KAIYŌ - modern food and bar — Restaurant in Weligama

We recently had an extraordinary dinner at Kaiyo Sushi Bar, and it turned out to be a true culinary experience. From the moment we walked into the restaurant, it was clear that we were in for a treat.

Reservations are recommended, as they prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring an intimate dining experience. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a hostess with a warm smile. When we inquired about the restaurant’s specialties, the manager mentioned that while a sake-based cocktail wasn't on the menu, the head bartender, Alexandra, would create something special for us. Alexandra joined us shortly after, and her warm and friendly demeanor made us feel instantly at ease.

We entrusted her with crafting our drinks, and I have to say, it was the best cocktail I’ve had in ages. The drink featured beautiful notes of Osmanthus and a 20-year-old Chinese wine that Alexandra had brought back from Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 event. It was incredibly generous of her to use such a rare ingredient. Throughout the evening, Alexandra interacted with us several times, impressing us with her talent and deep knowledge of mixology.

As for the food, we ordered three rolls:

Prawns with Mango Sauce Beef, Prawns, and Chinese Mayo Tartare Tuna with Truffle Dressing

Each dish was fantastic, and I’m glad we took the recommendations because everything on the menu looked so tempting. The portions were generous, and the presentation was beautiful. The ingredients were mostly local and exceptionally fresh, complemented by high-quality Japanese products where necessary. The rice was cooked to perfection, and I was particularly impressed with their homemade ginger pickle.

For dessert, we ordered two homemade Mochis—one with Mango and the other with Papaya. They were fresh, flavorful, and quite large; in hindsight, one would have been more than enough. I also tried one of their signature drinks, Zakuro, which was beautifully presented with dried rose and had refreshing notes of ginger, lime, and pomegranate mixed with rum.

Overall, we are thrilled we chose to dine at Kaiyo. The kitchen team did an outstanding job, and the restaurant itself is stunning. It’s definitely worth the money! We highly recommend Kaiyo if you find yourself in Weligama, especially for a romantic night out. Don't miss out on this amazing...

My boyfriend took me to have lunch to this out of the box restaurant compared to other places we have visited in the south of Sri Lanka and even in Colombo. Very nice interior and decoration, music was also good. We were welcomed with a small shot of mix juice that honestly it doesn't look good because of the green - yellowish color but it tasted good after all 😅... No beer even they have alcohol license 👎 and we really like our sushi with beer, so I suggested my boyfriend to try soju, we ordered 2 different kinds and both were good, but we liked more the hakutake shiro. The cucumber salad was a very small portion taking in count that the main ingredient is very cheap, taste wise, it was acceptable. The nigiri set was ok but the cut of the fish had some muscle tissue hard for chewing, so my best advice will be to cut it properly or to make smaller nigiri that you can fit in your mouth in one bite, the best one surprisingly was the tuna nigiri. The miso soup was great, earthy flavors, lots of seaweed, shitake mushrooms, tofu and rice noodles. And to finish the tuna creamy jalapeño was really good, but we didn't taste any...

If you're looking for a dining experience that's a cut above the rest, look no further.

The sushi here is truly innovative, with unique flavor combinations that are a delight to the palate. Every bite was an explosion of freshness and creativity, and you can tell the chefs put a lot of thought into their craft.

The cocktails were equally impressive. They were refreshing, unique, and expertly balanced. Each one we tried was more delicious than the last, making for a truly memorable cocktail experience.

While Kaiyo might be a bit pricier than your average Weligama eatery, the quality of the food and drinks, combined with the beautiful ambiance, makes it worth every penny. Only negatives are that it can get warm at times with the air conditioning (or lack of) and they accept only cash (at least when I went). This is the perfect spot for a special occasion or a romantic night out. I can't recommend...