Next Innings A line up in top form
A line up in top form
Trio Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Dharshan Munidasa joined forces once again for their ‘Next Innings’.
A state of the art sports lounge at the Dutch Shopping Precinct, Next Innings is tipped to be a hotspot for sport fans to congregate and enjoy reliably great food and camaraderie.
Ambience
The elongated indoor space is tastefully and thoughtfully utilised to ensure maximum seating as well as convenient views of the screens: Next Innings features two 14 ft video walls as well as six 75 inch screens to broadcast upto 8 sporting channels at a time. From the chequerboard tables to the dumbbell table lights, the decor tastefully incorporates various elements from a plethora of sports, tying in the look beautifully. The indoor space can accommodate 128 people, while the courtyard outside seats 106. Additional entertainment is provided through live performances that are held from 7.30pm onwards, making it an ideal space to chill out with a group of friends. Despite the fancy interior and ambience, they encourage you to get your hands dirty and enjoy the food without judgement!
Drinks
There is a large beverage menu here at Next Innings that includes everything from imported drinks to iced teas and soda. I picked the Small Island Iced Tea (Rs. 500), which was essentially a peach tea concentration with soda. This usually comprises Arrack, which I opted out. I loved the amber hued drink which had the right balance of all the flavours and was sweet enough to satisfy those with a sweet tooth as well as those who aren’t.
The Food
The menu comprised a large number of local and local inspired favourites that are perfect to nibble on while being engrossed in a sporting event. The Kade Paan Cheese Toast (Rs. 600), ‘inspired by the Colombo Golf Club’ was served hot and crispy with a generous serving of cheese and green chillies on top. I have a soft spot for kade paan; I believe it makes everything taste infinitely better, and was proven right on the first bite.
Us Sri Lankans love our patties, and I was still a little surprised (yet incredibly happy) to find this on the menu. The Thin Skinned Patties - Tuna (Rs. 500), was made so that the dough was incredibly thin. This ensured that it stayed crisp longer (it was crispy even after sitting on the table for a while), and that diners tasted more filling than dough. The scrumptious and ample filling in the encasing will, no doubt, make for perfect game day snacking! The sizeable Cricket Ball (Rs. 600), a scotch egg of sorts comprising tuna was another delightful item on the menu. The spicy and flavourful tuna enveloped the soft boiled egg, and the crispy exterior added textural vibrancy.
A worldwide game day favourite, the hotdog was also on our radar. Here at Next Innings they serve a Footlong Hotdog (Rs. 800) (cynics are welcome to take out their measuring devices. It really IS a footlong). The most unassuming and unpretentious item on the menu devoid of any fancy toppings, it will leave you second guessing your decision, as I did. I was soon proven wrong - the mustard ketchup served on the side was the magic ingredient that had me wowed. It elevated the plain old hotdog into something I could happily devour time and time again.
Another dish that highlighted Munidasa’s ingenuity in reading people’s pulse was the Bone Marrow Curry (Rs. 1500) served inside a traditional wood fired bread. Gravy was served separately on the side. Tiny spoons were provided to scoop out the marrow, which was quite rich. Munidasa, however, used a straw instead of the spoon to enjoy the marrow. Initially sceptical, I followed suit, only to realise that the more self conscious I was, the harder it was to slurp the marrow. While not the most glamourous way to enjoy the marrow, it ended up being pretty fun! Nevertheless, I decided that I’d stick to the spoon, for convenience sake. Equally rich was the spicy curry with its concentrated flavours that I quite enjoyed eating with the warm bread.
The final dish I tried was the Neapolitan Pizza - D.O.C (Personal - Rs. 1200, Regular - Rs. 2000). The pizza was layered with Italian tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, and was served faster than I could say 20/20, considering that it was prepared in an oven with a temperature of 390°, custommade and imported from Naples. Simple, the pizza hit all the right notes; the acidity of the tomatoes balanced out by the buffalo mozzarella.
Dessert
They have a small dessert selection, but that doesn’t make picking any easier! I was served Kade Paan French Toast (Rs. 800) with diced strawberries, whipped cream and a drizzle of kithul treacle, and the Chocolate Cake (Rs. 1200), a sinfully rich, layered chocolatey goodness. Once again, the use of the kade paan was genius as it made every bite taste like heaven. Served warm, the custardy French toast had just enough whipped cream with cut up strawberries. The chocolate cake had a thin layer of sponge at the bottom with mousse on top which made it an incredibly rich and decadent dessert. I generally love my chocolate desserts, but for the first time I found myself unable to pick a favourite among the two.
Overall
I loved the food and the ambience at Next Innings. Considering the sports lounge was only 4 days old when I visited and there was no major game happening, the space was not packed to capacity. However, it was easy to envision an electric ambience with excited fans converging there, and it would definitely be the place to be during a major sporting event. More importantly, Munidasa knows his way around food and his passion constantly comes through, especially in his simpler dishes. His understanding of the nuances and techniques required to perfect food continues to result in their seamless execution. And if anyone would appreciate the value of incorporating perennial Sri Lankan favourites and staples in his fare, it’s Munidasa. All in all, Next Innings certainly scored a hat trick with the consecutively excellent drinks and dishes served and its swanky ambience.