Located at: Lakpahana, 14 Reid Avenue, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka

Visited on: 05th & 10th April, 2024

Hidden away within the Lakpahana premises, this little café was a delightful find. Limited in seating, but tastefully set-up, Kemara Cuisine is all about healthy eating and drinking. The food and beverages are all free of gluten, grains, dairy and sugar, and have been crafted rather thoughtfully – and innovatively – into a comprehensive menu. Most importantly, there is no compromise on taste whatsoever. The café runs in conjunction with Kemara Spa, which is also on the same premises.

We tried Kemara’s Roasted Rosemary and Pumpkin Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms (LKR 1,100) which was served with almond bread croutons. The soup was very lightly seasoned, but the mild earthiness from the pumpkin, mushroom and roasted rosemary worked well for me. It was a heartwarming bowl of soup which left a mild spicy note at the back of the throat. I quite liked it. The mushrooms gave it a bit of oomph in terms of texture. The almond croutons, which tasted great, might have been nicer had they been a bit toasty.

Over the years, jackfruit has soared in its popularity as a meat alternative, and Kemara’s Pulled Jackfruit Burger with Coleslaw (LKR 1,950) was the perfect example of it. Sitting inside a zucchini and almond flour bun, the pulled jackfruit was topped with a non-dairy mayo, fresh lettuce and a longitudinal slice of zucchini. The bread itself was toasty on the outside, and worked well, remaining moist with all of its content. There was a fair bit of slaw to accompany the burger.

The Signature Kemara Lamprais is available in both vegan (LKR 1,950) and non-vegan (LKR 2,250) options, with a choice of white rice, red rice or cauli-quinoa (cauliflower and quinoa). We went with non-vegan, and pictured below is the red rice option. While the meal is not your conventional lamprais, the tastes of all the constituents were pretty good. The chicken curry was indeed very Sri Lankan – one could definitely taste the spices and condiments. I thought the white ash plantain curry was really good – great taste and viscosity of the curry. The banana flower (kehelmuwa) cutlet was a fantastic idea and was tasty, too. The aubergine pahi (wambatu moju) and onion relish (seeni sambol) were nicely done, and the unconventional soft-boiled egg somehow worked well with the rest of the elements. As I said, different from what one would ideally refer to as lamprais, but a delicious plate of food nonetheless.

I quite enjoyed the Roti and Curry. Again, this came with vegan (LKR 2,250) and non-vegan (LKR 2,550) options. We went with the non-vegan option that had a butter chicken curry that was made from cashew butter – which made the curry a bit thicker than usual. It was delicious. The roti was made from sweet potato, and was nearly paper-thin. Both taste and texture were excellent – testament to how much Kemara’s team has worked on using organic and unthought-of ingredients to create well-known dishes or elements. This was accompanied by a crispy okra raita in coconut yoghurt – also very good.

The Spice Crusted Pork Tender Loin with Honey Garlic Sauce with Mustard Cauli Mash (LKR 2,950), served with wilted spinach and sundried tomatoes, was top-notch. The pork slices were not all that spicy, but tasted of the sweetness of the honey garlic sauce. The cauliflower mash was silky smooth and gave off an undertone of mustard with a touch of tanginess. Overall, it was a mouth-wateringly good dish.

I absolutely loved the Creamy Seafood Lasagne (LKR 2,650) which was prepared with smoked vegan cheese. The menu description mentioned spinach lasagne sheets but, going by the colour, I believe they might have been beetroot lasagne sheets. Either way, it was absolutely delicious. The ingredients were perfectly balanced and well-complemented by the vegan cheese and tomato sauce that were on top. The lasagne sheets themselves were thin and had been cooked to moist perfection. The crunchy bits of shrimp that it contained added a bit of joy with every mouthful. A highly recommendable dish indeed.

Finally, there was the Chicken Satay with Raw Almond Pad Thai Dressing (LKR 2,450). This came with what the menu described as ‘fermented vegetables’, a salad of carrot, peppers, cabbage and almonds, tossed in a sort of vinaigrette dressing. The chicken on the skewers was well-seasoned, and the white sauce was a delightful accompaniment that enhanced the taste of the meat. As with most of their dishes, more filling than visually apparent.

From their dessert menu, we tried the Strawberry Tart (LKR 1,625). It came in a jar, with a cashew and almond crumble base and strawberry compôte sandwiching a thick layer of cashew and coconut cream, and once you mixed it all together, it was absolutely scrumptious. For a dessert that had no sugar in it – or even otherwise – it was truly yum. It was brilliant that they had used a nut base, which added another layer of flavour and texture, rather than a granola or standard crumble base. Compliments to the Kemara team for finding the perfect ingredients and balance for this gem.

On both visits, I quenched my thirst with a Long Distance Runner (LKR 825) – pineapple, passion and organic tangerine extract. On the first day, it was perfect as it was – not too sweet, and not sour. On the second day, it was a touch on the sour side. Of course, this depends on the nature of the fruit available on the day. Knowingly, the staff brought it out with some kithul treacle on the side. A couple of spoons added, and the drink was good to go.

The Mint and Watermelon Cooler (LKR 825) was thirst-quenching, but perhaps could have done with a little less water. It had a bit of lemon juice and a slice of lemon added in, too.

We requested for the Almond, Banana & Passion Smoothie (LKR 925) to be prepared without banana, which they did. With its almond milk base, it tasted healthy, in true Kemara style. A touch of kithul treacle took it up a notch and made it more enjoyable.

Yummy rating: 4.0 / 5.0