The Galle Fort's a rather expensive place, with next to no budget friendly options except for the petti-kadeys. A couple of broke friends and I were lurking around looking for aforementioned petti kadeys or reasonable looking places to dig into something, when we stumbled upon the YMBA which houses a rotti kadey and a few fabric stores. The prices were displayed outside, and as soon as we saw that there was fancy rotti for around Rs 300, we popped right in.
Food and Drink
The menu mostly consisted of rottis, pancakes, and drinks. We took one of each.
We picked the Chocolate Rotti (Rs. 350), and I was expecting a regular rotti sized sandwich. What we got was a wrap, which while not bad, was a bit smaller than expected (but then again, my bad, because it is Fort, after all). The rotti was a bit crunchy, and a bit dry – much like the frozen rottis or wraps that you find at supermarkets. My friend insisted this was the case and that she's had the same rotti for dinner at home — so maybe that explains the pita-ish texture.
Interestingly, Nutella hadn't been used. The unmistakable taste of Kandos seeped through, and that was pretty cool because I don't often experience Kandos chocolate with food.
The Banana Pancake, (priced the same), was rather a disappointment because it wasn't a pancake. As in, it was another rotti, wrapped around bananas.
Nothing much to say about it, except that as far as rottis and bananas go, this passes. Both dishes were drizzled with kithul pani, which added a nice, sweet touch. Both of these come with straighforward coffee/tea.
Their Pineapple Lassi (Rs. 250), though a bit watery, was refreshing and well made, with the pineapple and curd smoothly blended in. It was a tad too liquid for a lassi, but given that pineapples are quite watery, I assume this is because of the fruit involved.
It's also quite a generous portion, unlike the rottis and pancakes, so there's value for money with the drink.
Service and Ambience
This is a rather cozy and compact space, with high tables and stools, and good 90's music. Service is pleasant and friendly, nothing to complain about.
There are some nice wall hangings, and a cool flourescent blackboard displaying the specials. It's a bit run down (the YMBA building itself), but that just adds to the vibe.
Conclusion
We're looking to do a low-budget round-up on Galle soon, but until then, this place isn't bad. The food isn't outstanding, but for the location and the meal, it's kind of solid. Also, the people are nice and the atmosphere is chilled out. It gets a bit warm (no air-con), but there's a fan. And they have Wi Fi.
