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Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Generally Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka which comprise about 70% of the country’s population are traditionally inclined towards vegetarianism or semi – vegetarianism in their dietary habits.
Even among those who consume flesh food, Beef is excluded in as much as Muslims exclude Pork from their meals. It is commonplace now a days to see an increasing number of Restaurants even ones owned by Muslims refusing to serve both Beef and Pork to customers out of respect for their religious sensitivities.Vegetarian restaurants have been there in Sri Lanka, over a long period of time. But they are mostly owned and run by Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and Indian Hindus, serving mainly South Indian Food. This predisposition is now being gradually broken with Sinhalese entering into the Vegetarian niche market.
The latest entry into the Vegetarian scene in Colombo is a Restaurant, modest in size, situated at the Ground Floor of the huge new multi – storied Buddhist Cultural Centre also known as the Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mandiraya, near the Thummulla Junction at No. 32, Havelock Road (re- named as Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mawatha) Colombo 05.
Named as the ‘Paradise Vegetarian Food Court’ (a concept of the founder of the Buddhist Cultural Centre, namely, Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Nayake Thero to promote vegetarianism as a meatless healthy dietary alternative to flesh food consumption that is increasingly being suspect as the source of major human illnesses) this new restaurant provides pure vegetarian food including eggless cakes, short eats, rice and curry, and a host of fresh fruit juices including umbarella, water melon, divul, and tamarind at reasonable prices.
A friendly staff serves freshly cooked vegetarian food to an increasing number of patrons. The contact person for any inquiries on this new venture is Mr. N. Jayawantha, Telephone: (011) 2580 006 or (071) 658 3333 (mobile).
