About 5 kms past the picturesque and historic city of Galle, en route to Matara is a chilled out holiday destination called Café Ceylon, comprising a 5-bedroomed villa and a laid back seafood restaurant that packs a punch.
Owned and managed by Anura Saparamadu (a man with the Midas Touch), together with Chef German Demaano and Britta, Café Ceylon brings back the reminiscence of beautiful Ceylon. Anura is an avid collector of ancient Sri Lankan art and memorabilia and has a huge collection of posters of yesteryear that adorn the walls of this restaurant.
“Owned and managed by Anura Saparamadu (a man with the Midas Touch), together with Chef German Demaano and Britta, Café Ceylon brings back the reminiscence of beautiful Ceylon.”
And apart from the chilled out vibes at this restaurant are the exceptional culinary dishes served here. Chef Demaano calls it ‘Beyond Curry’ which is a fusion of typical Sri Lankan ingredients with western style cooking. The menu has a selection of mouth-watering dishes made of traditional village vegetables such as coconut hearts, sweet potatoes, Manioc, Kohila roots and shoots, Thamberiya leaves, Gotukola, Passion Fruit leaves, Snake Gourd, ‘lunu miris’, ‘pol sambol’, ‘mallung’, home-made buffalo milk paneer, kitul jaggery, etc. They claim that the meats are cooked sous-vide style to make them soft and tender.
I enjoyed a Sesame Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna served with baby Beet and Manioc mash, Tahini and Soy Grilled Snake Gourd, served with a dollop of ‘pol sambol’ which made it so good. And a word of caution…don’t regret not tasting the kurrakan brownie served with vanilla ice cream. OMG!
Adjoining the restaurant is a beautifully restored, typically colonial, charming villa. The 100-year old villa has been carefully restored and now offers five clean, cool and comfortable rooms, inclusive of air conditioning and en suite baths. The villa is accessorized with typically colonial-styled furniture. And a room with bed and breakfast is a steal!
Café Ceylon is located right opposite Sri Lanka’s main surf point, the Kabalana Rock. As a result, this place is popular for surfers from across the world who have discovered another of this country’s hot spots.
Other fun things to do around Café Ceylon
Whale Watching in Mirissa
Mirissa, in the south coast, is a very popular whale and dolphin watching spot. Of the 80 species of cetaceans observed and identified worldwide, 27 are found off the coast of Sri Lanka. Sperm whales, Blue whales, Dwarf Sperm Whales, Melon Heads, and Minke whales are the most commonly seen species while Long Snouted Spinner dolphins can be seen by the hundreds.
Explore the South- 3 Day Package
This 3-day package is designed for guests who wish to stay at their beach resort and explore nearby places of interest. The package offers a chance to catch a glimpse of the culture, history and natural beauty of this tropical island without having to travel far from your hotel. Guests will visit the Hiyare Wild Life Conservation Center to observe the diverse flora and fauna of Sri Lanka. Discover the temples of the southern coast and observe the differences in the architectural design of each temple. Then enjoy an exotic diversion with a visit to the snake farm where one can learn about protecting these endangered reptiles. Visit a tea plantation in the southern low country hills. Take a walk through the streets of Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which after more than 400 years still maintains its colonial charm. Lastly, enjoy a relaxing boat ride on peaceful and tranquil Koggala Lake at sunset and watch thousands of birds coming to roost at sunset.
