Kumbuk Kitchen (Vegan) – Reviewed

Because you could never go wrong with a healthy meal!

Finally bringing to us a second outlet at the Good Market Café, Kumbuk Kitchen specializes in vegan and health conscious foods and is a humble and very affordable little set up, perfect for a mini-escape from the bustle of a busy Colombo day. They offer salads, sandwiches, juices and bowls – such as granola and oats, which is more ideal for a pre-work breakfast. We’re familiar with the brilliance of Kumbuk’s flagship store at Horton Place so we decided to swing by for lunch, and went on a culinary adventure with the very interesting organic ingredient combinations they had on offer.

Food and Drinks

Drinks:  Island Chiller – Rs. 400, Ceylon Punch – Rs. 420

An exotic combination of watermelon juice, coconut water, rosemary and mint – aptly named the Island Chiller – came in a tall glass with mint for garnish. This tasted a little like coconut-watered-down-watermelon-juice with no real dominant flavor, so it lacked a little oomph, but picturesque presentation and cold fresh juice are all you could ever want on a warm Sri Lankan day, and the Island Chiller sufficed to beat the heat.

The Ceylon Punch had a million little ingredients in the description including naarang juice, coconut water, mint, kithul pani, sea salt and a few other things I probably missed, but wasn’t overbearing at all. If you like sweet juices, the Ceylon Punch isn’t for you. Not all the elements really came through as much as we would have liked it to, but we loved it because it was fresh and easy on the palette. There wasn’t anything fancy, presentation wise, but it didn’t really need much, with the juice speaking for itself.

Salads:  Tex Mex Salad – Rs. 550, Watermelon & Basil with Passion Fruit dressing – Rs. 500

The Tex Mex Salad was a large bowl consisting mostly of beans. Tossed in was also avocado, green apple slices, bell peppers, red onion, corn and lettuce, garnished with the crunchiest yummiest homemade tortilla chips I’ve eaten. Though the portion didn’t look big, the beans made it very filling and could easily be eaten as a main. It was prepared well and those lovely little tortilla chips really stole the spotlight.

Now, watermelon and mint we’ve tried, but watermelon and basil was a whole other ball game. The salad was a delicate combination of watermelon, basil, mint, feta, lettuce, red onions and a lovely zesty passion fruit dressing that really pulled the whole dish together. It’s one of the prettiest salads I ever did see with all the flavors really coming through and the feta giving the dish that extra oomph. The portion is good for a starter, but not enough for a main and feels clean, guilt free and very satisfying to the tummy.

Between Breads:  Jackfruit Sloppy Joe – Rs. 650, Pesto & Zucchini Sandwich – Rs. 650

The Jackfruit Sloppy Joe is a very eye-opening take on a very traditional dish that has been integral to Sri Lankan culture since the beginning of time. It consisted of polos, red cabbage, tomato, lettuce and what we think was a chilli-mayo sauce, and was served with a side of potato slices. It was flavorful, absolutely delicious and I miss it already. My dining partner is a staunch meat-eater but he vowed he didn’t miss the meat one bit today. The potato chips weren’t much to write home about but “pulled polos burger” will be every word of my next letter, yum. It definitely is sloppy so maybe don’t order it on a date, but it’s one of the best things to order at Kumbuk Kitchen.

The Pesto & Zucchini Sandwich consists of grilled zucchini, carrot, red cabbage, jalapeno and pesto in between two slices of toasted French bread served with a side of potato chips. It was presented beautifully with chilli sprinkled over the potato. I usually like pesto but the pesto in this sandwich had a kind of unpalatable freshness to it that I wasn’t used to. It was quite colorful and pleasing to the eye but was very much like eating a garden. My dining partner said it was more of a hardcore-veggie-person dish and I agreed, but really, it comes down to a personal preference.

Desserts:  Matcha Green Velvet Cake – Rs. 450

Behold, the beautiful show stopper, heart stealer and expectation exceeder. A magical combination of passion fruit puree, passion fruit curd, cream cheese and matcha velvet, garnished with an edible flower. The cake was moist, the passion fruit curd was delicious and it was concluded that this is one of the best takes on cake that we’ve had the pleasure of eating. Life makes sense again. Their cakes do change from day to day so be sure to ask what they’ve prepared and don’t be afraid to take a risk.

The only additional charge on our bill was a 10% service charge and nothing else which was a joyous change to the usual VAT and NBT shenanigan that happens. You should also note that they offer a 10% discount to customers who bring their own take-out containers (ah, the beauties of being environmentally friendly while saving money too) The lovable thing about Kumbuk is they don’t try to turn vegetables into meats. They have their own jam going on, which they deliver it with grace and beauty. Kumbuk always promises great things and we had a truly enjoyable experience. So the next time you find yourself at a fast food franchise at Racecourse, make the wiser choice and head over to Kumbuk instead. It’s definitely more affordable and your body will love you for it.