Andy Mossack reviews Columbo Kitchen Putney, fast becoming a legendary neighbourhood Sri Lankan restaurant.
Restaurant owner and executive chef Sylvia Perera was conspicuous by her absence which was a shame as I was looking forward to meeting her. “Not around tonight?” I asked as we made our way in. “Not tonight, she’s helping out over in our Worcester Park restaurant, they’re a little short-handed”.
Well, that’s fair enough and just goes to show what it takes to run a family-managed business. You just have to roll up your sleeves and pitch in.
Sylvia’s pathway to her two-restaurant empire began with her much-loved Kotthu Kart street-food stall in St James’s Church Courtyard’s Piccadilly Market which still pulls in the lunchtime crowds. It was then just a matter of time before hitting the neighbourhood restaurant scene with her first Columbo Kitchen in Worcester Park in 2019 and following that up with the Putney outpost in 2024.
As she admitted in a recent interview “Sri Lankan cooking has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching my Aunty Nanda prepare the dishes that defined our home, from fresh coconut ground on the stone to spices roasted each afternoon. When I opened my first restaurant, it felt like a way to honour the flavours I was raised with. To now cook these dishes for guests in London, from hoppers and kottu roti to our coastal curries, is something I feel incredibly proud of”.
And, true to her roots, all the spices and curry powders are still ground by stone in both kitchens.
Columbo Kitchen Putney is right on Upper Richmond Road, Putney’s ever-growing multi-cultural eating street. And, like its older sibling, its open kitchen is the first thing you’ll spot as you walk in, watching hoppers and kottu rotis being prepared freshly to order.
I have to say, there is a real family feel to the restaurant which I picked up the minute I walked in, even though Columbo Kitchen stretches across three floors. On the main floor a well-stocked bar took up a hefty amount of space whilst through floor to ceiling glass at the far end I spotted an outdoor terrace which would be perfect for warm summer outdoor dining. But not for this particularly blustery May evening.
We kicked off with some hoppers, traditional Sri Lankan breakfast street fare. Delicious fermented and freshly fried bowl-shaped rice flour pancakes which are delightfully dry as opposed to a typically ghee-laden Indian naan. An egg hopper (£6) and a plain one (£5.25). Both came with three chutney sides – caramelised onion, coconut, and a fiery chilli.
I have to say they were truly delightful and took me straight back to the back streets of Columbo.
We were definitely in the mood for some spicy dishes, and the next plate of devilled chilli paneer (£11.95) hit that particular spot. As did the aubergine moju, (£13.95) a bowl of tangy aubergines topped with an onion pickle.
On to mains now and we picked out two curries that appealed to both of our palates. Negombo black pork curry (£15.50) a traditional one-pot curry which gets its black and smoky flavour from dry toasting curry powder and spices until it all darkens. The pork was full-flavoured and deliciously soft to eat.
The Ceylon chicken curry (£15.50) is a Sri Lankan classic. Moist chicken pieces in an onion and curry powder sauce with a touch of tamarind for a tangy finish.
By now, a steady influx of locals meant the open kitchen was going full steam ahead, and it was pretty clear to me Columbo Kitchen Putney has fast become a neighbourhood favourite.
Despite the obvious attraction of various sweet hoppers for our final flourish, we plumped instead for sharing a dish of fried honey pineapple with vanilla ice cream (7.50). The hot caramelised pineapple with a sprinkle of cinnamon was a perfect foil to the cold ice cream and for us, the ideal palate cleanser.
Columbo Kitchen Putney is a welcome addition to Sylvia’s growing restaurant empire, and it remains to be seen if it can make it to the heady heights of Michelin standards, a level which the family is aspiring to achieve.
I suspect, it will not be too far off.
Tell me more about Columbo Kitchen Putney.
Columbo Kitchen Putney, 240 Upper Richmond Road SW15 6TG.
T: 0203 3372249 E: hello@colombokitchen.co.uk
