Among the many restaurants surrounding Boxhagener Platz is Sigiriya, a standout offering Sri Lankan…read morefood. Their menu explained the characteristics and ingredients typical of this hard-to-find cuisine and offered an approachable take for those unfamiliar with it. The thing to order from the menu is the "Reistafel," a set menu that came with an appetizer, an array of dishes for the main course, and a dessert. The appetizer was a simple salad of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and arugula dressed with pumpkin seeds and crushed papadum crackers for crunch.
But the main attraction of the Reistafel were the five different items that came as part of the main course, each plated in a separate bowl: white rice, a coconut milk curry with fried eggplant, red lentils, a meat curry of choice (I had the lamb), and Pol Sambole (shredded coconut seasoned with chilies). Every item that came with the Reistafel was delicious and mildly spiced, though I was especially a fan of the red lentils for their creamy texture and the Pol Sambole (coconut sambar) for its earthy flavor. With all the dishes came a condiment made of fried red chilies in oil, which added an amazing aromatic, spicy crunch to every bite! At the end of the meal came a Sri Lankan dessert called Mikiri, a thick, tangy buffalo milk yogurt dressed with a syrup made of jaggery. Overall, the food at Sigiriya was beautifully presented and came with friendly service in an elegant atmosphere. Though the flavors/spices of the dishes seemed to be toned down, the menu here presented a great, approachable introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine!
