Food4Thought | Chicken Cheese Koththu anyone?

I'm a Sri Lankan. A Sri Lankan Malay.

I'm also a Wattala wanker, I'll always be a Wattala wanker where ever I live in the world. 

Therefore ladies and gentleman, Iit is my duty to talk about the stuff that makes me proud when it comes to Wattala. Yes it is true - Wattala is known for its diversity of people and the culture. We have Kandy Sinhalese, upcountry Sinhalese, Matara Sinhalese, Anuradhapura Sinhalese, Hill country Tamils, Jaffna Tamils, Indian Tamils, East Tamils, East Moors, South Moors, Kandy Moors, Beruwela Moors, Middle-east Moors, Indonesian Malays, Malaysian Malays, Sri Lankan Malays, Dutch Burghers, Portuguese Burghers, English Burghers and Sri Lankan Burghers - I'm not even kidding, Wattala has them all. 

Wattala is also known for its horrible traffic, which I thought, has no leverage to bring out any positivity. 

But Today it is all about the food I found in Wattala that we all can enjoy and be proud about. I have to say it is almost impossible to find a decent Chicken Cheese Koththu in Colombo except unless we go to Negombo to find the best Chicken Cheese Koththu in the world - Sameeha (I will feature it soon, when I get there one of these days). Shifana Hotel in Mabole, Wattala also produces one heck of a Chicken Cheese Koththu which is as good as Sameeha. Yes, I said it, maybe because I'm a Wattala Wanker. But if you don't trust me, try it and let me know what you thoughts are. It is definitely the best alternative to the Best Chicken Cheese Koththu in the world. 

When I make the order I make sure I request an extra chicken portion because I don't eat alone and I can't be fighting for the chicken midway of the meal. Also, on the other hand in my opinion this particular Chicken Cheese Koththu cannot be eaten alone even if you are ambitious enough to be the President of the country, but of course, it just an opinion, many have proved me wrong including myself.

Location - Shifana Hotel Mabole Wattala

Food4Thought | Best Samosas in the country

I love to eat

More specifically, I love to eat good food.

So I thought maybe I should share my experience for others to do the same for the simplest reason - why should anyone eat crappy food?

Firstly I have to say, I’m no food expert nor a food reviewer (I’m not too sure whether I got that title right). But I just find good food and eat it. 

This is my favorite place to find samosas in Sri Lanka - Hotel Thaj in Jaffna. If you are ever in Jaffna you can’t/ shouldn’t miss this place (it’s easily accessible down the A9 road close to the 3rd cross street). Hotel Thaj has been around for some time and whenever I visit Jaffna I make sure that I pay a visit and grab my dosage of samosas. They serve chicken samosas and the taste is incomparable because it’s too good. The best part is that they don’t cheat with the meat. Sometimes, when we go to a restaurant we feel dissatisfied with the quantity of the dish they serve, but I have never felt that way with the Thaj Samosas, it has always been a fulfilling experience. Thaj hotel produces samosas every morning and the evening on a daily basis, so if you want fresh samosas make sure you go between 10.00am-1.00pm and 5.00pm-7.30pm. This amazing creation is served at a reasonable price of Rs.80/- (During my last visit in December 2022).

Don’t sit and ponder - grab your samosas and share your experience so that more people get the taste of good food!

#SriLanka #Travel #Jaffna #Food

Location - Thaj Hotel

A whisper from a Phantom

With So much hope I carried you home

home of mine, I live alone

I love the darkness echoes around

As you came in, its yet to be found

I cover myself with this hideous face,

but I'm instantly cured by your beauty and grace

Carried you home, with immense hesitation

I had no plan, only innocent persuasion

Fallen Angel of that I'm sure

Am I her destiny? , A carcass has no cure

Her eyes shine concurring the darkness in whole

while her melodious voice remains to sooth my broken soul

Mask I wear to hide myself from her

Simple words I say to connect and confer 

With this darkness around, this phantom can only say

My heart is the only thing I can
offer, with no hope I whisper, you to stay...

 ~ Inspired by the phantom of the opera

9th September 2011

Music of the night

Big Empty

Back home,

I feel like a stranger 

in this familiar place.

Messy,

I try to find a space 

to rest my head, 

which has a mind of its own these days.

I close my eyes

Faint images started to unreel

I gazed in to the night that time stood still.

1.38am so little time.

Moon at its peak and showering its light 

we arrived,

high energy to keep company 

mindful social distancing 

we barely touched 

guilty circumstances prevail

I step in with happy smoke,

I exhale deliberately

Into her lungs 

as she collected the molecules of smoke.

She smiled, 

eyes never lie they say.

who are they?

I wonder.

as I did it again,

This time I was flying high.

2.12am is it time to go?

we still kept a foot a part. 

She only answers questions.

its never the other way around.

the time slowly leaked with desperate songs.

2.42am we are still here,

empty cigarette pack,

empty shot glass

so time to eat some barbeque chicken, 

yes that's it!

hush now its a secret code!

2.56am I exhale valiantly

to no avail.

We have to depart

no more time left

We are certainly good at breaking boundaries

and building them right back up.

we still remain.

I have no clue why.

3.08am its a 6 period day, she said.

hurried pleasantries 

we bid good night,

strangers back again.

I had no idea what I was looking for,

dazed and confused 

I make my return.

Mind is filled,

big empty

under the shocking realization,

that I'm all alone this time. 

6.25am - emptiness is deafening. 

Reversus est ad mentem

Today I'm excited,

I feel weightless

A man on fire - I glow

I've been away for far too long

To find myself,

To be found,

In the midst of loosing,

Lost,

battered and bruised,

I survived.

Up-beat, steady pace - I walk

remembering the golden days,

Sun was the limit,

seemingly limitless.

The prodigal son returns,

Home,

Where I belong.