Savour GFH’s brunch buffet on the verandah
If Sunday brunch sounds like the perfect way to wind up the weekend and catch that final R&R before the work week starts, then the Galle Face Hotel shares your sentiments. For the past four months The Galle Face Hotel (GFH) has been hosting a brunch buffet at its verandah restaurant from 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Boasting a wide selection of dishes, both Western and Asian, the buffet features a free flow Bloody Mary station, a New York style bagel station, a live egg station, a traditional English breakfast menu to name a few.
We began our review with the brunch classic, the Bloody Mary. In addition to the classic Bloody Mary, the GFH offers 3 other twists to this brunch staple, available as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. We tried their Cherry tomato Mojito Bloody Mary and the Spicy Colombo. The former is mild and refreshing, whereas the later was too peppery and not for the faint of palate.
The buffet featured a variety of salads, artisan bread, vegetarian and non vegetarian soups, as starters but what stood out was the New York Style Bagel Counter. Bagels galore, in flavours of cheddar, herbs, onion and plain were spread out. A smorgasbord of Emmental cheese, ham, smoked salmon, beef, and chicken, together with a variety of mustard and cream cheese spreads left us spoilt for choice. We built ourselves a herb infused bagel with chive and cream cheese spread and a smoke salmon filling and lettuce. It was indulgent yet light, and we had a hard time putting it down. If the choice was up to us, we’d live off these bagels.
Curated by a British Executive Chef, the English Breakfast spread showcased exactly what British food is known for, meat! The spread consisted of beef and chicken sausages, bacon, ham, and even a lamb roast. All of which were cooked to perfection. In addition the egg station served up a variety of scrambled egg, omelette and poached egg dishes, including eggs Benedict. We sampled the eggs Royale and eggs Florentine, which were the smoked salmon and spinach alternative to the pork ham found in the eggs Benedict. Served on an English muffin, topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, these alternatives were just as delicious as the original.
But this buffet wasn’t only for meat lovers. From the starters, to the bagels, to the pan-asian mains, there was always something for the vegetarian patrons, a section of diners usually overlooked in Colombo.
The tail end of the buffet features an individual dessert bar, a tropical food counter and ice cream counter. The dessert bar consisted of cakes, danish pastries, panacotta, croissants, mousses and even tiny American pancakes. Of the lot we really enjoyed the panacotta and the small yet delicious pancakes.
The view of the lawn and the sea, together with the sounds of the acoustic trio Adam & Eve’s , add to the overall relaxed atmosphere of the brunch. There is even a bouncy castle and games in the lawn to occupy the kids, making the brunch an outing the whole family can enjoy. However, we recommend that you find yourself seating under the fans, though shaded from the afternoon sun, as the weather gets hotter
The rate per person is LKR 3990, and it is half rate for children between the ages of 12 and 6, and free for children under the age of 6. For reservations please contact the Galle Face Hotel on 07772327740 or 0112541010 or email them at restaurants@gallefacehotel.net. See also www.gallefacehotel.com for more information.