Wednesday, March 16, 2011

RESTAURANT: Flavour of Ceylon

Sri Lankan cuisine is severely underrated in Sydney. While cuisine from their like-minded brethren India and Malaysia is well regarded, the poor Sri Lankans don't get the same love. Granted, a lot of it is because of the severe lack of Sri Lankan restaurants in Sydney, BUT STILL!!!!!

How can you not love it? Take the almost undefeatable Indian foods that every human on the Earth loves and inject some flair from the likes of Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries and you have amazing, spicy food with spectacular depth and freshness. It's food that is both lively and deep at the same time.

And so I find myself at a place called Flavour of Ceylon in Parramatta on my lunch break.

Let's be honest, the decor is so far outdated I'd feel like a dirty old man for giving Betty White a kiss on the cheek (is she even alive?) if I took her there on a date when the paint was last dried.

But the food. Fuck me, the food.

The lamb vindaloo is a great vindaloo. The black pepper curry was as close to a revelation as I was going to get on that day. Until I came to the EPIC spring hopper biryiani--a mix of spring hoppers (Google them), meat, vegetables, sauce, spice, nuts, fried dried anchovies, and more. The egg kohtuu was dry on that day, but still quite good.

Service was friendly, but all that matters here is the food. How do you beat massive portions of excellent food? And my massive portions, I mean MASSIVE. For three starving guys we got 4 dishes with rice, and we had at least a dishes worth left over. If you only got a main you'd feel full. And they also have a cheaper lunch menu which looks like good value. Though, if I'm being honest, not as pretty as the menu offerings.

So don't come here for decor or service or any of that rubbish. Come here, order off the menu, resist the temptation to order something Indian-sounding and order something you haven't had before, eat it, wash it down with a bottle of their Sri Lankan ginger beer or BYO some light red wine (pinot noir says hi) and, by all means, enjoy the hell out of it.

I just wish it wasn't in Parramatta. Food this good shouldn't be hidden so far away.


RATING: Will return to [?]


Flavour of Ceylon on Urbanspoon

4 comments:

Mel said...

Glad you discovered this place for me...and I'm glad it's in Parramatta as it's my home turf (us Westies need some good eats, yo)! Will try the spring hoppers for sure when we vist.

Ben said...

Yeah there are a few little gems and and around Parra.

Have you got any favourites? I'm running out of interesting looking places to try at lunch.

Mel said...

Hmmm, we've not lived in the area for long but I do like Pho Pasteur on Church Street, Sushi Bay (outside Westfield - basic, but tasty sushi train),Chilli Jam on Church Street for Thai. My brother likes the greek place on Phillip St (I think). I've heard good things about Johnny's Cafe, Hong Fu, Temasek. You could always walk to Harris Park and try Indian. The council actual put out a dining guide of all the restaurants in the area...it's really good. Happy eating!

Ben said...

Cool. Thanks.

Yeah Hong Fu is good. Some really good dishes there.

There's another Chinese place on George st that, while hit and miss, is capable of very good things. Forget the name. It has signs on the window saying 'Chinese Favourite Dumpling' or something, but the sign outside is for some sort of cafe.

Hyderabadi House is nice for Indian (average decor but really good, simple food).

There's a bakery in the arcade on Church st mall that is INCREDIBLE too.

Oh, and Cafe Beirut in some arcade between Church st and George st (where the big liquor store is on Church st) does a good and cheap felafel roll.