Amila Jeewantha, an artist from Sri Lanka, set up the Lion Foot Sri Lankan Cuisine restaurant just over a year ago. Last month, Jeewantha opened a second branch in Tianmu district, bringing the exotic aroma of Sri Lankan cuisine to this upscale neighborhood.
Like its predecessor, the spacious restaurant features authentic homemade Sri Lankan delicacies. Made with oodles of herbs and spices, many dishes include blends of 25 or more spices and are based on sophisticated culinary and nutritional principles that maximize the ingredients' healthful properties and flavor.
In addition to its broad range of beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetable options, the menu offers nine set meals that guide diners through Sri Lanka's ancient culinary culture.
PHOTO: HO YI, TAIPEI TIMES
One of the highlighted main courses is fish ambul thiyal. Simmered over a low-flame in ambul sauce, made of spices and a tart fruit resembling dark plum, the fish fillets are impregnated with a heavenly flavor.
Beef smore is another popular dish that combines tender meat with a mix of spices to create a pungent and multi-layered taste sensation. Also recommended is black pumpkin curry, which is cooked with the restaurant's signature sauce made from 14 roasted spices. White curry, on the other hand, is a mild and smooth sauce made from un-roasted curry powder, mustard and coconut milk. Red curry is mixed with chilies and spices, and comes highly recommended on a cold winter's day as it warms up the whole body.
The traditional side dishes sambol and mallum are not to be missed. Hot and sweet eggplant sambol, chopped fresh vegetable mixed with coconut, mixed vegetable rice or coconut roti can be ordered to accompany the main dishes.
The best after-meal drink would be a cup of organic tea from Sri Lanka's world-acclaimed tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva.
Jeewantha believes cooking is a form of creative expression and hopes someday people will visit the restaurant for live performances as well as to fill up on top-quality and healthy food.
"All kinds of art are welcome here," said Jeewantha, who used his own art to put a unique stamp on the restaurant.
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