Dip into The Cauldron for homely fusion fare
By Tarini Pilapitiya
Something is boiling over and it’s got us hungry! Opening their doors on September 11, Colombo’s latest cafe venture “The Cauldron” has claimed a cosy quarter of its own down Stratford Avenue, Colombo 6.
Operating from 7 a.m. to midnight on all week days, The Cauldron is run by husband-wife duo Tharanga Perera and Dushanthi Wimaladasa. A self-proclaimed dreamer, with much experience in the food service industry, Tharanga shares that the owners are dedicating The Cauldron “to those passionate people who believe they can change the world to be a better place.”
Complimenting his words, the café boasts posters of renowned personalities- musician John Lennon, actress Audrey Hepburn and revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
With no traces of witches or warlocks at The Cauldron, our curiosity over the café’s name bubbled over to an anticlimax as we discover it was an accidental stumble, Tharanga chuckling that no magic was used to conceptualize it. He sees The Cauldron as a space for “warmth and comfort” and aspires to attract customers who wish to establish that “genuine connection” with friends and food.
The Cauldron is planning the launch of their Facebook and Instagram accounts so keep your eyes peeled to satisfy your visual appetite. Diners will have the liberty of accessing Wi-Fi and may also reserve a 400 square foot private room for functions and “meetings away from the boring office” Tharanga chuckles. The owners are also opening up a small smoking area and hope to have a guitar available for those troubadours who wish to jam and chill.
The Cauldron’s “Hot Chocolate and marshmallow” (Rs. 500) was a welcome start to us drenched journalists who battled Colombo’s rainstorms to get there - a wholesome dose of instant comfort topped with three colourful marshmallows and not too sweet to taste.
The drinks that followed were trendy offerings. We recommend trying the “Kiwi Crush” (Rs. 430) and “Very Berry Shake” (Rs. 520) that each gave us a zap of pleasure from the first sip.
A carefully blended combination of Kiwi puree and sugar syrup, The Kiwi Crush’s sugar high was balanced by its fresh fruit. The ‘Very Berry Shake’ was a marriage of strawberries, raspberries and yoghurt. Thick, creamy with a tart undertone from the berries and the subtle sweetness from a lining of jam at its depths (it should be considered a ‘smoothie’), it was refreshing and filling.
“Nutella and Coffee Blend” (Rs. 550) was a tad disappointing, the taste of Nutella in the glass jar overshadowed by the strong chilled essence of the coffee.
Filled with descriptive titles the Cauldron’s menu doesn’t leave you questioning: The “Pol Roti Sandwich with Grilled Tuna, Seeni Sambol & Cheese” (Rs. 500) is just as the title describes - a grilled tuna burger sandwiched between gooey cheese and two pol rottis (made slightly spicy with green chilli pepper pieces). Filling and reminiscent of your mother’s home cooked food, the Sri Lankan styled burger left our lips with a pleasurable burn from the chilli.
The “Rosemary Grilled Chicken Wrap” (Rs. 580) was a crispy flour tortilla wrapped around generous chunks of satisfactorily seasoned rosemary chicken garnished with BBQ sauce and further complimented with fresh salad. This was a light bite that leaves one full but not bursting at the seams.
One of The Cauldron’s signature dishes that we eagerly anticipated, was the “Pol Roti Kottu Served with Cauldron Gravy” (Rs. 580). A deconstructed kottu of sorts this Sri Lankan classic omitted the usual go to godamba roti strips instead replacing it with chunks of pol roti. The kottu daintily rested atop a thin omelette. Served on the side was grilled chicken with an overcoat of sticky sauce and the enigmatic “Cauldron Gravy” (disappointingly not served in a mini Cauldron) which can be generously poured over your meal.
For their “Pol Sambol, Sausages & Cheese Panini” (Rs. 400), diners are given the option of three kinds of bread - Ciabatta, Focaccia or Brown/White Sliced bread. The toasted sandwich with what we presume to be undertones of garlic butter complimented the sausages and cheese and was a quick tasty bite.
“Creamy Tuscan Chicken Rice with Grilled Vegetables” (Rs. 580) had tender chicken strips cooked in velvety white sauce with a nice earthy smoothness courtesy of mushrooms and oregano. Accompanied with rice and grilled vegetables, the only glitch in the course for us was the rice to Tuscan chicken proportion (we wanted more chicken!).
The finale to the seemingly endless feast was a very local dessert- “Pol Pani Pancakes” (Rs. 380), the thin pancakes not rolled as per the usual pol pani appearance but instead laid horizontal one over the other. Stuffed in between each pancake was the sweet coconut and kithul treacle filling; drizzled over with more treacle and crumbled jaggery, this was a sinfully sweet moment.
Opening its doors to the big thinkers and dreamers who wish to change the world, The Cauldron is the place to go to for some good food and great ambience because – as we echo the wise words of a true Sri Lankan mother - “you can’t change the world on an empty stomach”.