5th Goût de France hits Sri Lanka on March 21 

Good France held in over 150 countries will involve chefs and restaurants from around the world celebrating French cuisine. Four Lankan restaurants will be participating in the 5th Goût de France or Good France on Thursday, March 21, each bringing something unique to the table - Café Français, the 1864 Restaurant and Wine Cellar in Galle Face Hotel, The Grill at Kingsbury, and the Vistas Rooftop Bar and Lounge at Mövenpick Hotel Colombo.

By Tera Jayewardene 

On the 21st only, a dinner to celebrate French gastronomy around the world will take place at Café Français, created by chef Bertrand Dubois. The menu will be offering a glass of Moët and Chandon champagne and Provencal mini cake, French snail croustillant with garlic butter, toasted brioche and fresh herbs. In addition Wild mushroom velouté, pan seared foie gras and confit egg yolk  and Shepherd's pie of duck and baby spinach infused with truffle will be served. For dessert, Caramelised apple profiteroles, will be served with vanilla ice cream and caramel salted butter. Priced at Rs.7500 per person, Café Français offers an authentic gastronomic experience, especially the snail delicacy.

The 1864 Restaurant and Wine Cellar of Galle Face Hotel is another participant in the Gout de France global event. Chef Jay Kay Govind, has created a menu that perfectly marries the French gastronomic tradition with Sri Lankan spices and ingredients, creating something that is perfect for the Sri Lankan palate with an innovative use of spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, mace and others.

Flash seared scallops, turmeric butternut squash puree accent, gotukola fritters and young fennel salad will be served first. Then Foie gras terrine, cinnamon tea jelly, ambarella jam with toasted brioche, followed by the Bisque of Sri Lankan Crab, cardamom coconut cream and cracked coriander. After that comes coq au vin, a traditional French stew, which will be served with juvenile roots, mace rubbed pork belly, pinot noir glaze and ginger salt. Savarin with citronella spiced wild berries, palm honey limoncello emulsion, and pistachio crumble will follow with the exotic use of citronella. Finally, Nuwara Eliya tea, Ceylon coffee and cinnamon madeleines will finish off the dinner. At Rs 15,000 per person, this will be available from March 21st to the 24th . 

The Grill at Kingsbury, under Head Chef Kithsiri De Silva, will be having a seven course dinner, for Rs 8,000 available from the 21st to the 24th of March. Amuse-Bouche will served with sautéed foie gras pecan crusted goat cheese, arugula and apple compote.

The starter will be pan seared calamari and yellow fin tuna tartare with spicy coriander vinaigrette, watermelon, tomatoes and avocado salad. Then Provençale fish soup will be served followed by the cod fillet and poached salmon in saffron white wine broth topped with clams, herbs and salsa.

Sorbet is available in raspberry, mint and lime to cleanse the palate. The main meat component is made with a trio of grilled French cut lamb chop, baby chicken and Black Angus fillet of beef with tomato confit, beans, roasted asparagus, zucchini and sweet potato. The seven course meal will end with caramelized apple tart served warm with vanilla sauce. 

The Vistas Rooftop Bar and Lounge at Mövenpick Hotel Colombo will be serving cheese platters which cost Rs 5900 plus two glasses of wine from the 21st to the 24th of March presented by Chef Meththa Ekanayake.