Star class Ifthar this Ramazan

By Nizla Naizer

The month of Ramadhan is a month for reflection and sacrifice. It’s also a month where you truly begin to appreciate the richness of cuisine which you take for granted every other month of the year. And it is a month, where the meal at the time of breaking fast, or ‘ifthar’ becomes the most important meal of the day.
Traditionally, Muslims spend the ifthar with family members and within the community, indulging in treats that are both traditional and energy boosting after fasting without water or food from dawn till dusk. However, it is also a nice break from tradition to take your family out for a meal during ifthar or gather your colleagues and friends who are fasting with you for a memorable experience of breaking fast this Ramadhan.
As Ramadhan progresses into the second week, The Bottom Line takes a look at breaking your fast with star class as many of the leading hotels in Colombo come forward with special menus designed to make your ifthar experience all the more special.

Baklava and Gahwa at Cinnamon Grand
As usual, coffee captures my attention like nothing else. And this Ramadhan, Cinnamon Grand offers the opportunity to break your fast at The Taprobane in true Arabian style starting off with the traditional Gahwa coffee, a selection of juices, Arabic salads including hummous and mutable, spring rolls, mini pastilles, dates and congee for Rs. 750+++.
If you are looking for a heavier meal, The Taprobane also has on offer Arabic starters, lentil soup, chicken mhammer with cous cous or rice, a mixed grill kebab platter, a platter of Omali, Baklava, Basbusa or fruits and many more traditional Middle Eastern delicacies for Rs. 1100+++.
So head to Cinnamon Grand if you need a rejuvenating ifthar meal with a cosy ambience right in the heart of the city.

Cinnamon Lakeside’s first Ifthar
The reincarnated Trans Asia Hotel, which will officially open as Cinnamon Lakeside on September 1 is dedicating The Dining Room to provide an Ifthar buffet from 6-7 pm every evening from the date of opening till September 20.
The menu includes the traditional delights of fresh dates and dried nuts, the traditional muslim porridge of ‘congee’ or ‘kanji’ either plain or with chicken and a delectable array of savouries including chicken shawarma, samosas and falafels which will be cooked live and served hot.
From French pastries, a fresh fruit platter and doughnuts, to the essential faluda, fruit juices and coffee, Cinnamon Lakeside provides the entire buffet for Rs. 700++ with a 30% discount till the December 7.

An Arabic twist to Ifthar at Galadari
Galadari Hotel offers a private prayer room for all Muslims during the month of Ramadhan along with a delicious spread of cuisine to celebrate each Ifthar.
The Arabic restaurant Sheherezade will play host to a scrumptious buffet with a decidedly Arabic flavour. However, traditional favourites of Kanji, faluda, kebabs and sweets join the ranks of the more exotic basbusa, lassi, magluba rice and biriyani.
Café 64 will also join in by offering a delicious array of break fast treats ranging from chicken pies and gothamba (wheat) roti, to spring rolls and pasthols, which is traditional dough lined pastry filled with a spicy meat.
Biriyani for break fast at Ceylon Continental
The Ceylon Continental Hotel has put their master chefs hard at work to create an Ifthar Dinner Buffet at the Emerald. Starting off with the break fast treat of kanji, fruits, juices and condiments the buffet will include the traditional delights of a meal during Ramadhan, including biriyani. The buffet is at Rs. 1500 nett per person
Not forgetting the true value and importance of prayers during Ramadhan, there will be prayers conducted on the 7th floor lounge at the hotel. Take away Ifthar meals including the traditional 6 pax Mutton and Chicken Sawans will be available at the Café Conti pastry shop for those who love good food, but require the comforts of home to enjoy it.

Ifthar with a view at Mount Lavinia
Mount Lavinia incorporates breaking fast with the Indian Ocean as a view with the chance to watch the sunset as you take a bite of the first date. Break your fast at the Governor’s Restaurant from 7 pm to 10.30 pm until the end of Ramadhan with a special biriyani and Ifthar corner along with the traditional theme nights. The buffet is priced at Rs.2000.
A special biriyani takeaway offer with mutton or chicken as a choice will also be available with the traditional menu of Whole Roasted Chicken, Maldive Fish Sambol, Green peas with Carrot, Onion Pickle, Pineapple slices and the traditional Wattalappan. Each sawan, which can cater to 6 is priced at Rs.4444.

Double choice at the Hilton
Hilton offers the choice of not one, but two extensive buffets with Spices and the Curry Leaf. Those who are breaking fast can have traditional Ifthar snacks along with Curry Leaf’s seafood fiesta, prepared ala minute with a wide selection of Sri Lankan curries. The buffet at Spices on the other hand provides cuisine from across the globe, giving the diner a variety to choose from as they break their fast.
The special Ifthar snack platter will include the delights of faluda, dates, chicken or mutton conjee, fresh fruit, vegetable samosa with mint chutney, vegetable spring rolls with hot garlic sauce, fish Chinese rolls and mini mutton roti among others.
So if you feel like a change of scene during Ifthar this Ramadhan, have yourself a star class breaking fast experience.