The Grill has been one of the desired venues in Colombo for steak, and other refined forms of prime cuts. To enhance their menu the hotel has got down a French chef Eric. I was able to catch up with Chef Eric for lunch and savour some French cuisine. We started our culinary voyage with Salmon Dill, where the salmon had been marinated for eight hours soaking in the flavours. Next was a dainty plate embellished with a selection of French, Italian and Spanish air dried sausages and beef. The pickles and gherkins did yield a rather intense taste, which may not be appreciated at once by the Sri Lankan palette which is used to spicy food. Then again we must learn to appreciate authentic food from the world’s culinary cradle - France! Meat when eaten in this form retains more nutrition than when cooked in a curry for many minutes. This was followed by a portion of Carpaccio (marinated Australian beef fillet) drenched in basil olive oil. Olive oil really adds zest to any dish due to its clear consistency and unique flavour.
Eric surprised me with his next creation, a Gourmand Salad which contained smoked duck breast, crispy bacon and poached egg. The egg steals the spotlight as it is patiently poached with the shell for one full hour at a temperature of 62.5 degrees. This is the special attribute of French cuisine, as it has a glorious heritage refined by Master Chef Escoffier, who was hailed as the father of French cuisine many centuries ago.
The pan-fried Foie-gras with mango chutney and strawberry wine syrup produces an exotic twist to traditional French food, and this is good as it will extend its appeal. The beef dish, tenderloin served with mashed potato, mushroom and sautéed spinach was good, Eric then served yet another meat dish - herb crusted lamb rack. The meat was thoughtfully presented on a silver grill top serving dish that gently released aroma filled smoke.
The lamb could have displayed a bit more brown color, for visual appeal. The main course culminated with another signature dish duck comfit- served with mushroom sauce. Duck is not something often associated with Sri Lankan cuisine, and again this is a splendid meat which we must learn to taste and enjoy. French food is supplemented by good wine. Keerthi Rewatha, Beverage Development Manager explained to me how they pair wine with food.
Drinking wine is an art, again something that locals must learn to master and choose. France produces some of the best wines in the world from the Bordeaux region. Four tasting portions of dessert came in the form of Profiteroles (choux pastry filled with vanilla ice cream), Mille Feuille and Pineapple Carpaccio.
This was a brilliant dish where the pineapple slices had been marinated in basil for 6 hours and served with lemon sorbet. The final dish was a
flambéed crepe suzette. Chef Eric has taken a bold step to present the cuisine of his motherland, and it was a lovely dining experience.