Being a tropical island, Sri Lanka is blessed with an abundance of seafood. Yet, somehow the best of our saltwater and fresh water produce goes elsewhere and we’re left with having to pay exorbitant rates for a good catch. Even the dedicated seafood restaurants can be over-priced where most middle class folk can’t really afford. Regardless we love our seafood. From the Jaffna Crab Curry and the Negombo Lagoon Prawns to the traditional Southern “Ambul Thiyal”, seafood is an essential part of island life.
One of greatest things about seafood for us is that you need to really use your hands to get the best out of it. On the other hand this is one reason why many people avoid the crustaceans at buffet and fine dining establishments. We on the other hand have no reservations, and happened to find a casual dining restaurant that basically runs on the idea of “messy is normal”.
Tucked away down Bullers Lane in Colombo 7, Cajun on Wheels is actually a Singaporean based franchise. The idea is to recreate the famed Louisiana seafood truck experience. The Sri Lankan version is actually housed in a converted container with an option of also sitting under the stars in a backyard garden. The whole ambiance especially at night is very laid back and dreamy. One of the most welcoming sights is the giant smiley crab at the entrance which kinda gives you an indication of the atmosphere inside as well.
The smiles are commonplace with the staff whose bright red attire also adds to the chirpiness of the restaurant. They are also well versed with the entire menu and are more than happy to help you pick out what’s best. This is something a lot of places lack with the wait staff being clueless about their own wares. C.O.W scores big time on this point.
Keeping things simple, their drinks menu offers a choice of fresh juices at very reasonable prices. A rather tall glass of fresh juice is somewhere between 200-250 rupees depending on the fruit you choose but we felt the lime or passion fruit is just ideal with the seafood.
So here’s how you order at C.O.W. The first step is to pick from six different signature sauces. There’s Cajun Cheese, Herb & Butter, Cheesy Crab, Singapore Chilli Crab, Salted Egg Yolk and the traditional Sri Lankan Jaffna Curry Sauce. Once that choice is done, you pick your seafood from an array of sea bass, prawns, cuttle fish, crabs, lobster and mussels. For sides to go with the seafood, you can choose rice, cheesy fries, pasta, or the localized roast paan and pol sambol.
The first thing that comes to your table is not cutlery but a white plastic that gets put on the entire table. Then comes the plastic aprons and a series of tools that look like they came out of a mechanics tool box. And then comes the glorious, steaming hot buckets of seafood that gets dumped on directly to the table with all the sauces. We picked the Sailor’s Feast which is a sharing bucket for two packed with sea bass, prawns, cuttle fish and grilled corn. For this we had the Sambal Mayo and Chilli Tomato Concasse to dip in. To say the very least the food vanished before our eyes and before you could lick your fingers there came the Insane Shrimp Bucket with the Cheesy Sauce and the Reel Crabby Bucket with the Jaffna Curry Sauce. As if that wasn’t enough we also ordered a bucket of Flexing Mussels simply to try out the Famed Herb & Butter Sauce. Do not ask us to pick a favourite because we simply cannot! The sauces were all done perfectly and the seafood is fresh and light. The roast paan baked at the restaurant itself is perhaps the best accompaniment to soak in any of the gravies. Nothing is more satisfying than being “normal” and cracking open those crab shells and digging in to the succulent meat within. We will just leave it at that.
Once you are done with the monstrous meal, your table actually looks like a pretty mess (Refer the images) and you just sit there comprehending how you actually ate so much. Some people may think C.O.W is pricey but on the contrary we think the portions to share make it quite affordable. For the moment they do not do desserts and it’s not like anyone would have room left for much after that seafood feast!
So here’s our rating…
Location **** (Tucked away down Bullers Lane)
Ambiance **** (You may prefer to sit upstairs or outdoors)
Service **** (Excellent service with everyone knowing their stuff!)
Food ***** (Food was great… Experience was greater!)
Overall **** 1/4
Reviewed by #FoodiesSL
Price Range: Approximately 2,000 per head including drinks (Minimum)
Address: 4 Bullers Lane, Colombo 07.
Tel: 0766 388788