Ask for Fern is the newest and one of the few speakeasy bars in Colombo! Tucked away in Colombo 03, here are five reasons why you should come to The Little Flower Shop and ask for fern!
1. The unique concept
At the entrance, all you can see is a ‘flower shop’ and once you enter through the door, you are led to a flight of stairs. As we made our way upstairs, we were quite amused by the décor of old portraits, elegant candlesticks, newspaper designs and large mirrors together with dim lighting. The concept behind it is to recreate the period of prohibition which took place in the US in the 1920s.
2. The laid back ambience
The place has a vintage feel and offers up some unique décor, which makes you want to walk around and explore the place before you sit down to dine. Even the washrooms were quite fancy – kudos to creativity indeed! The staff is really friendly and efficient, going to great measures to extend their service.
3. The interesting dishes
Since they opened quite recently, they don’t have a large variety of dishes, but they do offer up some interesting dishes which we couldn’t wait to try. The Serai Chicken Wings (LKR 750) were a great starter, tossed with a lemongrass and palm sugar infused sauce. The meat was tender, and succulent, and the sauce gave it a great flavour. We tried out their Miso Glazed Salmon (LKR 2,200) which was plated beautifully and was very appealing to the eye. The fish was baked to perfection and the coconut foam provided a unique, delicious taste. As far as desserts go, their Caramelized Mango with candied bacon and lemon curd (LKR 650) was definitely a unique dish!
4. It’s a great place for drinks with friends
Ask for Fern is a pretty laid-back place with a touch of history, to enjoy drinks with
your friends and have a good dinner as well. It’s no secret that Colombo has a limited
number of places to have drinks with a chilled vibe, so if you’re looking for new restaurants around Colombo which are somewhat out of the ordinary, this is a must-
visit!
5. Their signature cocktails
They offer a variety of spirits and cocktails and we decided to give their signature cocktails a try. With both funky names and unique mixes, they offered drinks such as the Mr. Miyagi, a blend of botanical gin, tonic, fresh lime and yuzu (Japanese mandarin purée), and the Where’s Wally Bastian, served in a glass that looked like a light bulb!
Ambience – 5/5
Service – 4/5
Food – 4.5/5
Drink – 4/5
Parking – 3/5
Cleanliness – 5/5
Address
32 B, Sir Mohammed Macan Makar Mawatha, Colombo 3
Contact
077 805 0330
Instagram: @askforfern
Review by Shalindri Fernando
Pics by Hasith Geethanjana