Written for The Nation

Almost a century and a quarter old, or so it’s told, Green Cabin is probably one of the oldest restaurants in Colombo. Situated on the border of Bambalapitiya and Colpetty (Col 3 and 4), on Galle Road, Green Cabin is a favorite of the office going crowd in nearby buildings. Apart from the restaurant is the bakery, a haven of heavenly goodies.

Ambience (7.5)

The secluded garden, with plush greenery, is perhaps the highlight of the restaurant (apart from the food of course). To say that the place is quite and relaxing, when right next to Galle Road, is indeed, an understatement. During the day, it is pleasantly bright with an occasional breeze that creates music as the leaves rustle. In the night, the semi-bright lights are just ideal.

The alcove-like recesses in the far wall, though not the epitome of comfort, offer a degree of privacy. They also allude to a sense of coziness since they’re set apart from the main dining area.
Slow music is piped during dinner, though it isn’t during lunch. Music or no, it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. It’s all about calm and quiet.
The waiters are dressed in sarong and shirt, and this old school attire goes well with the atmosphere of the place.
An island sanctuary in the bustling city is what Green Cabin is.

Service (4.5)

Now this is something where the place falls short. The same old school dressed waiters are also old school in attitude – selective service. This aspect is extremely putting off. In this day and age, it is rather surprising to see the Pukka Sahibs and the Brown Sahibs being served well. However, if you appear unlike these two, expect to wait a while till they notice you. Perhaps, the tactic is to get you to leave with their indifference?
Whatever the reason, this type of service is not done. The ambience just dies away after that.

Food (6.0)

The food at Green Cabin will not serve to disappoint. A sizeable variety of Lankan dishes are available, while a few Chinese and Indian ones as well.
The pittu is a good choice, and an accompanying curry will serve well. Soft and warm to the touch, one pittu and a curry will go nicely together. The seer fish curry is not that bad, but with a lot of room for improvement. If you do order a portion of pittu try a devilled dish, since pol kiri alone (and katta sambol) aren’t enough. The devilled cuttlefish is not a very intelligent choice since it’s mainly devilled capsicum, tomato, and onion with a few pieces of cuttlefish.
The mind-boggling thing is, while a pittu is Rs.80, a portion of pittu (including said pittu plus pol kiri and katta sambol) costs Rs.100 extra. So, that makes an extra 100 rupees for a cup of coconut milk and a few spoonfuls of katta sambol. In that case, they better be using some rare type of coconut and onion for the milk and sambol! Or it’s just a shameful sham.

A popular recommendation is the Cashew Curry for the pittu, since the seer fish curry won’t be filling; fish the size of a nugget in a curry will do squat to satisfy anyone. The fish at a local bath kade serves a bigger piece. So, though the food is quite tasty, you’d need a larger portion to feel sated.
The sad thing is, being an island nation, and a city on the coast at that, our fish prices are damn high. It really is a shame.

Verdict:
Green Cabin is perhaps a good place to chill out and relax. Their food is great, though lacking generosity in quantity. If you appear a pukka or brown sahib no need to fear, just walk right in, and you’ll be treated like royalty. If not, well, that’s for you to decide.

Name              :  Green Cabin
Cuisine            :  Sri Lankan
Price Range    :  Less than Rs. 700