Resturant Review: Curry Bowl

Taste of Sri Lanka: Curry Bowl

By Affad Shaikh

I was discussing food with a friend of mine, and asked for something different, new, and unique- suggestion- Curry Bowl in Tarzana. More curries and basmati rice- being Pakistani, there is no need for “Indian” eats out when your Mom is the head chef.

Curry Bowl is not an “out of the ordinary” name, but it’s a new world- with sunsets along beaches, the tropics and a bag of distinct spices found in Sri Lanka. People often associate the Tamil Tigers, recent tsunami and possibly the thirty years of civil war, but Sri Lanka is an island nation off the southern tip of the Indian peninsula- colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and populated with two distinct groups- the Singhalese, Tamils, with a healthy Muslim minority.

Rukshan Pillai and his business partner Rajiv Lecamwasam assumed ownership of the restaurant four years ago. They have fostered the Sri Lankan atmosphere lost by years of war- harmony, inclusiveness and some incredible food.

Pillai says that most people approach Sri Lankan food as being an extension of Indian food which is a critical mistake; and he shares the joys of Sri Lanka, its food and people. Instead, as I found out, adventurism and a sense of so an open mind is necessary, because the curry here is nothing like Indian food and you might be disappointed if that is what you want.

One thing that Sri Lankan food shares with Indian food is how hot it can get- except here its more built in taste that is experienced as you chew- much like South Indian food from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. So beware of the food it’s all based on the “mildly medium hot” scale.

The meat is halal, but I tried the veggie dishes from the buffet. (Ask about the veggie dishes offered they are not on the menu).There are nine dishes to choose from in the buffet, and each day the dishes vary, so there is wide variety of choices on any given visit. One thing that is incredible is this banana bud sauté that is truly unique in flavor. The food has a stronger hint of cardamom, cloves, and coconut milk, creating a soothing aroma appealing to the taste buds.

Yes, much like Thai food, coconut milk is a staple ingredient; most meats are marinated in it before being cooked. But there are distinction, and these distinctions matter.

For instance one thing that is great is this light and pleasant dish referred to as “hoppers”. A decent description of hoppers is like vermicelli noodles often cooked in coconut milk, and eaten as a replacement to Indian Naan and/or basmati rice- either shredded and mixed with vegetables (prepared like rice) or made into small pancakes (like naan). Hoppers are light; to an extent bland-so they absorb the spice- and are not different.

If you heart is out for a bit more adventure, then I suggest two other dishes that are sure to knock your taste buds around: kottu roti and Lampries.

Kottu roti is a dry curry of your choice of meat mixed with carrots, hot peppers, bits of egg and chopped flatbread. With curry flavorings and roti bread diced in, the dish is much like a large dish of hash browns mixed with extras. The food is very rich and greasy and comes in large servings.

Lampries, is an amazing dish meant to take you into a state of awe- simple, tastier when kept over night and re-heated, this is the Sri Lankan answer to a TV dinner with class.

Lampries is prepared by wrapping a banana leaf around rice, chicken curry, eggplant and plantain curries, a couple of sambols (hot, sour, spicy coconut, there are three types you can also have for appitizers: Pol, Katta and Seeni Sombol, which I will leave for you to discover) and a fish cutlet and then is baked to mingle the taste. Whether eat hot, or taken home and re-heated it will be a dish that will keep you coming back to the Curry Bowl.

With no sea view like Columbo or Galle, the Curry Bowl does make up the Sri Lankan experience with the authenticity of the food and above all the love and care the owners place in the service. Prices are decent, and the ambience is mixed- but the center piece here is the food.

find the article in the November issue of Infocus