Just when you thought the world had seen the end of the careers of two of cricket’s greatest gentlemen, they have returned for the next innings. This time though the on field batting maestros and off the field best friends have a whole new team playing a whole other ball game.
Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene together with their long-time friend, restaurant partner and culinary extraordinaire Dharshan Munidasa are credited for putting Sri Lanka on the world restaurant map with their now-world renowned Ministry of Crab. The Next Innings therefore has many connotations for the trio apart from the obvious cricket reference. It is their foray into a very different kind of restaurant, which they like to call a “sports lounge”.
Occupying the very first section of the Old Dutch Hospital Precinct (former Semondu), it’s hard to not take note of a giant sign that reads “For Players Only”. It is these tongue-in-cheek references to sport that really get your spirits on a high from the very first step you take in to what is now being dubbed Colombo’s longest bar. Surrounded by semi-secluded enclaves or bar stools for seating, the bar and the floor are manned by umpires/referees or any other name you would call the men who ensure there is no foul play. They’re all wired up and connected to a “third umpire” at the kitchens so that orders are swiftly executed. The interior walls are decked with some of pretty big screens which put on the day’s games from all corners of the world.
More than the screens though it was the sports metaphors in all the details that we really loved, like the “carom board” table top, the “dumb bell” table lights, the “tennis ball” reserved table indicators and even the names on the menu. The menu itself is called the Score Sheet while the drinks section is your First Innings and the food your Second. A live band plays out on the front terrace from Monday – Saturday, while upbeat music keeps you company indoors if a game is not on. To add to the chaos there’s the cheering and the jeering depending on which side you support.
Sudaraka who took our orders made some great recommendations on the menu and was more than happy to oblige us teetotallers during our visit. The menu at Next Innings indicates prices inclusive of all taxes so what you see is what you pay with no hidden taxes added on. Having said that a glance at the drinks menu told us that the pricing here for drinks is pretty decent. Scratch that, quite decent! We opted for a Small Island Iced Tea which is Peach Tea concentrate wit Soda and Lime that was quite refreshing and light. The highlight of the First Innings though was definitely the “Centella”. Made to Dharshan’s secret recipe this concoction of Gotukola and Thambili is healthy, refreshing and very Sri Lankan!
For our Second Innings of the day we chose Kade Paan Cheese Toast and Thin Skinned Patties with Mutton as the two “opening batsmen”. Now we were told that Dharshan has an obsession with kade paan or freshly-baked local bread and had a knife specifically designed to cut thin enough slices. Lathered in cheese and bits of green chilli this dish had all the elements combined for a perfect entrée. The patties get its name from the fact that the dough is rolled through a pasta roller before being stuffed with a spicy mutton curry. Hot Wings came out next and although labelled to be “hot” we found it to be more tangy than spicy. Served with a fresh pot of curd and onions, these wings need to be properly lathered in the white dip to get a burst of flavours.
Paying tribute to Sri Lanka’s favourite “short-eats” the “Bails and Balls” section of the menu is all about the rolls and cutlets. Bringing back some childhood memories we went with a Cricket Ball which was served in two halves to our table. A par-boiled egg with the yolk dripping over in every bite sits in the middle of this messy cutlet that also makes for a great culinary and dining experience. Here we must mention that one does not need to be prim and proper and use the cutlery. Just be yourself and dig in. We have extra points for the sauce that was served with the foot-long Hot Dog with its tangy, sweet spiciness all married together.
For mains we had to try a pizza that came out of the “cricket-ball themed” pizza oven and an old favourite that was on the menu under the “something new” section. Next Innings uses imported Caputo flour and our D.O.C was packed with fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil. The pizza though was probably the let down from everything we tried during our visit because it looked and tasted burnt.
Thank God for the saving graces of the Bone Marrow Curry. A whole pound of Kade Paan with its center scooped out had bone marrow curry (bones and all!) packed in to it. Again we unashamedly indulged and the empty bone shells with the marrow all scooped out and bread crumbs adorning our table were testament to how much we enjoyed this one.
You would think that after so much “batting” there would be nothing left for the tail-end of the line-up but Next Innings has a way of surprising you with their desserts. We had the Kade Paan (see the obsession!) French Toast and the signature Chocolate Cake. Personally for a big fan of French Toast the kadey paan really didn’t work because it left an oily aftertaste that didn’t sit well on my palate. I’m glad though that I saved the best for last and had the amazing chocolate cake to finish off our meal. I’m not really sure how to put in to words exactly what this chocolate cake did to me with its layers of rich, gooey goodness so I will save it for you to try out.
Next Innings also serves some of the favourites from its sister next door Ministry of Crab but we recommend that you try what’s unique to this place. With pricing that isn’t burning holes in your pocket, but service that is sky high we think this could soon become Colombo’s favourite watering hole. And then there’s the distinct possibility of bumping in to one of the three gentlemen responsible for putting this place together, which for some diehard fans might be reason enough to camp outside!
So here’s our rating…
Location ***** (At the heart of Colombo)
Ambiance **** (Love the sports metaphors in every little detail!)
Service **** (We always had great respect for umpires!)
Food **** (Lots of favourites!)
Overall **** ¼
Reviewed by #FoodiesSL
Price Range – 1,500-2,000 per person
Opening Times – 5pm – 2am daily
Address: Old Dutch Hospital, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Colombo 01.Telephone: 0775 624624