By Venessa Anthony
What would you get if you took the decadence of yesteryear and paired it with the flavours of right now? Cinnamon City Hotels gives us an answer with the recent relaunch of Sequel, its speakeasy bar that created quite the stir around town back in the day and is now back in the game.
Sequel is designed to be a place where the old meets new, where charm meets sophistication, and having a good time gets a new meaning. Colombo’s latest speakeasy cocktail bar is ready to entertain the discerning guest that is looking for that perfectly curated night.
Welcoming guests into its premises on opening night, Cinnamon City Hotels Area Vice President Kamal Munasinghe spoke about how he brainstormed such a unique concept, explaining that he used the pre-pandemic months to do extensive research-based travel.
“One day, in the heart of Paris, I stumbled upon a speakeasy bar. The low lighting, the jazzy, snazzy vibe, the fantastic mixologist, and innovative cocktails they created really stood out to me,” he shared. Ever the trendsetter, Cinnamon Grand jumped on this novel concept and created Colombo’s next hotspot for nightlife, with Munasinghe adding: “Sequel will be a novel addition to Colombo’s nightlife, catered to enthralling guests with our performances and showmanship.”
Every little detail is tailored to those who appreciate elegance, and a bespoke experience like no other. Think of walking into a vintage space accompanied by the sounds of Sinatra and Fitzgerald inviting you to do it your way, or for once in your life; think of the soul-searching and eclectic mix of Winehouse-style classics that you can drown your sorrows in.
Bringing your attention to the food, each exquisite dish is specially overseen and theatrically presented to you by a brigade of seasoned professional chefs, while the largest selection of single malts and 14 well-crafted cocktails, ranging from the classic to the exotic, served in all sorts of fun creations, will be the order of the evening.
The seafood paella was exquisite, and had everyone raving, while the peri peri prawns were just the right size for some bar grub that not only has a little kick, but is enough to help you work up a decent appetite to polish off the array of dishes they have available. While we cannot rave enough about the quality of food, we will simply say that it was phenomenal and an absolute must-try.
In terms of cocktails, the presentation was simply mind-blowing. We particularly enjoyed Summertime, which comes with a cloud of cotton candy, topped by a concoction right before your eyes.
Setting the ambience is the smooth live music that will be played every night, which progresses to DJ swing and jazz, bringing a touch of glamour to a speakeasy scene.
We’re convinced that every patron who walks in through the doors of Sequel will have a story to tell from the years gone by, and have a memory to add on to it by the time they leave. As Munasinghe reminded us, be sure to book a table ahead to experience all that Sequel has to offer, lest you be left out.
