Revisiting the Sea Spray

Published 01/07/2016

After years (well a little over 3 years) of going under a major restoration project the Galle Face Hotel was reborn to suit the modern era but keeping to its old charm. The whole hotel got a facelift and that meant their restaurants too. One in particular was the Sea Spray Restaurant.

Today, we get to check out how this new look is doing, what’s on the menu and what more they have to offer to its patron guests in time to come. Even though the restaurant opened only last week, it was somewhat a full house.

Sea Spray open for dinner with sundown cocktails (plus complimentary bites) being served from 5.30pm to 7pm and then onwards move to dinner. The setting is very romantic with candles lit all over, lights dimmed to give a calm feeling and the only sounds you hear (apart from your very near neighbouring tables) is the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing and dancing just below you. If you are not a outdoor person, well you can always move inside and enjoy private dining in one of their two rooms or sit by the bar, order some oysters and relax.

Refreshing the palette

As you settle down at your table, the service staff bring on a welcome drink (which changes every day), more like a shooter to refresh that palette before you begin your main meals. On my visit, the welcome drink was a mixture of Tomato, Celery, Ginger and a little bit of Tobasco – it indeed was the right kick one needed after a long day of work.

Moving on to the menu, Executive Chef Adam Gaunt-Evans explains that when he came here, it was to do something very different and because of the area of the restaurant we have one of the best locations in town for a seafood restaurant. “We were thinking of something along the lines of modern European and Mediterranean and it really got me thinking about the ingredients. Ninety percent of the menu is of local ingredients which we are proud of and doing some different and unique things with the flavours. There are some classics that we do with Seafood such as Whole Steamed Fish (Thai style). You can’t get away from doing these dishes and doing them perfectly is what it is all about”, Chef Adam stated.

Starting with Appetisers and the Raw Bar menu, I decided to try out the Ginger Beer Battered Prawns & Red Pepper Achcharu – super duper delicious. It’s spicy, it’s tangy and addictive! Another on the list is the Black Pepper Cuttlefish – cooked to perfection – it wasn’t at all rubbery, it was a smooth cut and the black pepper was a really nice touch to the palette from the usual batter fried cuttlefish we always order. Appetisers start from Rs. 480. If you are an oyster fan, for Rs. 250 (each) you can grab them with Shallot Vinegar, Red Pepper Accharu or Mallum Citrus Salsa.

From the Raw Bar we tried out Carpaccio which is Watermelon, Tomato, Feta cheese, Olive Tapenade, Chickpeas & Herb (perfect for two) and finishes within minutes (after the usual picture taking) of coming to the table.

A must try over there (recommended by the chef and the staff) is the authentic Sri Lankan Crab Curry. I happened to order that but I went with the Sri Lankan Lagoon Crab (Singapore style). This is a 300g portion full of flavour and enough for two or one (if you are a crab lover). Being someone who’s chilli meter is broken, I would have wanted it to be a little bit spicier (which you can always request when ordering) but went down really well with their Kade bread & Roast Garlic Aioli. The crab dishes range between Rs. 2000 and Rs. 3000.

The mains

Another dish that was brought to the table and enjoyed by the host was the Whole Native Lobster in Ceylon Arrack-Coconut Thermidor which is available on the Sea Spray Signature dishes. Now I am allergic to lobster so I could not taste it but from the looks of how it was presented and the aroma that came with it was thumbs up that it indeed is a best seller in the restaurant. Some of the other dishes in this list are Jumbo Prawns (cooked with garlic, chilli & coriander), Bouillabaisse (Sri Lankan coastal seafood soup with local spices), Tagine V (Casserole of chickpeas & tomato, smoked aibergine, grilled flatbread & mint yoghurt) and Roasted Beetroot (with Potato gnocchi, herb mallum, confit tomato, Tamarind Gardens Neufchatel & rocket). The above dishes start from Rs. 950 to Rs. 4000 and above.

Some of the other seafood dishes you can try are Whole Baked Baby Paraw, Whole Steamed Trincomalee Barramundi, Crispy Fried Cuttlefish, Grilled Scallops and more with prices starting from Rs. 1,050 upwards.

All main courses you order come with a complimentary coconut dressed salad & garlic lemon rice. But if you want something else for your sides, you can choose from Stir fried green vegetables, French fries with chilli, salt & aioli, Leek & Sweet Corn mash, Rosemary roasted Baby Potatoes with crispy garlic, Pumpkin Risotto or Roasted Carrots with Fennel seeds for Rs. 250 each.

Even if you love seafood, your partner or family may prefer something hardy. Well not to worry, you can go ahead with an Australian Angus Tenderloin or New Zealand Lamb Chops or Free range Chicken Supreme which start at Rs. 1900 upwards.

Dessert time

Now with all what we ordered and had, I made sure we made room for dessert. Chef Adam made sure I order the Heritage which is Buffalo Curd Crème Brulee served with one half of the passion fruit filled with treacle and the other with the fruit – beautiful presentation too (Thank You Chef Adam for the recommendation). And you know it’s darn good (the crème brulee) when you say no to your friend’s order of Xocolat (Spiced Almond Hot Chocolate with warm Cinnamon and Chilli Churros). There’s more on the dessert menu and they range between Rs. 600 and Rs. 700.

“Chef Jagath Raveendra is Chef de Cuisine with over 26 years of experience is the man behind the restaurant. Jagath has a lot of experience in fine dining restaurants working in the Middle East for a long time. When I interviewed him, he cooked for me and the connection he had with the food and flavours was outstanding. We have collaborated on the menu together and it’s a team effort. Even the guys in the kitchen had their input in the menu when we were trying and testing to get everything ready for the restaurant. His role is sourcing the best seafood every day. It’s easier for him as a Sri Lankan than me to deal with the fishermen”, Chef Adam added.

Ricardo Milza is the Restaurant Manager who has come all the way from Roma, Italy. He has a very strong pedigree in Fine Dining restaurants in Italy and different parts of the world. Now for all these dishes you can always speak to him and pair up some wines with them as he’s very knowledgeable in the wines.

If you are looking for that quiet peaceful night with your family or loved one with Seafood in mind, then make your reservations by calling +942541010 and asking for the Sea Spray Restaurant.