Middle Eastern cuisine with a touch of family history

First started in 2015 in the heart of Galle Fort at what used to be their Grandfather’s law chambers, ‘Chambers at Park Street Mews’ is the second branch of one of Sri Lanka’s best and most authentic Middle Eastern restaurants.

The restaurant builds on the proprietors’ collective experiences of living in the Middle East for over two decades and distills them into the colourful, personally-curated decor and the authentic menu comprising of popular Moroccan and Lebanese dishes, made meticulously using ingredients and spices specially sourced from the Middle East, with the love and care only a family can provide!

 

The Appetisers

Cheese Sambousek – Rs. 1,090 (4/5)

This traditional Lebanese fried pastry dish is a pocket of deliciousness, stuffed to the brim with a blend of cheeses and sumac, served with a spicy and rich ‘harrara sauce’ on the side. Despite all the adjectives and ingredients saying otherwise, the dish was delightfully light, with delicate flavours that served as a perfect vessel for the boldness of the harrara sauce.

 

Hummus – Rs. 980 (4/5)

A classic hummus that was both fresh and light. As far as hummus goes, this may be my favourite one at a restaurant, which was infused (rather generously, I may add) with olive oil and tahini.

 

Muhammara – Rs. 1,110 (5/5)

This cold mezze was boldly marked as a signature dish on their menu, and it was easy to see why. As the menu promises, this fiery-looking orange dip was filled with the smokey taste of the sweet red pepper, perfectly complemented by the richness of the walnuts, along with the sweetness and tanginess of the pomegranate molasses incorporated into it. This was easily my favourite appetiser from their menu.

 

The Mains

Mini Maqlouba – Rs. 2,600 (4/5)

Having only seen the large family-style maqloubas taking over entire tables all across social media, seeing this personalised mini maqlouba on a single plate was a treat! The flavourful spiced rice layered with fried potatoes, onions, peppers and eggplants, served with a beautifully crisped piece of fried chicken and a tangy-and-spicy ‘daqoos’, makes this an ideal dish to satisfy one’s rice cravings with an authentic Middle Eastern twist.

 

Baghdadi Kebab – Rs. 5,700 (4/5)

This kebab takes a step back with the herbs and spices, and lets the meat speak for itself; and it well and truly does! The flavours of the mutton take center stage, especially in the Australian mutton version we opted for. The herbs and spices in the kebabs, as well as the subtle flavours of the accompanying garlic dip and saffron rice, play their roles complementing the meat perfectly.

 

Harissa Tagine – Rs. 2,550 (5/5)

Tagines are traditional Moroccan stews, slow-cooked and served in beautiful, artisanal clay pots. We opted for the harissa chicken variant; featuring soft and succulent pieces of chicken spiced with the hot chilli harissa sauce, served on a bed of perfectly cooked couscous, aromatic vegetables and olives. The time and effort put into building the bold Moroccan flavours of this dish made this tagine the best dish we had during our visit! It is also important to note that the Chambers is the only restaurant in the city that serves these authentic Moroccan dishes.

The Desserts

Baklava – Rs. 1,200 (3.5/5)

This authentic and decadent traditional dessert features a mix of nuts layered through phyllo pastry soaked in sugar syrup, sprinkled with crushed pistachios. While it was slightly dense with the pastry, the flavours of the nuts and sugar syrup shone through.

 

The Drinks

Mint and Lime Crush – Rs. 850 (3/5)

A drink that’s relatively self-explanatory, lime juice and mint were blended into a minty and sour concoction that helped reset our palate during our meal.

 

Peach Riki – Rs. 890 (4/5)

A super-sweet drink made with peach syrup and orange juice, this was a simple yet fun drink to amp up our meals with a sweet kick.

 

Moroccan Tea – Rs. 610 (4/5)

Made by steeping dry mint and gunpowder tea in hot water, this delicate tea was the perfect drink to end our meal, easing our palates after all the beautifully bold flavours we experienced throughout our meal.

The Ambience

The restaurant is a cozy establishment tucked away at the edge of the Park Street Mews walkway between Uncle’s Bar and Monsoon Colombo. Adorned with beautifully coloured ceramics, brassware and paintings that were carefully curated by the owners themselves from the Middle East, the setting of the restaurant serves as a delicate kaleidoscope of colour, same as it does with the flavours featured in its menu.

Whether you’re sitting on the ground floor or the upper mezzanine, the beautiful works of art conservatively placed throughout the space will surely remind you that you are in a space that’s authentically Middle Eastern.

 

Notes

• The restaurant is very vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
• If the menu intimidates you, take a moment to speak to the staff. They are all well-informed with regards to the ingredients used in each dish and will be happy to help you navigate their menu with ease.
• If you’re in the mood to share, or going there with a group, be sure to check out their platter options, which seemed to be a hit with their regular guests.
• While we believe that being bold with your orders will be rewarding at the Chambers, the menu has some options that most diners will find familiar, and they won’t let you down, including their two impressive rice dishes, shawarma and hummus.
• While the menu features some imported meat options for a few select dishes, the locally sourced meat options would be just as good (and more wallet-friendly), but the overall flavour will be slightly different.
• For our more social media savvy users, note that the tagines, the mini maqlouba, the sharing platters and moussaka will look impressive on the ‘gram!

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