The lunu miris; a spicy sambol that gives your food that extra edge and amplifies the taste of the food it accompanies. We believe that the Lunu Mirisa is aptly named because, at our visit to this restaurant, they were able to captivate us with that extra edge that they possess, and swept us off of our feet!
The Food
Served in a nelum kole of whatever curries we choose, the lunch we had at Lunu Mirisa was simply delicious. In possession of a large array of curries that will keep you captivated, we went for the Chicken Rice & Curry (Rs. 230) and Fish Rice & Curry (Rs. 250).
At that price, the rice at Lunu Mirisa is a steal. Instead of providing the dish with a twist, the Lunu Mirisa makes sure they stick to the orthodox recipes, and they make sure they do a solid job of it.
The Chicken Rice we opted for, we chose the red rice, which was in itself a manifestation of satisfying. The rice, perfectly warm, was the perfect balance between wet and dry and went well with the curries.
The signature lunu mirisa tasted spicy and had the constituents of a perfect lunu mirisa. The bitter gourd, sliced, the manioc, soft and mellow flavoured, the dhal, prepared more as a paste rather than gravy, was flawless.
The chicken curry too was delectable, while the meat is juicy and succulent. The mango chutney that accompanied the rice was one of the best renditions we’ve had, with the fleshy part still intact and yet soft to bite through.
The helping of the white pol sambol we received had a dash of nai miris, that made it so much better, and gave it that additional zing. The soya meat, a treat on its own, was oozing with great flavour.
For the Fish Rice & Curry, we went with white rice, which was also perfectly prepared, fluffy and fabulous, along with the beans, slender and zesty, dambala, pumpkin (it’s October!) and green gram. The pumpkin was mushy and had an earthy flavour, just the way we like it, and the green gram was consisted of sprouts, hence a twist on the usual green gram, plus, massive bonus health points. The fish curry too was perfectly prepared, and consisted of the least amounts of bones as possible.
The only flaw we could visibly identify was that the papadam was almost, wilted, but then again, that is something unavoidable after all.
Ambience and Service
The Lunu Mirisa has been designed to resemble a small village hut. Having around 4-6 tables, keep in mind that it can get slightly crowded during peak hours. A few simple paintings adorning the wall, they do not necessarily complete that feel of a village-ish hut, but are certainly near immaculate.
They have a steady string of people coming in during the peak hours, and their staff were quick on their feet, not allowing anyone to wait for too long, and manage to squeeze in a brief, welcoming smile.
Conclusion
A great place to have some amazing, proper Sri Lankan rice and curry that will tantalise your taste buds and keep you sated for the rest of the day, and it’s totally value for money too: sky-high!