PARADISE INTRODUCES A NEW AUTUMN MENU

Paradise restaurant, located in the heart of London’s Soho, unveils a new roster of autumnal dishes this October, showcasing hyper-seasonal ingredients through bold Sri Lankan traditions and techniques. The update comes on the heels of a recent refurbishment and revamped menu, evolving toward a tasting menu format along with the launch of Paradies, a special Riesling wine made in collaboration with Modal Wines and Staffelter Hof.

New dishes on the food menu lean on the interplay between Sri Lankan and British ingredients. Paneer and Hampshire Tunworth, a delightful joining of South Asian and British cheeses, is reimagined in a cream with a sweet pink guava jam, and a coconut roti crisp. Kiri-hodi, a beloved Sri Lankan coconut milk gravy, is given a refresh with a seared hand-dived Orkney scallop and native lobster cooked with preserved wild garlic oil, accompanied by a coconut kiri-bath and quail’s egg hoppers to mop up the gravy at the end.

Answering the call for spice, an Isso roti is served at the midpoint of the menu, stuffed with a fiery coconut sambol and prawns, cooked directly on the charcoal to help puff up the dough. Then, a Mas Curry, a traditional meat curry made with ex-dairy beef and a Kandyan-style sunflower seed curry, served alongside a southern-style turmeric and saffron dahl. To the diners’ delight, the Paradise team will also introduce an off-menu Paan - usually served before the mains as a take on a traditional bread and butter course. Made with British quinoa, the crisp, dumpling-style mouthful is accompanied by a whipped lime pickle butter for dipping. Diners will end the meal on a sweet note with Mihiri - a peppermint, cinnamon and clove tea cream served with the Paradise house Nuwera-Eliya tea blend.

Paradise’s six-course menu, priced at £65, offers diners a two-hour experience, with the option to add a unique and thoughtful wine pairing for an additional £43 per person. Guests can choose from ‘land’, ‘sea’, and vegetarian options for lunch and dinner, with time-honoured techniques threaded throughout; from heritage claypot cooking to marination with in-house spice pastes, delicate steaming to slow braising in coconut milk.

Also launching in October is Paradise’s exclusive collaboration wine with Modal Wines. Paradies, a special Riesling, sourced from Germany’s Mosel region, and a labour of love between the restaurant and winemaker Staffelter Hof. With notes of ripe pear, honeysuckle, and citrus, the wine’s bright acidity and gentle sweetness makes it the perfect pairing for the flavours used throughout the Paradise menu. Bucking the convention of drinking a beer with spice, the wine will be available from the end of October, on the drinks list, pairing and for off-sales.

The new additions to the menu come courtesy of Paradise’s Founder & Creative Director, Dom Fernando, who has meticulously crafted an experience that honours his family's own recipes while embracing Sri Lanka’s Portuguese, Malay, South Indian, and Dutch influences. Born in London to Sri Lankan parents, Dom spent his school holidays exploring Sri Lanka, where he was captivated by the vibrant street food and his grandmother's culinary prowess, both of which remain woven into the fabric of each Paradise dish.

Of the new dishes and drinks, Dom says:

“More than ever, I’m passionate about highlighting both British and Sri-Lankan ingredients - but with an eye on the future. I’m really keen to showcase our new brand of modern Sinhalese cuisine and beverage programme that blends authenticity and innovation with like minded producers. I think our new autumn menu shows how flavours can contrast and how produce can help bridge food cultures.”

The restaurant accommodates twenty six guests with plush leather banquettes and handcrafted wooden chairs, while a stone countertop, seating up to six, anchors the room. This setup offers diners an intimate view of the kitchen and bar, echoing the charm of a traditional Wallawa—the residence of an aristocrat in historic Colombo.

For more information please contact Jess Wragg at jess@gemmabellandcompany.com