I have been hearing many people raving about the food at Manhattan Fish Market, that I found it difficult to believe it was true. So my daughter and I decided to check out the place. We visited the Kollupitiya outlet for dinner.
Located on R.A. De Mel Mawatha (commonly known as Duplication Road) on the curve of Deal Place, you cannot miss the place. There is ample parking available on Deal Place and it has air conditioned comfort.
Customer Service:
From the moment we entered the place, it has been a memorable experience. We went for dinner without making reservations. The place was pretty much crowded. We were half expecting to turn back. However, even though there were others waiting for their turn, we were led to a table for two.We were given two menu cards each. One for the mains and the other for starters, soups, desserts and juices.
Food:
Our order consisted of the following:Drinks:
- Pepsi and Brooklyn Sunset
The Brooklyn Sunset consisted of Mango and Strawberry juice mixed with soda and topped with ice and a slice of lemon. It was so delicious I didn't want to finish the drink.
Mains:
1) Fried Calamari rings, Garlic Herb Rice
The Calamari Rings could have been a little thinner. It felt like we were biting into spongy rubber. The accompanying hot and spicy sauce was really superb. The Garlic Herb Rice was the best I had eaten from any restaurant.
2) Coleslaw, Spicy Baked Rice
The coleslaw was fresh and crispy embedded in mayonnaise. The baked John Dory fish fillet in the Spicy Baked Rice was however a great source of disappointment. The others were good. I love hot and spicy food and I believe this was introduced to cater to the local population. However, I feel they could have done better. The spicy fillet simply consisted of chillie powder, salt and lemon juice (the usual spice mix for frying proteins). The fish fillet was cooked well and tasted quite good, but as they had not included some oil (like olive oil) and herbs as well, the spicy marinade mix was watery and overflowing. They definitely need to improve on this.
Desserts:
- Super Fruit Crumble and Strawberry Flamingo
- Super Fruit Crumble and Strawberry Flamingo
The Super Fruit Crumble consisted of 2 scoops vanilla ice cream garnished with crushed cookies, Kithul honey and a sprinkling of plums. The Fruit Flamingo consisted of mango, strawberry and pudding. Both the desserts were delicious. We just didn't want to stop eating them. We relished every spoonful. We had the taste of the dessert in our mouths, long after we reached home.
The Manhattan Fish Market is well worth the visit provided you have the money to pay for it.