VOC Cafe at Dutch Burgher Union

Being a multi-ethnic country Sri Lanka is blessed with a diverse and eclectic cuisine. Lamprais is one such product thanks to the diverse culture and communities in Sri Lanka. The Dutch Burgher community has carried on the cooking of traditional lamprais although now we get lamprais in almost every restaurant that serves lunch. However the usual lamprais that you will come across is often a greasy lunch packet which does not have the features of the authentic lamprais. So in case you are planning to enjoying a delicious lamprais the VOC cafe of the Dutch Burgher Union is one of the few places that offers the traditional and authentic lamprais in Colombo.

The VOC cafe has been in existence for the past twenty years and it is popular for its lamprais, the yellow rice and the black pork curry. The VOC cafe is located in the bustling Thunmulla junction in Colombo 4 and it can be found without much inconvenience. The lovely shade of the frangipani trees inside the cafe premises and the sweet aroma of the steaming rice will welcome you when you step into the VOC cafe. Lunch packets are available for takeaway, so it is crowded during lunchtime. By around two pm almost all the lamprais packets are over as it is the most sought after item in their menu.

The steamed rice cooked with stock smells great and makes you hungry just as you open the moist banana leaf in which the rice is wrapped. The lamprais is accompanied with sweet brinjal which is known as the brinjal pahe and it also includes prawn paste, cutlets, a fired egg,chicken pieces and seeni sambal (chopped onion cooked with chilli and caramelized sugar). The meal is both rich and filling and it is also available with the option of the mixed meat curry instead of chicken.