“Where the croissants are legendary!”
Sheraton Colombo opened its doors on 30 December 2023, and since then, we have been counting our fingers till their bakery opened shop. So you can imagine our excitement when we got invited to check out the Ceylon Bake Shop (CBS)!
Ever tried a flat croissant? CBS has introduced a speciality range of flat croissants, assumingly the only ones in the country, to take Colombo’s coffee shop game by storm! Each flat croissant comes with your preferred choice of coffee, but our advice is to go with their recommendation for the perfect pairing.
If you’re not up for croissants, no worries! They have more delights to satisfy more than one craving. Read on for more!
MAINS
PASTRIES
Seeni Sambol Bun — LKR 410 (5/5)
The first bite is a deceiving sweetness that invites you to take a bigger bite. Then boom! The hit of the heat gets to you. The bun itself is very soft and filled to the brim with a fiery caramelised onion goodness. We recommend grabbing this bun with a sweet and cold drink if you’re in the mood for a quick fix.
Fish Bun — LKR 410 (4/5)
CBS has mastered the art of pillowy buns, and we’ve got no issues. The sweet aroma of spices, karapincha and other herbs, makes it an extremely flavourful filling with an abundance of fish flakes. If you favour the authentic masala flavour and curry leaves, this is perfect for you. Not to mention, the fish bun is considerably bigger than what you might find at your local bakery.
Devilled Chicken Pie — LKR 880 (4/5)
This is one of the yummiest chicken pies we’ve ever had (with the acidity of what seems to be tomato sauce being soothed by the ghee, that they might have used). The chunks of crispy chicken work well with the “thicccc” crust. Although the crust was a good base, the toughness did get a bit tiring to munch on. It didn’t stop us from grabbing a fork and eating the filling.
Vegetable Pie — LKR 880 (3/5)
The crust itself was once again a bit too thick and tough; the complete opposite of the filling, which was mushy and creamy. We did spot and taste carrots, broccoli and beans mixed in with heavy cream. The pie desperately needed a boost to zest up the palate, which is exactly what a little dab of Tabasco sauce did.
Sausage Puff — LKR 470 (4/5)
Crunchy, and flaky, we did make a bit of a mess when eating this, but god we have no regrets. Inside is a savoury mixture of sausage meat, which tips more towards peppery than spicy. The mixture’s seasoning is on point, although a slight greasiness lingers on the roof of the mouth. The amazing range of drinks they have available can sort that out for you in a pinch, FYI.
Butter Croissant —LKR 875 (4/5)
True to its name, the croissant is so flaky that you can see how generous they were with the butter. The pastry itself is airy and almost melts in your mouth. Portion-wise, we’d say it’s just enough to satisfy one person.
Chocolate Croissant — LKR 875 (3.5/5)
Just as flaky and airy, the dark chocolate is perfect to draw out the sweetness of the pastry. There were some disagreements about the pastry-to-chocolate ratio. Either way, this is a chocolate croissant that we can go for again.
FLAT CROISSANTS
Butter Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (5/5)
At this point, we know that CBS nails the technique for a buttery croissant, but the buttery flat croissants are ELITE. The pressed flaky layers add more crunch to the texture of the pastry and the thin dusting of icing sugar takes it up a notch. The croissant is big enough to share with others, but finding the self-control to share is a tough job.
Cheesy Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (3/5)
Served at room temperature, one end of the flat croissant comes topped with saffron-y yellow cheese and a sprinkle of herbs. The biggest tips we can give you are A) ask the staff to heat it for you before serving to get that cheese oozing up, and B) don’t let it sit out for too long, because the cheese-dipped end was a bit stale by the time we got around to eating it.
Almond Praline Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (4/5)
Chocolate and almonds are never a bad combo. The chocolate layer is so thick that with every bite you can hear it snap like a bar of chocolate. Unfortunately for the almond flakes, they were lost in the overpowering taste and texture of the chocolate. No one ever complains about having too much chocolate, but a bit more harmony with the nutty flavours would lift this up.
Note: We paired this with CBS’s Caffe Latte priced at LKR 874.
70% Dark Chocolate Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (4/5)
If you consider the chocolate-to-pastry ratio in this dish, once again, the chocolate trumps the flaky pastry. The dark chocolate coating carries a nice bitterness, that is intensified by the thin ribbons of dark chocolate used as garnish. It gets overwhelming quite fast, but you can simply alternate between the chocolate side and the plain croissant side for balance.
Chilli Chocolate Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (5/5)
The croissant and the white chocolate carry a sweetness that fools you completely before the spiciness from the chilli flakes gets you. As per the staff’s recommendation, we paired this with the CBS Iced Coffee (LKR 874) with no additional sugar. The sweetness of the croissant is all you’re gonna crave after a hit of that strong bitter coffee. Then when the chilli flakes get to you, lighting what feels like a fire in your mouth, the coffee calms it down, convincing you to take another bite. It’s a vicious cycle; call it an experience, because we loved it.
Citrus Berry Flat Croissant — LKR 1,800 (with your preferred choice of coffee) (3/5)
Visually the pastry looks stunning, with a pastel pink chocolate coating topped with pistachios and raisins, and another drizzle of the pink chocolate. Both citrus and berry flavours get buried deep in the chocolate layer. It was a sweet treat that looked and tasted great – it just didn’t deliver the delicate flavours promised in its name.
SWEET BAKES
Coffee Opera — LKR 1,145 (Slice) (5/5)
Rich chocolate ganache, coffee cream and a thin slice of the most moist sponge; you can’t go wrong with this. Both the ganache and the coffee cream carry a slight hint of bitterness that helps balance the overall sweetness of the cake.
Red Velvet Cake — LKR 875 (Slice) (4/5)
Red velvet cake can either be a hit or miss… but CBS’s one is a HIT! The cream cheese filling was tangy and so smooth in texture. Although the cake itself was a bit too dry for our taste, the velvety cream cheese covered any and all imperfections.
Baked Cheesecake — LKR 1,145 (Slice) (4.5/5)
We love a pretty cheesecake. CBS’s take of it has clean layers and comes topped with an acidic berry compote. The cheesecake is tangy but it also has a strong buttery taste, which might come as an unexpected surprise.
Macaron — LKR 155 (5/5)
I’ve personally never been a fan of macarons. Turns out, it’s because I’ve never come across one worthy of loving until now. CBS’s chocolate and berry macarons quite literally changed our perspectives of macrons. The light and nutty meringue-based cookies work amazingly with the sweet, tangy and somewhat sticky filling sandwiched in between. Don’t even think about sharing these bite-sized delights.
Doughnuts — LKR 405 (4/5)
CBS doughnuts come in two flavours; chocolate and vanilla, with ganache on top instead of as a creamy filling. These are not overly sweet or too dry. In fact, there’s a slight greasiness to the fried dough, which is what you can expect with a decent average doughnut.
Cookies — LKR 280 (5/5)
You know the tiny complimentary cookie you sometimes get on the side when you order a coffee? This is that, but bigger. Rather than a cookie, it gives the texture and flavour of a crumble. The taste of butter and sugar is hard to miss, although the cookie itself is not overly sweet. If you’re looking for a chewy cookie, this is not it. But to pair with a cup of coffee? Go right ahead.
DRINKS
Hot Chocolate — LKR 1,200 (5/5)
If you’re looking for a rich, creamy, thick hot chocolate, CBS has you covered. The bittersweet aftertaste cuts through making you want to go back for more. This steaming hot chocolate is filled to the brim of the cup, but still not convincing enough to share (‘cause we would rather not).
AMBIENCE
Even though CBS and the Sheraton lobby are separated only by a lattice, the coffee shop still manages its own cosy vibe (there’s nowhere else you’d rather be on a rainy day). The display case is filled with pastries of all kinds, and the wall of freshly baked bread behind the cashier almost feels like it’s a still from a movie. The seating space is quite limited, but they do offer a couple of different options including a long, tall table for a big group to gather.
The staff is friendly and always ready to help you whether it’s to take pictures or to recommend the daily specials and meal pairings.
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