Arts

Step into a homely cafe for a healthy fare

By Kaveesha Fernando

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If you walk into the dining area of Café Kumbuk and become confused as to whether it is actually a café or someone’s house, you can be forgiven. Although there are several indications outside that the space is actually meant to be a cafe, when you walk in the lines blur.

Café Kumbuk: A place to chat and chill. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

With beautiful photographs and postcards of Sri Lanka hanging on the wall alongside paintings by local artists, antique furniture and potted plants, and the rich aromas of spicy food wafting through the air, the setting is both homely and interesting.

This personal touch is what proprietor Shana Dandeniya was going for. “I constantly say to my team that they should speak to the customers. Having a conversation and getting to know the people is very important. That’s the memory which people will walk away with,” she says.

Shana, who grew up in UK, has a creative advertising background. She came up with the idea for Café Kumbuk when she was asked to create a brand as part of a project for university.

When she moved to Sri Lanka, she noticed that there were just a few places which offered healthy food and decided to open Café Kumbuk.

She started selling at the Good Market (at Racecourse) and decided to move to Horton Place when the yoga studio next door (Prana Lounge) advertised that they wanted a café to occupy the space next door. Shana handles most of the operations of the café while she consults her mother for menu ideas.

Shana Dandeniya

With most of the ingredients on the menu being sourced locally, Shana aims to give back to the community while also serving up healthy fare. “We also have things which are not extremely healthy but the idea is to have food which caters to a balanced diet,” explains Shana.

The menu features many items which have generous salads and grilled meat and fish, while the sweet options use kithul pani (palm treacle) and brown sugar.

Café Kumbuk also attempts to be eco-friendly. The straws they use are reusable stainless steel ones, while the takeaway is given in paper bags, foil and paper cups. A 10% discount is offered to anyone who brings their own containers for takeaway.

It’s clear that although the café is trendy and modern, much emphasis has been laid on being local and featuring local produce, art and culture proving that both can be achieved side by side.

Café Kumbuk is located at 60, Horton Place, Colombo 7. From this week Café Kumbuk have extended their opening times and will be open from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 8 a.m. -10 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 011- 2685310.