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

Availability: Christmas season 2024, starting 9^th November

t-Lounge by Dilmah gives us something to look forward to at the end of every year – their spectacular Christmas Menu. This year’s launch treated invitees to a proper feast of a spectrum of flavours that were presented in the form of five savoury dishes, four desserts and, of course, Dilmah teas and tea-inspired beverages.

The evening began with a welcome drink of Hibiscus Inspired Mulled Wine, a luscious and refreshing combination of Dilmah Rosehip and Hibiscus Infusion with their seasonal homemade mulled wine. Perfect to get one’s tastebuds aroused and ready for the gastronomic journey that ensued.

The dishes were brought out in mini portions for tasting, the first of them being Prawn Toast. It was so crisp, with a mouth-watering savoury coating, a dreamy, creamy prawn filling, a savoury cream cheese topping, and garnish. It was the sort of delight that got everyone talking at first bite. A proper appetiser!

This was followed by an energising Avocado, Mango & Beetroot Salad that was rather attractively compiled. It acted as a sort of refreshing course in the menu before the heavyweights followed. A pleasing combination of sweet mango, soft avocado and crunchy beetroot dices.

The Crispy Eggplant with Paneer Fragrant Sauce was divine! While I had planned on pacing (and bracing) myself for the rest of the menu by maybe not having all of it, I ended up wiping the plate clean. The eggplant and paneer were coated in a crisp batter and bathed in a thick, glistening, sweetish, barely tart, slightly umami sauce that had everyone licking their lips. The dish was light in a satisfyingly filling way, and was paired with an equally bright Dilmah Brilliant Breakfast tea. I’ll definitely be going back for more of this one.

Next came the Seafood Lasagna which was packed with a whole lot of perfectly done crab. What was most interesting was that, rather than a classic white Italian sauce, the lasagna was accompanied by a sort of curry gravy that was rich in Sri Lankan flavours. And, as unlikely a combination as it might seem, it was delicious. Somehow, the cross-cultural flavours worked fabulously together in tandem. Another one that I’ve ear-marked for subsequent visits. The tea pairing for this was a deeply smoky Dilmah Lapsang Souchong that worked so well with the flavour of the curry.

The final savoury item on the menu was the Mixed Meat Shank Pie & Fresh Salad on a Betel Leaf. A head-turner for sure. But the goodness of it didn’t stop at looks, the pie itself tasted superb with the perfectly marinated chicken and mutton filling, and a pastry that was warm, crisp and not too thick. Another hearty dish that would leave anyone belly-happy. The very local combination of sukiri (sugar lumps), clove, cardamom and nutmeg presented on the betel leaf is ideally meant to serve as a sort of palate cleanser after the meal – a novel idea and, again, an interesting concept of adding a local touch to a western dish, I thought.

If you pay t-Lounge a visit this season (you really should!), do not miss out on their Sweet Potato Mousse & Smoked Molasses Ice Cream dessert. It’s something else. As intriguing as it sounded, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, a spoonful of it was all it took for me to realise what a carefully thought-out dish this was, and how inspiringly this had been crafted. As you can see in the cross-section image, there’s much more to it that the name suggests – there’s the sweet potato mousse itself, but also a great sponge, sweet potato slices, tiny bits of chocolate, and some fruit – all reined in together smoothly and perfectly by the fabulous smoked molasses ice cream. A cylindrical wall of torched, piped meringue held it all in place and made it look all the more glamorous. Amazing!

The Almond Meringue Cake comprised of layers of slightly dense almond sponge sandwiched together with meringue cream, and toasted almond flakes that added a wonderful crunch to each mouthful. It was slightly on the sweet side, but very becoming of the season with its rich marzipan flavour – and beautiful presentation.

Beneath the gingerbread man, in the next course, was a Layered Cake with a Vanilla Base and Mango Compote. Super soft sponge and a smooth and refreshing mango compote that added a touch of the tropics to the Christmas spirit. And – not just going by gingerbread man’s expression – but Christmas spirit might not have been the only spirit that got this dessert going.

Next came the show-stopper. For something with a name as simple as Baked Alaska with Candy Floss, it came with a fair bit of theatrics. Service involved pouring brandy flambé over the dessert, causing the envelope of candy floss to peel away and reveal the baked Alaska – which itself had a bit of a snowman look to it. Inside was a scrumptious chocolate sponge base with ice cream, covered in torched meringue. A perfect dessert for baked Alaska fans.

Finally, guests were offered a choice between a chilled or warm beverage. The chilled option was an Ice Dragon Beverage which, too, was rather creatively presented. The vibrant, viscous dragon fruit-based drink came in a quarter bottle which was poured out into a brandy goblet at the table. Accompanying it was some fresh pineapple sprinkled with chilli powder, to nibble on. The whole affair was served on an ice bath.

I went with the warm beverage option of Christmas Hot Cocoa, which was pulled (like yaara tea) before being served. It was not too sweet – which was great – and came with a cute snowman marshmallow that slowly melted into the liquid. It felt like a warm hug. However, what was most special about this was that it was served in special mugs that had been handmade by the kids of the MJF Charitable Foundation. As you can see from this reel, each mug carried the beautiful story, skill and creativity of an MJFCF child – the true spirit of Christmas.

A roundup of the evening would be incomplete without giving a shout-out to the terrific chefs and kitchen team who have gone above and beyond to create and execute a truly fabulous Christmas Menu, ensuring a jolly gastronomic experience for patrons. It was tea-inspired, awe-inspiring and a festive feast for both eye and palate. Looking forward to enjoying more of these through the season!