Top 10 dishes of Sri Lanka

Known for its “rice and curry” and Ceylon tea, the food in Sri Lanka claims its multi-cultural roots. Whether spicy and fragrant or sweetened with coconut, the exotic gastronomy gathers those looking for a different kind of cuisine. Here are my top ten, not to be missed dishes.

The best Sri Lankan breakfast

#1: Breakfast in Sri Lanka is generous and spicy. Both savory and sweet, it is usually composed of fresh fruit and shaved coconut pancakes named the Pani Bol. Absolutely delicious.

#2. The string hoppers may look like a funny vermicelli nest, but paired with dal curry, a soft lentil delicacy, they get eaten under a minute. Yum.

3#. Hoppers (no string attached this time) can also mean thin coconut milk crepes, served with dal curry or just simple cane sugar. Hard to keep from eating 10 in a row and ruin your appetite….

4#. The coconut roti, reminiscent of the Indian naan bread, can easily replace our Western toasts.

5#. I really loved the pol sambol pancake. Shaped like a bowl, it is made with coconut milk and is served with a sweet and spicy coconut hash. So delicious !

The famous rice and curry

6#. The famous “rice and curry” is the country’s national dish and thus the most popular in Sri Lanka. It comprises rice and dal curry, garnished with fish, meat or vegetables.

7#. Are you over rice and curry? Try a good biryani with shrimp or chicken. A welcomed change of flavor !

The Kottu roti, devilled chicken and lamprai

8#. Devilled dishes are an other popular speciality, and as you will taste, it’s all in the name… With rice and chicken or fish, they are extremely spicy. Sensitive palates beware !

9#. Kottu roti, also a traditional dish, has an impressive preparation process: All the ingredients are chopped together with large (and noisy!) metallic palets. Roti bread is finely mixed with vegetables, eggs, fish or chicken on a large stone hotplate. I loved it!

10#. Last but not least, lamprai, made of rice and vegetables cooked in a banana leaf. It reminds me of French West Indies recipes, inspired from Indian cuisine, that use the same cooking process.

Une petite soif ? 

A la mangue, à la papaye, au fruit de la passion ou à l'orange, les jus de fruits frais, crémeux et acidulés, n'ont pas de prix au Sri Lanka. Nous en avons fait une cure durant tout notre séjour. Pour une detox complète, j'ai testé différents thés verts, bien plus doux que le célèbre thé de Ceylan. Autre pépite à consommer sans modération, l'eau de coco. Pour s'amuser, nous faisions souvent des battles de coco pour voir qui finissait le sien en 1er. 

Amoureux de la bière, la meilleure est sans doute la Lion beer, douce et mousseuse. Pour aller crescendo en alcool, l'arrack fait plus de dégâts. A base de whisky local, il vaut mieux le boire mixé avec de la limonade. Pour le café, grosse déception, il est souvent soluble et sans goût. 

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5 restaurants where locals actually go in Guadeloupe

Refreshing, spicy, flavourful… Creole cuisine knows to honour its traditional roots while embracing modernity. Whether you fancy a trendy spot or rather eat with your feet in the sand, here is my selection of exceptional restaurants where you can sample the best of French West Indies food. 

1. An Tol La. The most traditional

In the heart of Carénage, the Point-à-Pitre working-class neighborhood, An Tol La serves the locals on their lunch break. This little hut faces the wharf and has quite a bit of charm. A select choice of local dishes made with fresh ingredients and flavored rum for when the sun sets. My favorite ? Grilled fish with kidney beans. Delicious!

An Tol La, Fouillole, 97110 Pointe-à-Pitre - Tél. : +590 (0)690 71 49 72

2. Le Vieux-Port. The cosiest

The Vieux Port has been constantly delivering on its promises since 1980. On the old harbour in Saint-François, the colourful hut sets an intimate mood, ideal for a date or a family dinner. Bernard and Odile, the establishment’s charming cooks, offer a refined and modern Creole cuisine. I try the classic chicken Colombo and a grilled dorado, both fresh and perfectly balanced. For dessert, I fell in love with their traditional coconut flan served with homemade caramel. This place is my go-to for a truly home cooked happy meal! 

Le Vieux Port, Rue Margagnan, (face au port de pêche), 97118 Saint-François - Tèl. : 05 90 88 46 60

3. Chez Henri. The most unfamiliar

Near the wharf on Saint Louis beach, the Marie-Galante born Henri offers modern French West Indies food in his namesake restaurant. My feet in the sand, I enjoy a feast of dorado fillo with local vegetables. At night, I come back for the “takeoff”, an aperitif of legendary iced rum accompanied by the sounds of live music. Definitely my favorite address of the island. 

Chez Henri, 8, Avenue des Caraïbes Saint-Louis, Marie Galante - Tèl. : 0590 97 04 57

4. Le Colombo. The most classic

The Colombo has been delivering the fleshiest and best-grilled lobsters of Grande-Terre since the seventies. Go to the Pointe-des-Châteaux, which faces the family-friendly Anse du Mancenillier beach to enjoy the most well-liked shellfish of the island. The Colombo is steeped in my childhood, and has no equivalent. A true legend !

Section la Coulée D 118, 97118, Saint François, Guadeloupe - Tèl. : +590 590 88-5738

5. Les dents de la mer. The most international food truck

Tuna tataki, gluten-free tacos, dorado fillets, fresh fish tartar…. These aren’t on the menu of some organic bistro, but are served in Les Dents de la Mer, a local food truck started by a pair of local thirty-somethings, . They definitely deliver, and also serve, with a winning smile, delicious fresh juices. Everything that I love.

Les Dents de la Mer, Rue Henri Becquerel, Baie Mahault, Guadeloupe - Tèl. : +590 (0)690 12-6689

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My absolute best breakfast in Brooklyn

From classic American pancakes to innovative Japanese tapas, discover my three favorite spots to enjoy breakfast in New York, all over Brooklyn.

1. The chic Milk and Roses

Milk and Roses offers original Italian-American fare in a revamped boudoir setting. A grand piano stands at the entrance, a cosy garden can be seen in the back courtyard, and bookcases filled with old folios line this charming Greenpoint intimate haven. For breakfast, I decide to sample their mascarpone French toast infused with lime and coconut, drizzled with sugar cane syrup. Delightful! On the savory side, I recommend the oven-baked brie fillo, with fennel, rosemary, honey and balsamic glaze. Don’t walk there, run !

Milk & Roses, 1110 Manhattan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11222 - Phone : (718) 389-0160

2. The healthy Stonefruit

The Stonefruit coffee shop is a typically confidential New-York address tucked away in Bed Stuy. It offers selected and healthy breakfast options that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Their Chia Pudding, bathed in luscious almond milk, cinnamon and maple sugar, hold its ground on a bed of seasonal fruit, pecans, coconut and pumpkin seeds. I also tried the lavender tea latte, which I found hard to resist !

Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen, 1058 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205 - Tèl. : (718)230-4147

3. The creative Hokonomi

Dans une ruelle calme de Williamsburg, Hokonomi propose une formule unique pour un petit-déjeuner décalé dénommé "Ichiju", un style traditionnel de mets japonais. Cette formule de tapas est composée de riz à sept grains, servi avec une soupe miso, un poisson rôti, des légumes et un œuf. Un véritable voyage dans le temps. Un must !

Hokonomi, 150 Ainslie St, Brooklyn, NY 11211 - Phone : 718-302-0598

4. The french Once upon the tart

Behind its wood-encased window adorned with fresh fruit and vegetable, Once Upon A Tart boasts to sell French pastries supposedly as good as the ones you can find in their motherland... Let’s see if that is true! Scones, muffins, carrot cake and beautiful fruit tarts line the display, and it is all very tempting… These delicacies are born from the mind of Jerôme Audureau, a baker from Avignon in the south of France. I fall for a cherry and pecan tart and a creamy chaï latte: Delicious! However, buyers beware: Quality has a cost in New York… and the pastries are quite pricey.

35 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012 - Phone : +1 212-387-8869

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