Friday, February 8, 2008

Tintagel

65 Rosmead Place
Colombo
7.
Tel: 94-11-4602060

Fax: 94-11-4602168
E-mail: info@tintagelcolombo.com
Website: http://www.tintagelcolombo.com

Vision. Detail. Excellence. These three words exemplify restaurateur, hotelier, and store owner Shanth Fernando’s latest creation on Rosmead Place. This 1929 colonial residence, named ‘Tintagel’, once housed one of Sri Lanka’s famous political families through most of its history, until it was converted into its new personage of a unique private hotel in 2007.

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining spaces, each embodying a different character. The small indoor area, with its ebony colored walls and tables, white table runners, and silver chandeliers, has a chique, yet more serious undertone in comparison to the hotel’s outdoor, more casual seating area, where you can relax into a cane chair at one the of the canopy-covered tables, perhaps even unbutton your collar, and enjoy the hanging-vines on the walls.

Given its BYOB and reservation-only policy, you may find that you are one of a few diners. Despite an army of waiters the service is not uncomfortably attentive, which allows for an enjoyable meal – although the lapse in service arises when it’s time to top up your water glass.

Among the starters is the delicious Chilled Cucumber and Avocado soup with Prawn Salsa - a refreshingly smooth gazpacho-like soup (without the tomato), with a kick of crunchy salsa that adds an exciting, contrasting consistency. The Lobster and Prawn Laksa, a Chinese-Malay noodle soup with a coconut milk base, bean sprouts, tofu, and a picked quail egg, on the other hand, is rather bland, lacking sufficient flavor and spice. The Potato Gnocchi with Blue Cheese Sauce appetizer is a rather doughy in texture, but the Walnut and Fetta stuffed Mushrooms wrapped in Bacon contains a pleasant and balanced mix of both flavors and textures. For the mains, both the Braised Lamb Shanks with Oyster Sauce and Dates in Chinese Wine, and the Ossu Bucco with Semolina Gnocchi, are highly recommended: the meats are cooked to perfection, and their accompaniments add positively to the overall pleasure of the course. On par with the excellence at its sibling restaurant, Paradise Road Gallery Café, Tintagel’s desserts are a must-try. Try the signature dessert – the rich Paradise Road Chocolate cake with Vanilla Ice Cream - or the light Carrot Cake with Lime Icing. But, avoid the Chocolate Mousse Tart with Orange Jelly and Caramelized Orange: the hard consistency of the jelly is a detraction from the rich, soft chocolate mousse.

Despite a few shortcomings on the menu, an evening at Tintagel is a unique experience for those searching for high quality in food and a one-of-a-kind ambiance in Colombo.



Entrance facade





Living area of hotel





Indoor dining area





Outdoor dining area





Stairway to bedroom suites





Swimming pool





Virgin Pina colada





Chilled cucumber and avocado soup with prawn salsa





Lobster and prawn laksa





Potato gnocchi with blue cheese sauce





Walnut and feta stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon





Osso bucco with semonlia gnocchi





Braised lamb shanks in oyster sauce and dates in Chinese wine





Carrot cake with lime icing





Chocolate mousse tart with orange jelly and caramelized orange


TINTAGEL MENU

Soups

Lobster and prawn laksa 695
Chilled cucumber and avocado with prawn salsa 475
Roasted tomato soup with basil emulsion 385
Vegetable consommé with parsley ravioli 365

Entrées
Smoked salmon with vodka crème and caviar 965
Yellow Fin Tuna wrapped in white radish with picked ginger
and wasabi 535
Walnut and feta stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon 735
Olive frittata with cream cheese 525
Potato gnocchi with blue cheese sauce 535

Mains
Braised lamb shanks with oyster sauce and dates in Chinese wine 2250
Osso bucco with semolina gnocchi 1235
Seared tuna steak with miso mustard sabayon and a white radish
and ginger coulis 785
Grilled lobster with garlic butter and saffron rice 3260
Braised pork belly on grilled shiitake mushrooms with a poached
egg and picked ginger mayonnaise 1250
Open lasagna on beans with rocket and feta tortellini 595
Mushroom risotto with thyme 725
Squid ink risotto 767
Beef tenderloin with onion jus on mashed potatoes and green beans 2865
Pan-roasted salmon with balsamic vinegar and cauliflower purée 1235

Dessert
Paradise Road
chocolate cake with homemade vanilla ice cream 365
Marbled cream and chocolate mousse cake 395
Orange cake with homemade marmalade 325
Chocolate mousse tart with orange jelly and caramelized orange 425
Carrot cake with lime icing 325
Boca negra with shipped cream 435
Dark chocolate mousse with tiramisu crème and almond
coffee-chocolate purée 395
Fresh strawberries and cream 525
Vanilla panna cotta with strawberry compote 465
Caramel pot of cream 365
Homemade ice creams (vanilla bean, chocolate, passion fruit,
cinnamon-jaggery) 375
Fresh fruit platter 450
Curd and palm sugar treacle 325

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