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By
Nizla Naizer
It has been half a decade but the best place
in town for a truly authentic North Indian meal is still
The Mango Tree in Colombo 3. With a brand new menu this
restaurant, lounge and bar is the ideal choice to flavour
the true vibrancy of a North Indian meal. The name may
not imply it, but The Mango Tree brings the heart of
Punjab with all its flavour to the heart of Colombo!
As you enter the restaurant through its elegant and
understated exterior, the mango tree motif keeps grabbing
your attention. Mangoes have always been an important
element of Indian cuisine but the story behind the name
lies in the towering and shade providing mango trees
that span across the drive outside. The ambience inside
with its bubbling fountains and colourful paintings
is a soothing balm to the soul as you wait for your
meal; but after you’re done with the multi- flavoured
dishes you are more likely to jump to the ‘balle
balle’ tunes playing in the background. The food
takes you to the flowering fields of Punjab and the
colourful delights of Kashmir in a heartbeat.
From Dahi Bhallasto Rasgullas
The new menu launched in February has additions designed
to tempt your taste buds. Many of us in Sri Lanka may
not be familiar with exotic dishes like Dahi Bhalla
and Papdi Chaat but these new additions are sure to
be winners among both young and old. The Dahi Bhalla
dish is a lentil dumpling in chilled curd and the sensations
of a spicy yet sweet, chilled curd filled mouthful will
be a novel yet delicious sensation to many. The Pappdi
Chaat on the other hand, is a fun dish. It’s a
popular starter to the meal where a bite sized crispy
pappadum (pappdi) is topped with a combination of vegetables
and covered with the yellow crunchy ‘sev’.
The fun is in eating it as a whole and watching your
dinner companions munch their way through the mouthful.
The Mango Tree also has a dynamic variety of mocktails
and cocktails in their well stocked bar. According to
Director, Sukhvinder Singh who has been with the restaurant
since its inception in May 2004, the Mojitos, Long Island
Ice Tea and Margaritas are some of the traditional favourites
while ‘Fear Factor’ an original cocktail designed
to leave you afraid of a green chillie is one of their
signature drinks. “Fear Factor is a combination
of vodka on the rocks with a blast of lemon and green
chilies,” he explained. “But our lassi is
also a favourite among our diners.” The placid
lassi is a blended yoghurt drink and The Mango Tree
has a delicious array of rose, mango, sweet or spicy
lassi to suit every flavour.
The new menu also includes the Indian sweet Rasgulla
where the sweet balls floating in syrup joins the ranks
of other favorites like Kulfi (rich Indian ice cream)
and Gulab Jamun (which needs no introduction). The desserts
at The Mango Tree are select and aimed to please.
From Murgh to Paneer
The Mango Tree has a wide variety of mutton, chicken,
prawn and fish (yes, fish!) biriyani, a specialty not
offered anywhere else. “We have a range of jumbo
prawns, pomphrets and garoupas,” Singh explained,
“We are the only North Indian restaurant offering
garoupa, and according to the customers wish we can
make bites, curries and biriyani.” Along with mutton
dishes like Mutton Roganjosht, chicken dishes like Chooza
Makhanwala (a bbq flavoured chicken in a creamy gravy
loved by all) and Dum Ka Murg (where chicken, cooked
in peanut and coconut filled spicy gravy has your senses
reeling), the well balanced menu at The Mango Tree is
designed to cater to all tastes.
But then, the vegetarian has nothing to complain about,
The Mango Tree has one of the largest varieties available
to the vegetarian palate in town. With dishes like Dhal
Makhni (the perfect accompaniment to the variety of
naans and rotis), Aloo Ghobi (cauliflower and potatoes),
Palak Paneer (in-house cottage cheese and spinach) and
Koftha Shyam Savera (cottage cheese and spinach dumplings),
the vegetarian has plenty to be pleased about.
For the executive
The Mango Tree’s recently introduced Executive
Dining Lounge is the ideal location for corporate executives
wanting to host business meetings or exclusive parties.
The comfortable and cozy lounge rooms with elegant lighting
and a view overlooking the mango trees in the driveway
can also serve as the perfect location for social gatherings.
“We provide a set menu with unlimited food,”
Singh explained, “And the lounge is equipped with
karaoke and surround sound entertainment systems.”
With the soft background music of instrumental Hindi
songs which switch to upbeat Punjabi tracks or Hindi
fusion based on the mood of the diners, and the authentic
North Indian cuisine has paved the way for this restaurant
to be one of the most popular dining destinations in
town, the mango trees in the driveway seems to spin
a weave of magic every time you enter the restaurant.
The Mango Tree at 82, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 3,
is open from 12 pm to 3 pm for lunch and from 7 pm to
11 pm for dinner. The restaurant provides deliveries,
outdoor and indoor catering. For more information and
for reservations contact 5879790 or log on to www.themangotree.net
Pic
by Ravindra Dharmathilake
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