By Marianne David
Colombo’s Cinnamon Red hotel now features a plant-based buffet every Poya day, which serves up an expansive dining experience featuring over 50 dishes.
The property decided to launch this new food feature to highlight the importance of adopting a plant-based diet and focus on how our ancestors were known to have thrived on vegetarian meals.
According to Cinnamon Red, the spread aims to promote health and wellness as well as introduce novel ways of creating magical dishes out of everyday vegetables. As noted by the hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Terrence Fernando, the vegetarian lunch buffet was first launched on Poya Day in February and then, following positive feedback, continued as a permanent Poya fixture by the property.
Mr. Fernando stated that the second edition – being served up on March 6th– would feature some of the favourites from the February spread along with new additions cooked up by the hotel’s talented culinary team.
Speaking to the Meatless Monday Sri Lanka team on the decision to launch a plant-based Poya day buffet, he said that with the growing interest in healthier lifestyles witnessed in the country, Cinnamon Red Colombo had identified a need in the market for buffets that cater to vegetarians.
“As a result, instead of merely having a limited number of vegetarian dishes in a buffet, we decided to go all-out on full moon days,” he added.
In addition to Sri Lankan-based vegetarian dishes, Cinnamon Red has also brought in plant-based dishes from around the world. Some of the buffet’s unique items include breadfruit sliders on a spinach bun, corn chowder, mushroom and cauliflower wellington, Moroccan couscous biriyani, jack fruit kottu, and coconut and caramel cream cake.
The buffet comprises approximately 55 items, including salads and desserts, with the Executive Chef’s top four must-try recommendations are the green gram curry, polos curry, breadfruit sliders on a spinach bun, and coconut and caramel cream cake.
Given the focus on serving up healthy dishes, the buffet also features items such as green healthy soup and varieties of Sri Lankan sambols along with many other dishes aimed at promoting wellness.
The plant-based buffet is available from 12.00 to 3.00 p.m. at the Flavoured restaurant on the 8th floor of Cinnamon Red Colombo.