Colombo has a new entrant to its Italian food scene with Amari Colombo opening the doors of Prego Colombo, the first South Asian outlet of the Prego chain of restaurants headed by Chef Marco Boscaini, whose culinary journey spans decades and continents.
From its humble beginnings in Thailand in 1996 to its arrival in Sri Lanka, Prego has become a celebrated name in Italian dining, serving over 300 guests daily at some of its locations.
Prego’s first outlet was established in Bangkok under the Amari brand. With its success, a second location opened on Koh Samui island in 2003 as a standalone restaurant. Since then, Prego has expanded to Pattaya and Phuket, consistently upholding its reputation for traditional Italian cuisine made with care and passion.
“We didn’t expect so many people to enjoy Prego when we started, but after 21 years, it’s become an international brand,” Chef Marco shared with The Sunday Morning Brunch, reflecting on the restaurant’s evolution.
Chef Marco’s culinary inspiration stems from his childhood in Milan. Growing up in his grandmother’s trattoria, he was immersed in the art of traditional Italian cooking from an early age.
“Opening Prego Colombo is not just exciting; it’s a personal achievement. It’s a chance to bring my grandmother’s recipes to a new audience, to share my passion for Italian food, and to teach Sri Lankan chefs the skills behind these dishes.
“I would come home from school and my grandmother would be in the kitchen, making homemade pasta, bread, and pizza,” he recalled, adding: “I grew up with food and knew from a young age that I wanted to be a chef.”
The recipes at Prego are drawn from his grandmother’s handwritten cookbook, a treasure trove of culinary tradition that he has adapted slightly to suit modern tastes.
“My grandmother gave me her recipe book and I still conserve it,” Chef Marco noted. “There are about 20 recipes that I’ve kept to myself – maybe one day, after I retire, I’ll open my own trattoria and share them.”
A focus on coastal Italian cuisine
The menu at Prego Colombo emphasises coastal Italian cuisine, a lesser-known aspect of Italian gastronomy that highlights fresh seafood and light, balanced flavours.
“When people think of Italian food, they think of pizza and spaghetti,” Chef Marco explained. “But that’s only 10% of Italian cuisine. It’s popular because that’s what immigrants served the most when they first moved to the US. We have 7,000 km of coastline, with dishes centred around seafood, vegetables, and healthy Mediterranean ingredients.”
Prego Colombo sources many of its ingredients directly from Italy, including cheeses and meats, to ensure authenticity. However, Chef Marco also emphasises the importance of using fresh local produce.
“For example, if I’m making a seafood risotto, the prawns come from Colombo’s beautiful coast. The recipe is Italian, but the seafood is fresh and local,” he said.
A menu that honours tradition
Prego Colombo’s menu is a celebration of Italian culinary heritage, offering a range of dishes that cater to diverse palates. During our sit-down with Chef Marco, Brunch had the opportunity to try several standout items, each reflecting the meticulous care and attention to detail that Chef Marco brings to his cooking.
We started off with seafood pizza, served piping hot, and yes, while pizza is known as a mainstay of Italian cuisine, Chef Marco’s rendition boasted subtle flavours with the seafood taking centre stage instead of tomato sauce.
The meal proper then started off with burrata, a luxurious fresh cheese made from mozzarella that is filled with a creamy, rich centre of stracciatella, offering a delicate and milky flavour profile and paired with fresh tomatoes.
This was followed by a global classic, spaghetti bolognese, which also boasted subtle flavours to create a delicate dish.
Then came Chef Marco’s ultimate specialty, the risotto. Chef Marco’s risotto has earned international acclaim and it’s easy to see why. His risotto alla montanara (a recipe of his own devising) was included in a New York publication’s list of the top 100 risottos in the world. While we did not taste this risotto, we did get to sample his risotto gamberi (risotto with prawns and roasted cherry tomatoes), which was a treat.
“The trick to a good risotto is in the rice,” Chef Marco explained. “Italian short-grain rice is starchy, which makes the dish creamy. When I cook risotto, I’m with the dish – I feel it as I move the pan.”
The coastal Italian journey then flowed into the filetti di spigola (pan-roasted sea bass fillet with pumpkin mash and butter caperberry sauce) which will definitely delight fish lovers. Delicately pan-roasted till the skin becomes crispy, the flavour of the fish comes through beautifully and the pumpkin mash complements it perfectly.
No meal at Prego would be complete without tasting the tiramisu, a dessert that Chef Marco holds particularly close to his heart. Made with his grandmother’s recipe and his own coffee liqueur, it was a sublime end to the meal.
“My grandmother made one of the best tiramisus and I’ve kept her recipe unchanged,” he said. “It’s a way of keeping her memory alive. I make the coffee liqueur myself just like she used to.”
The Prego experience
Dining at Prego Colombo is more than just a culinary experience – it’s a journey through Italy’s rich gastronomic heritage. The restaurant’s ambience, with its warm lighting and elegant décor, sets the stage for a memorable meal.
Chef Marco’s commitment to authenticity is evident not only in the food but also in the overall dining experience. The menu is complemented by a selection of fine wines and house-made liqueurs, including limoncello and arancello, which are served as digestifs.
As Prego Colombo opens its doors, Chef Marco is eager to welcome diners and share the flavours of Italy with a new audience. “I’m proud to be in Colombo,” he said. “The city has surprised me with its beauty and the kindness of its people. It’s a privilege to bring Italian cuisine to the heart of Sri Lanka.”