RESTAURANT: “RARE” AT UGA RESIDENCE
ADDRESS: PARK STREET, COLOMBO 7
CUISINE:  MODERN, INTERNATIONAL, WITH A QUINTESSENTIAL SRI LANKAN TWIST 

This was my first time for dinner at the Uga.  

OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT:  
There was really only one aspect that got to me.  Only because it is so simple to get right... or wrong:

-The bread basket was sadly full of old, crusty pieces of bread which set a somewhat dire tone for the rest of the meal.  The staff was quick to respond and they did bring out a fresh bread basket.  That was a faux pas that is so easily/ cost effectively avoided. 

THE GOOD STUFF!
-The atmosphere was absolutely scintillating.  It was just post a monsoon shower and everything was clean and gleaming.  The restaurant overlooks a courtyard that is especially beautiful.  We requested them to put a table outside for us so we ate al fresco.  It was quite surreal.

-The appetisers were quite fabulous, especially the baked cauliflower.  The Waldorf salad was not bad second.

-The main courses were quite good.  I had the chicken in lemon grass and my partner had the pork belly.  

-The service was quite impeccable given that the restaurant was full and the establishment was short-staffed that evening.

-They had a good/ wide selection of wines available (which is a bit of a rarity even at the better bars around town).  And they served it beautifully with a decanter and the works.  I’m a bit persnickety about how the wine is stored and how it is served since it makes all the difference in flavour preservation.  Good storage ensures the sulphites in the wine don’t ferment and “vinegarize” the wine.  Good pouring service, with a decanter or an aerater ensures that the wine breathes as much as possible from a newly opened bottle, for the flavours to really come to the fore.