mango puree – was anotherinteresting option. The mango arrack base was shrouded somewhat by the sharper lemon flavour buteventually came through to create a unique taste that lies somewhere between the realms of a whisky sour anda mojito with a decidedly mango twist that comes more from the puree than the arrack. We’re told that theMango Arrack Sour is one of Cloud Café’s faster moving cocktails and it’s easy to see why. In contrast, theJamaican Breeze – made up of Bacardi red rum, orange liqueur, apricot brandy and fresh orange andpineapple juice – was bursting with tropical fruity sweetness, so much so that you could almost smell the seabreeze and perhaps after enough refills, you may even start hearing Caribbean steel drums.

For us however the standout cocktail on the menu was the Pimm & Proper: Pimm’s liqueur with a dash ofAbsolut Mandarin, muddled with mint leaves, and topped up with cranberry juice and sprite the Pimm & Properhas a rich yet refreshing taste that is comes highly recommended.

Spoiled for choice

With the drinks order on its way, we set ourselves to the difficult task of selecting a range of starters, bites andmains that could showcase the breadth of choice available on Cloud Café’s extensive menu. From a few Asiandishes like Tandoori Chicken Shish Kebab to Ham and Chicken Pakora to a range of authentic Italianspecialities and standard favourites – Burgers, Wraps, Sandwiches and a delectable section of main coursesincluding Grilled Lagoon Prawns, Brockwurst Sausages and so on and so on. It would not be an exaggeration tosay that you are spoiled for choice at Cloud Café.

After much agonising and with a few helpful suggestions from Roshan and Chinthaka, we eventually settled onthe Fried Mozzarella Sticks and from the selection of Paninis we chose the Honey Roasted Pork Ham andCheese Favoloso Melt. Meanwhile from the pizza section we picked a Sea Food Pizza and the Pizza alaSicciliana.

Chinthaka also urged us to try another dish from the main courses to round off our showcase and while wewere unsure of our own ability to sample so much food Roshan and Chinthaka eventually managed to talk usinto trying the Chicken Marsala.

In hindsight sampling the Mozzarella sticks was probably not the best choice from the perspective of a reviewersince most of the description possible for such a decadent bite is accomplished in the title itself. However, whileyour cardiologist may disagree, we heartily recommend it; although perhaps shared with friends and followed bysome exercise.



Meanwhile, the Honey Roasted Pork Ham and Cheese Favoloso Melt did not disappoint. The speciality Italianham used in this Panini is something to behold – light and almost flaky in texture but rich in flavour andwonderfully complemented by a thin layer of melted cheese that added to the texture without overpowering theflavour of the ham. As delicious as the filling was however, we were somewhat astounded that the bestcomponent of the Panini may have been the bread itself. Light and soft on the inside with a crisp outer layergenerously sprinkled with herbs, the Panini was tasty enough to eat by itself and we were not surprised to findthat it was prepared by chefs who had extensive experience working in Italy.

Perfect pizzas

Meanwhile, the Pizza ala Sicciliana – beef pepperoni, spicy mushrooms, artichokes, anchovies, olives andmozzarella cheese – was absolutely amazing. Sampling a few slices, Chinthaka’s claim as to the authenticity ofhis dishes was quickly vindicated.

Despite the generously thick slices of beef pepperoni, and generous servings of other ingredients, the pizzawas extremely light yet bursting with flavour and we would wholeheartedly recommend it above the rest were itnot for the huge range of other choices which we expect would be as good. As an aside, it was nice to see thatthe base of both pizzas we sampled were not charred even in the slightest – a display of the skilful andconsistent preparation.

While generally cautious when it comes to seafood pizzas, having sampled the Sicciliana, we were willing to putour trust in Chinthaka’s hands and to our surprise, were genuinely impressed with just how good the Cloud Cafétake on it was.

Topped with prawns, cuttlefish, mullet, and crunchy caramelized onions, mozzarella cheese with marinarasauce, the seafood pizza immediately put all our reservations to rest. The mullet and cuttlefish were soft whilethe prawns were infused with marinara flavour and we highly recommended it for sea food enthusiasts lookingfor an Italian twist.

Despite being two pizzas in, we were somehow not filled to bursting point and still fully satisfied in terms ofappetite. Nevertheless, we dug in to the Chicken Marsala, a chicken breast marinated in Marsala – a Spanishred wine, not to be confused with Indian Chicken Masala – with mushrooms, green peas, mashed potatoes andserved with Marsala sauce.

Chicken done right

Now chicken may be a staple in a large portion of Sri Lankan cuisine and roasted chicken is equally easy tofind, however we find it to be quite rare when a chicken can be said to be cooked to perfection, to that pointwhere it is thoroughly cooked but still full of moisture and we are therefore happy to report that Cloud Café gets



it absolutely correct. Preparation aside, the Marsala sauce was rich and flavoursome and combined with thegreen peas and mashed potatoes, makes for an extremely hearty main course.

A popular watering hole

Sipping our drinks with some shisha at hand, we relaxed and tried to catch our breath before making an attemptat dessert while around us tables filled up and slowly ebbed away only to be filled by another group.

Colombo Courtyard’s location has made Cloud Café a popular watering hole was the cities young up andcomers and with a daily happy hour from 5:307:30 p.m., live jazz music every Friday, and movie nights everyfortnight, Roshan says that his work is getting more hectic, although it doesn’t hurt popping into Cloud Caféhimself to relax a bit after a long day in the office. The venue is also available for functions and events,accommodating approximately 200 guests.

Delightful desserts

Browsing through the dessert menu we settled on the Triple Layer – layers of vanilla, raspberry and chocolateice cream with a chocolate chip cookie base and the Courtyard Golden Cake.

The triple layer was as decadent as described and came served with spun chocolate, biscuitlike brandy snap,and fresh strawberries. Pure indulgence on a plate, the triple layer was amazing but we suggest you try it with afriend or two as it could melt fairly quickly on warmer evenings – or simply go below decks to the air conditionedcomfort of Colombo Courtyard’s other venues.

Meanwhile the Courtyard Golden Cake – which is usually served with raspberry mousse and orange ice cream,which we simply could not manage by the end of the review – was another wonderful treat. The cake wascovered in a raspberry icing topped with whipped cream and strawberries, all of which was incrediblyextravagant in the best way possible. However the cake itself was a warm golden sponge that was soft andreally soaked up the flavour and we can only kick ourselves for passing up on the raspberry mousse andorange icecream which we can only assume would have taken this delicious cake to even greater gastronomicheights.

Cloud Café is a truly unique venue that stands out clearly among Colombo’s more upmarket watering holes.Stylish and trendy yet laid back and casual, it’s a great place to take a group of friends out for drinks or but alsoserves those looking for a quiet lowkey evening with great food and drink under the stars.



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