There is a new restaurant in Colombo’s food scene. Cinnamon Grand Colombo opened the doors to their newest restaurant PLATES on 15 January, with an intimate gathering. PLATES is a 24-hour gourmet dining restaurant with an unparalleled collective of tastes and flavours from around the world. 
Open to the public from 16 January, PLATES is all about experiences – the experience of friends and family dining together, the experience of enjoying multi-country, multi-cuisine dishes at any time of day, the experience of having a gastronomic tour of global cuisine in a single venue, and the experience of enjoying the tropics in alfresco dining or seated within the contemporary sleek interiors in air-conditioned comfort.
Set within the space of the old Taprobane restaurant, PLATES comes to life with a modern palette of white, blue, and copper emphasised with contemporary furniture and fittings to create an aura of cool, contemporary elegance. Designed to overlook the pool in all its tropical splendour, PLATES includes a deck and outdoor bar complete with a retractable awning that makes this alfresco environment enjoyable regardless of the weather. The design of the buffet also keeps Covid-19 in mind with the food not being directly accessible by guests. The friendly service by the PLATES staff more than makes up for not being able to serve yourself though.
Design aside, Cinnamon Grand Colombo stays ever mindful of the times, and PLATES strictly adheres to the stringent Covid-19 guidelines as directed by the Government and the Ministry of Health protocols. PLATES has a total seating capacity of 163, with the deck area seating 41, and all guests visiting the restaurant are subject to strict health and safety protocols.
Cinnamon Grand Colombo General Manager Kamal Munasinghe, commenting on the new restaurant, said: “PLATES offers a place for guests to come together and experience a multitude of international cuisine, 24 hours of the day. The ambiance and décor have also been done to support togetherness, and an environment where food can be enjoyed on many levels, in different types of ‘plates’. The fresh new look, as well as the unique offerings in both food and beverage, which have been developed with intricate detail, are aimed at giving guests the finest culinary experiences.”
Another cornerstone of the PLATES ethos is togetherness and the principle that “the fondest memories are made gathered around a table”. And what brings people to the table? Food. PLATES serves up continental, Indian, Asian, and Sri Lankan food, be it through decadent buffets, or all-day a la carte dining. It also boasts a unique range of beverage options, especially crafted with local ingredients. The unusual, yet satisfying blend of components will give guests a wide variety of beverages to choose from, to complement their meals.
We tried their sangria (nice and punchy), and one of the highlights of the buffet was the marinated seafood counter with a delectable range of prawns, squid, crab, and lobster, each delicately spiced and marinated and served with a selection of sauces and accompaniments. The sushi bar was also a revelation with a wide variety of sushi rolls and sashimi. We tried them all. And they were all delectable.
The Cinnamon Grand Colombo is famous for their buffets, and PLATES is no exception. While the international breakfast buffet includes continental, American, Sri Lankan, Indian, and even a Japanese corner, the lunch and dinner buffets add Far-Eastern, Mediterranean, Arabic, and also carveries, a pasta station, live pizza oven, a salad bar, a healthy corner, and desserts with an action station, promising to pile those plates high. For lunch, guests who wish to enjoy a light and healthy lunch can enjoy the salad-and-dessert-bar-only option.
And memories of blissful Sunday brunches are brought back to life at the “Sunday Brunch Buffet”, which has all of the above and more, including a surfeit of seafood from oysters, mussels, jumbo and lagoon prawns, shoe lobsters, and salmon; shawarma and Mongolian counters; an extensive range of carveries and grilled meats; and a delightful chocolate fountain adding to the desserts.
The Cinnamon Grand Colombo has always led the charge with fine food and drink experiences, and PLATES seems all set to keep building on that momentum.