New York has it's share of rich ethnic neighborhoods; be it "Little Italy," "Little Korea," or "Little Odessa." But, did your realize that there is a "Little Sri Lanka" which is located on Staten Island, not far from the Staten Island Ferry? (approximately 5,000 in population.)  Most arriving in the early 1980's with the the breakout of the Civil War, which went on for nearly twenty-five years.There are five Sri Lankan restaurants on the island, but Lakruwana which opened five years ago is clearly the best - in it's fantastic Sri Lankan food, and amazing decor of the restaurant. 

The outside of of Lakruwana does not look like much.  However . . . open the door and you are transported to a world of calm and beauty.  The restaurant takes on a feeling of part Buddhist shrine, part Sri Lankan museum.  Stone walls, several statues of Lord Buddha, colorful masks, spears, roped back chairs.  Even the menu is a two foot wood carved piece of art. Everything in the restaurant, all the artistic ornate objects were transported from Sri Lanka.

The restaurant is named after this man, Lakruwana, and his story is fascinating.  Arriving in 1983 on the break of the Civil War he worked in a video store for several years, and then met his wife Jantha who was a chef at her father's restaurant in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital.  They opened a place in Manhattan (44th and 9th) for ten years, however a fire destroyed it, they regrouped and then opened in the current Staten Island setting. Jantha is the head chef at Lakruwana.

Lakruwana has a Brunch Buffet on the Saturday and Sunday, but I encourage you NOT to partake as the two most traditional and famous dishes are not on the Brunch menu.  (Hoppers and Lamprais) This is a photo of Hoppers, they are prepared from rice and flour and take on the texture of a crepe and shaped like a half bowl. Your order comes with four Hoppers, one which always contains a fried egg, and you have a choice of the following spicy curries; goat, mutton, chicken, beef, or prawn which you put inside the Hopper. (You got all that?) This is a food item that can be crazy crazy spicy hot if you ask for it. While I traveled Sri Lanka the heat was so searing that they serve shredded coconut "to cool it down.”

This is the other dish you MUST have, Lamprais. Sri Lanka is a country created out of many diverse ethnic groups and foreign exploration, and because of this there is influence from other nationalities on their cuisine. One prime example is Lamprais which has strong Dutch influences. Here you see it resting calmly wrapped up in a banana leaf. It actually looks quite lovely. But, then you slowly open it . . . 

Ah, when opening the leaf you are hit with the overwhelming fragrant aroma of all the flavors infused.  The banana leaf contains: basmati rice, eggplant curry, seeni sandal, sambol, fish cutlet, cashew curry, banana curry, blachan spicy shrimp paste, and your choice of either chicken, mutton, beef, or fish. I had the mutton. And on top, a hard boiled egg. The dish is so flavorful and such a different taste, totally unique to itself. This is one of my favorite food items in NYC, and if you dine here please make sure someone at your table has Lamprais.

Make sure you look on the side of the restaurant to see this colorful Sri Lankan mural. I did not see it when initially entered. The restaurant is not as difficult to get to as you may think.  When you exit the Staten Island Ferry, the bus either # 51 or # 76 are waiting outside and takes ten minutes. If you take a cab it is about a seven minute ride.  Lakruwana is clearly a "destination" restaurant, but one certainly worthy of a gastronomic pilgrimage!

Interesting Sri Lanka fact -  Sri Lanka is the largest exporter of tea in the world.

Speaking Sinhala - "Hello" (ayubovan)  "Thank you" (sthuthiyi)  "Delicious" (rasavata)

Address - 668 Bay Street Staten Island(347) 857 - 6619