Run by Siripala and his wife, Abacate is a tiny outfit in the Galle Fort that serves homemade, generous, delicious and cheap food and drinks.
The ambience is great, especially the outdoor seating area. Actually, that's the only seating area there is. We're not complaining. While we were there we saw a wedding shoot, various people from the Fort going about their lives, and Siripala himself interacting with his neighbors. A great quiet place to eat and watch daily life happen in the Fort.
Food
The Avocado Onion & Cheese Sandwich (Rs. 400) is nice and simple. Basically Avocado generously applied on a slice of cheddar cheese. The onions add texture and tanginess.
The Ham & Tomato Cheese Sandwich (Rs. 500) was similarly good. Everything was spread evenly through the sandwich, so you never get that wave of disappointment when you realize your friend has the half with all the ham in it.
Everything look like the stuff at home that your mother will make. No fancy embellishments and overpresentation on the outside. They all look like uniform slices of bread put together, until you put them in your mouth. This is something you taste with your stomach and not your eyes.
If you're a sucker for presentation though (hey those Instagram food pictures need it!) you'll be really happy with the pancakes. I put up a picture of them on the YAMU Instagram account and got more than 200 likes.
Besides looks, they also taste good. My favourite was the classic coconut. The treacle they used was a tad on the sweet side, but this could be a matter of preference.
At Rs. 250 a plate with two massive pancakes, this could be the best food deal the Fort has to offer.
Juice and Drinks
All natural and made with fresh fruit (Rs. 300). We tasted ours without sugar and they were perfect. The coffee (Rs. 120) was something else, home ground beans bought from a local plantation, Siripala knows his coffee.
Service
Siripala started the business three years ago and now runs it with his wife. He believes in making customers happy, "I want them to eat until their stomachs are full. We want them to be happy and for us to make a bit of money because of it".
He seems to have got his service proposition down pat.
Conclusion
Great food for ridiculously good prices. Abacate is a hidden gem. Please don't flock there in droves.
