Located at: 1B Pitipana Road, Sarakkuwa, Pamunugama, Negombo, Sri Lanka

Visited on: 15 Aug, 2020

Here comes another lamprais review! This time it’s from Lagoon Kitchen, located in Pamunugama. Much to our delight, the food was delivered to our doorstep – something that’s not too common for us here in Ja-ela!

Their chicken lamprais is priced at LKR 550, and the packets came labelled and packed in a sealed box (other options available include prawn, mixed meat and vegetarian). As you open the neatly cut and folded banana leaf, you are met with an attractive variety of elements. Although the inclusion of a fried boiled egg in lamprais is not considered to be ‘authentic’ by the Dutch Burghers, I often feel pleased to see one in a packet – possibly linked to my very first, childhood impression of lamprais while growing up in Dubai.

The rice was aromatically infused with the flavour of spices, and you could get the actual taste and feel of ‘shrimp’ in the belacan (most belacan I’ve come across are more coconut-heavy, bordering on being a coconut dish). The ash plantain beduma and brinjal moju were both nicely done and soft and easy to mix in with the rice. I quite liked the seeni sambol too, finely cut and served generously. The chicken, also in a generous portion, was cut into small dices and, although cooked with spices in Sri Lankan style, was not too peppery or spicy to indulge in. The fish cutlet (or frikkadel, as some refer to it) was a little different from the usual and complemented the rest of the packet well.

Overall, it was a great first impression and we all agreed that this was a rather tasty packet of lamprais. Keep up the good work, Lagoon Kitchen!

Yummy Rating: 4.5 / 5.0