The Kings: The place to unwind with friends any day of the week
A selection of bites for the local palate. Pix by Indika Handuwala
At the end of a busy day or week, nothing sounds better than unwinding with your friends over a glass of wine or cocktails listening to some good music. The Kingsbury’s Lounge bar, the Kings, is the place to go any day of the week.
With a newly curated pub menu and an extensive beverage list, the Kings offers an interesting array of cocktails and mocktails like the ‘Ceylon Summer’, one of their signature cocktails – delightfully refreshing whilst not being too sweet nor too strong. The ‘Blosson Breeze’ mocktail too was delicious though unlike the cocktail more tart and with the added texture of fruit pulp.
Their pub menu is concise but has quite a variety ranging from BBQ chicken wings and fish fingers to Bruschetta Pomodoro. We tried their BBQ Chicken Wings as well as their Sri Lankan Bites Platter, which consisted of typical Sri Lankan ‘short eats’ including fish cutlets, breaded fried capsicums, and dhal vades, the former deliciously sweet though a little messy to eat. Those visiting between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m, in addition to ordering off the menu, can also avail themselves of the ‘Pub Tea’ offer that gives customers unlimited supply of beer during those hours or two glasses of wine, as well as access to their pub spread of tapas, cheese, and sliced meats, for Rs. 2900 nett.
The ambiance at the Kings is a pleasant one. Mellow lighting and relaxed and spaced out seating create an intimate feel although it can accomodate over 60 people. But more than the food and beverages, its biggest draw is the music line-up. Each day of the week sees a different band — Mintaka; Ricky Bahar & Legacy; Rajitha & Misty; Wildfire; Rock this country; Geoffrey & Brexit ; Shyanne & co, perform from 7 p.m. to midnight. Things get livelier towards 9 p.m., as people trickle in.
The Kings is situated on the ground floor of the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo 01. For reservations please call on 077 108 7720.