By Hiruni Herath
Service and Ambience
Stepping into The Embazzy, it’s clear that the restaurant has been around for some time. The worn down leather couches and the insta famous stairs are quaint and are as welcoming as the staff. There is enough space for you to go along with a large group of friends which is not something you can do at every restaurant. The Embazzy is also a perfect spot for you to take yourself on a relaxing date.
The lunch hour on Tuesday was quiet and peaceful with no rush. Most importantly, if you grab a seat on the ground floor, you can hear the muted sounds of the kitchen which is a nice addition to the overall ambience with the natural light flooding in through the big windows. The servers were also very accommodating and happy to be of service which made the whole experience great.
The Food
For the entrée I went for the traditional Hot Butter Cuttlefish, forgoing the Kochchi Cheese Bites and the Caesar Salad that would also have paired well with the main. Since HBC is a classic, I was looking forward to the twist that The Embazzy would give and I was not disappointed. The Coriander leaves that were used as a garnish were plentiful and brought extra flavor to the traditional HBC.
I was ready to be disappointed by the sauce at the bottom of the dish, expecting it to make the HBC soggy and change the classic flavor but it really pulled the dish together, especially with the garnish on top. The Hot Butter Cuttlefish was a perfect mix of freshness, heat and crunch.
LKR 1260
Since it was the lunch hour, I opted for a rice dish rather than a burger or a pasta dish. The Grilled Lemon Chicken came with a side of yellow rice and vegetables. But there was no doubt that the chicken was the star of the dish, grilled to perfection with a mouthwatering sauce over it. The only complaint I have is that there could have been more sauce since it was not enough to cover the whole chicken and the rice.
LKR 1700
You don’t find a lot of places where you can eat the rice as it is but the flavoring on the yellow rice was good and it paired well with the chicken. The carrots and the baby corn on the side was a bit too hard but that’s nitpicking because the whole dish worked well together. In terms of the portion also I was surprised since restaurants have the reputation of serving small portions but the HBC entrée and the Grilled Lemon Chicken paired with the drink was too much for me to finish alone.
Drinks
There were a variety of options from a special called Nesto-saur, virgin mojitos, milkshakes, fresh juice and even a variety of hot and cold brews. I really should have paired the meal with a virgin mojito or a fresh juice but I went for a peanut butter milkshake which was too heavy for the meal options I had chosen. While it looks more like a vanilla shake, I enjoyed the peanut butter shake since the flavor was on point and not too overpowering. And even as it became warm it was still quite good.
LKR 1100
Dessert
Unfortunately, due to the ongoing situation, they didn’t have the cheesecakes or chocolate mousse that would have paired well with the main dish. So I opted for the red velvet cake. The presentation of the cake was very nice. However, I’m sure the team at the Embazzy could work on making the cake softer and just a bit sweeter because the icing was perfectly sweet but the cake unfortunately missed the mark.
LKR 800
Conclusion
As you can see the presentation of the food is great, it’s a treat for your eyes and your mouth. Just take care to not make the same mistake as I did and choose a drink that pairs well with your meal. The ambience was good, the service was good, the food was amazing, so need I say more? You can visit them yourself for the full experience.
*The prices included in the article are as of April 2022.
Opening hours – 10 AM to 8.30 PM
You can call them for any inquiries on – 0112 576 027
You can also visit their instagram page @theembazzybistro and their facebook page @theembazzy to check out their amazing dishes.