Located at: 100 Horton Place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka

Visited on: 17th February & 05th March, 2023

If there’s one thing that the new t-Lounge by Dilmah on Horton Place intends to do, it is to spoil you with their array of decadent – and extremely eye-catching – desserts. In fact, they have a separate dessert bar specially dedicated to teasing and enticing you with their sweet treats.

The first dessert that we tasted on day one was the Chocolate Bomb (LKR 1,600). A tender milk chocolate core surrounded by a generous dome of light chocolate mousse, covered by the thinnest of chocolate shells. There are two things that I particularly appreciated about this dessert – the mousse wasn’t too rich or buttery, and the biscuit base wasn’t sweet – almost bitter, in fact. So, as a whole, the dessert wasn’t too sweet or heavy on the palate or belly despite its size.

The Mocha Dome (LKR 1,300) comprised of a milk chocolate core atop a bed of chopped cashew, engulfed by a delicious coffee mousse and sheathed by an almost gel-like mocha shell. The biscuit base of this one was a little sweeter than that of the Chocolate Bomb – rightly so as it complemented the mild bitterness of the coffee flavour very well. The touch of cashew smartly elevated the textural experience of this dessert. If you’re a mocha/coffee lover, this one is a must-try.

t-Lounge’s Carrot Cake (LKR 1,100) has been consistently good over the years, and this time was no exception. It’s a delightful combination of textures with the carrot and nuts and cake and icing all coming together in each bite, while also tasting great. Possibly one of the best carrot cake slices you’d come across in the city.

Day two saw us try a couple of the newer – and perhaps more unique – desserts that t-Lounge has added to their menu. The first was the unforgettable Purple Yam Brownie (LKR 800). I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but what I encountered was definitely a pleasant surprise. As a whole, the brownie was not very chocolate-y, and most of the chocolate/cocoa seemed to be concentrated in the top crust. However, the texture of the brownie body was so wonderfully fudgy with a touch of graininess and its taste was so well-balanced overall. It made you forget that the humble purple yam tuber was where the brownie was predominantly getting its taste and sweetness from. A ‘healthy’ dessert that still felt luscious and indulgent. Definitely something I’d recommend trying!

Next up were their Mango Mochi and Chocolate Mochi (LKR 600 each). As I recall, t-Lounge by Dilmah offered a selection of mochi sometime back in 2021 as well. And while I certainly enjoyed them even back then, I felt like they’ve taken it up a notch this time, particularly in terms of the texture of the glutinous rice cakes. Playfully soft and gooey on the outside, it was the core that gave each mochi their distinct characters. The mango mochi was all about tropical freshness with pieces of cut mango and some juice from the fruit oozing out as you bit into it. The chocolate one was more indulgent, so to say, with a blob of thick milk chocolate at the centre that would put a smile on every chocolate-lover’s face. Both were equally delightful in very different ways.

Finally, there was the Macaron (LKR 400) which was a wonderful little treat in itself. They’ve got a few vibrant colours of them (not representative of flavours) that would make for an ideal gift for anyone with a bit of a sweet tooth. Texture-wise, it was great – chewy to the bite with a thin layer of cream at the centre. The taste was good, too, with its characteristic nutty, marzipan-like essence that was also not too sweet.

All in all, t-Lounge by Dilmah’s dessert bar is definitely one to keep an eye on!

Yummy rating: 4.5 / 5.0