Jaffna is home to a unique culinary style. By combining an array of fresh seafood, meats, and a fine mix of spices, this Northern part of Sri Lanka creates some unbelievably rich delicacies and serves them up on a piece of banana leaf. This whole thing makes it an experience to be explored, and no other part of the country can match that.
But, did you know that there's a tiny piece of Jaffna in Colombo?
A Taste Of Jaffna In Colombo
With a history that runs back to the late '80s, Yarl Eat House is a well-known name in the Jaffna food scene in Colombo. Located down Station Road in Wellawatte, this hole-in-the-wall kinda establishment is definitely one of the best street-diners we've come across.
Even the most basic meal at the Yarl Eat House is offered on a piece of banana leaf, ladled with a whole bunch of elements. There's a generous helping of fluffy rice – Keeri Samba or Jaffna Red Rice, surrounded by four veg sides, rasam, papadum, fried fish, and the meat/seafood of your choice.
With this ensemble of curries and accompaniments, Yarl Eat House creates a strong, absolutely flavourful, but more importantly, a well-balanced flavour profile. Their meat and seafood curries land on the spicy side of the spectrum, but thankfully, the veg sides even things out.
There's a milky dal curry, a creamy brinjal curry, some nicely tempered onion-based fry, and an excellent potato fry, all contributing to shape up the overall flavour so brilliantly. Have a little sip of rasam in between for a tangy kick, that mingles around with a dose of cumin, pepper and garlic.
In terms of meats/seafood, Yarl offers quite a lot to choose from. Broiler chicken, curry chicken, mutton, prawns, cuttlefish, fish and crab – they've got something for everyone. 
The biggest highlight in the fray would be their Crab curry. Lavished with an aromatic blend of spices, these sizable sea crabs are succulent, fleshy and absolutely delicious. Make sure to dive into their giant claws. They're full of meat.
Yarl's dinner menu is super impressive too. Aside from the usual roti kottu, they serve string hoppers and pol pittu popped out from a traditional pittu bambuwa. You can accompany these with some tasty kiri hodi, pol sambol, dal curry and spicy vegetable mix curry.
What Else?
Yarl recently refurbished their premises to serve more customers. As of now, it can easily accommodate 40 people at a time. Even as a street-diner, they're maintaining a hygienic environment and a family-friendly vibe.
So, if you're in the vicinity, and craving for some authentic-style Jaffna food, swing by. They're delivering through PickMe Food and Uber Eats, and cater to takeaway orders as well. Call at 0112593905 for more details.
