Dining in Galle is an experience meant to be enjoyed solely on its own. There's no shortage of restaurants, be it fine dining joints, cafés, kadés, take out and whatnot. Thanks to its vast tourist audience, different cuisines play a huge role in the metaphorical achcharu that is Galle's culture and lifestyle.
I spent a weekend there, scoping out some interesting cafés and dropping in at old favourites. I've heard tons of recommendations on Dumplings Cafe, but didn't consider it a necessity until I got to the place.
The Ambience
This is quite literally, a tiny nook on Church Street. I would have walked right past it if I hadn't noticed how crowded it was. People hover around the area like flies, waiting to place their orders.
The café itself is super crowded and stuffy because the giant cook-station fills the place up with heat and humidity. They recommend you place an order to go, but if you insist you can sit at the steps like I did. No big.
The interior is decorated beautifully with vibrant hues, and leaves painted all over the walls. They haven't tried too hard to make it look good or neat, so the place has a nice, quaint feel.
The Service
The place is managed by a crew of Chinese folks who liven the place up by being super nice and interactive. The barista and the server are locals who'll happily take a photograph if you ask them to, and make small talk if you feel like being social. Orders are taken swiftly, and executed in a moment's notice so there's no waiting around to be done.
The Dumplings
Let's get down to it. The dumplings are absolutely fantastic! I loved them. Everyboy else loves them. You'll love them, too. They've got varieties of chicken, beef, prawn and vegetarian dumplings to pick and choose from. The chicken dumplings are red, beef is purple, prawn is white, and veg is green.
We decided on a portion of 8 dumplings (Rs. 980) and it came with two of each variety. The dumplings are served on banana flower petals and the sauces (chilli and soy) are served on leaves. 10/10 for presentation.
See? Amazing!
The dumpling shells are like pure silk. The dough is rich, thin and slides down the throat like water. The fillings are all prepared with the same recipe; but that's how it's supposed to be methinks. I'm not complaining.
The chilli sauce wasn't quite so spicy, but it provides a nice little zing to chase the dumpling down. Beautiful!
I didn't get to try it, but when you're here don't skip out on their coffee. People showed up in droves just to order the coffee, so I think it's safe to assume that it's good stuff.
Conclusion
I think I've found the best dumpling joint I've ever been to in Sri Lanka- in GALLE of all places. I really, truly hope they keep their quality consistent, because I want you guys to try it out as well. Try not to walk past the shop!
