Founders of Kolamba open second restaurant

Kolamba founders Eroshan and Aushi Meewella have established a second outpost, Kolamba East, located on Blossom Street at the meeting point of Spitalfields, Shoreditch and the City. 

Following the success of the original Soho restaurant, which launched in 2019, the second site showcases the duo's modern take on Sri Lankan home cooking. The menu revives dishes from their childhood spent in the city, highlighting the culinary diversity of Colombo's heritage. Often based on dishes handed down through generations, the recipes celebrate the communities of Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, Burger (Dutch) and Malay descent that call the Sri Lankan capital their home. 

The 92-cover restaurant is located in the Northern Folgate development, just a short walk from Liverpool Street Station. It resides among the development's carefully restored Georgian and Victorian buildings and heritage warehouses. Alongside two private dining rooms, Kolamba East includes a dedicated central bar – a new offering for the Kolamba team, serving cocktails made with Sri Lankan spirits and ingredients. They include the Curry Leaf Gimlet, a clarified cocktail of curry ghee-washed gin and lime, and the Colombo Sour, made with Colombo Gin and a cashew orgeat. This is served alongside a carefully curated wine list designed to pair with the menu. 

Dining at Kolamba East

The menu begins with snacks or 'short eats', such as Mas Paan – a fluffy bun filled with slow-cooked black pork curry, served with pineapple jam; and Idli with Sambar, which sees savoury rice and lentil dumplings paired with sweet and spicy chutneys. 

It also offers a new selection of larger feasting plates, such as the Moor King Prawn String Hopper Biryani, a dish originating from the Ceylon Moor community, made with alternating layers of steamed noodles and a rich king prawn curry; as well as a Jaffna Lamb Shank, served in a rich and spicy tamarind sauce. Diners can also enjoy Red Mullet in Coconut, which sees the dish served in a creamy coconut curry with tangy notes of tamarind and chilli; and Roasted Pineapple Fry, in which sweet and spicy pineapple is sautéed with cardamom and mustard seeds. 

Further vegetable dishes include Dhal with Spinach – a staple in Sri Lankan homes, made with split red lentils; and Broccoli Mallung, a medley of diced broccoli, onion and grated coconut in a lime dressing. Diners can choose from new sambols, including Heritage Tomato and White Pol. To finish, desserts include Payasam, a rice pudding from north Sri Lanka, flavoured with cinnamon and raisins.

You may also be interested in…