"Ceylon Cafe & Bar" where you can enjoy authentic Sri Lankan cuisine using Sri Lankan spices

My name is Kauri Inayoshi, and I run a vegan cafe "Oyasai" in Meito-ku, Nagoya. This time, I went to the Sri Lankan restaurant "Ceylon Cafe & Bar" in Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya.

Osu Kannon Ceylon Cafe & Bar" is located a two-minute walk from Exit 2 of the station. It is a Sri Lankan restaurant, which is rare in Nagoya. Like my restaurant (Oyasai), it is run by a couple.

The reason for coming to Japan was the drama "Oshin"

Rakumaru, the owner

Ceylon Cafe & Bar opened on August 8, 2018. It celebrated its first anniversary this summer. The owner, Mr. Rakumaru, was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I was curious as to why Mr. Rakumaru was running a restaurant in Japan, so I asked him a few questions.

– Why did you leave your home country Sri Lanka and come to Japan?

Mr. Rakumaru: "I learned about Japan through the Japanese TV drama "Oshin" that I saw on TV when I was a child. I was so moved by "Oshin" that I wanted to visit Japan myself! So I came to Japan for the first time in 2007 (I was 20 years old at the time).  I thought there were samurai in Japan, but when I actually came to Japan, I couldn't find any samurai anywhere. LOL."

The Japanese drama "Oshin" is still broadcast in Sri Lanka and seems to be very popular.

Mr. Rakumaru: "I had a vague idea that I wanted to do something for myself since I came to Japan. First, I went to a Japanese language school, then I went to TOYOTA Automotive College and worked in maintenance work. Then I worked at Komeda Coffee Shop to learn about food and beverage, and now I have my own store."

Rakumaru's eyes were sparkling as he realized his dream.

Connecting hearts through cooking

Mr. Rakumaru:"'I want to make this restaurant such a place that connects customers' hearts through cooking. I want to cherish encounters through food. Even if it is just one encounter, that one encounter is very important.

I try not to make too many dishes in order not to lose quality. We are committed to serving only the amount that you can eat deliciously. ”.

Made with authentic Sri Lankan spices
Authentic Sri Lankan cuisine

Now, let me introduce you to the special Sri Lankan cuisine of "Ceylon Cafe & Bar". These dishes are the result of Mr. Rakumaru's desire for you to experience warm home cooking here, just as Sri Lankan mothers would make it.

What is Sri Lankan cuisine?

Organic whiskers used in the shop

The staple food is rice. And many spices and coconut milk are added. Therefore, there is a mildness in the spiciness. Vegetables often used in Sri Lankan cuisine include Ceylon cucumbers, beets, and whiskers.

Sri Lanka Lamprais, a dish wrapped in banana leaves

"Sri Lankan Lamprais" 1,300 yen

This time, we had the dish "Sri Lanka Lamprais (1,300 yen)" wrapped in banana leaves. I've personally been to the store many times before this interview, and it's one of my favorite menu items.

Very rich and colorful. What exactly is it wrapped in? The owner, Mr. Rakumaru, told me about it.

I will explain clockwise.

First of all, the rice scooped with a fork is "Thai rice".
Unlike Japanese rice, Thai rice is very fluffy and easily gets mixed in with the ingredients.
　
The bottom left of the Thai rice. Soy Foods "Stir-fried Soya"
The spices and sauce soak into the soya so well that when you bite into it, you can feel the juices seeping out.
It is very easy to be mixed with other ingredients.

・"Stir-fried eggplant"
This also goes great with rice. Like soya, the taste is firmly soaked.

・"Dhal Curry" is a bright yellow lentil curry.

・Orange “Coconut Sambal”

・Below the pink "fried beetroot" is "vegetable mix"

・ And "cutlet (curry croquette)" and "egg"

・ "Chicken curry" in the middle

There are 9 kinds of side dishes on the rice.

"Lamprais" offers a variety of flavors on a single plate. It is said that the Sri Lankan way of eating it is to mix it well, so I mixed it well before eating. Even when mixed together, the flavors of each side dish do not fight each other and you can enjoy various tastes in each mouthful. You can enjoy each side dish individually or mix them together and enjoy the harmony of each bite.

It's quite filling, but it's all vegetables except chicken curry and eggs, so it's kind of light even though I'm full. And every side dish goes well with rice, so every grain was delicious. By the time I finished eating, I could feel my body warming up from the inside with the spice and Rakumaru's affection. Eating deliciously makes your body and mind happy.

Rakumaru's recommended drink "Faluda"

"Faluda" 750 yen

A very sweet dessert-like drink. It has a rose milk flavor and contains basil seeds and jelly. With plenty of fresh cream on top, it looks like a parfait. It seems that it is a popular drink even in authentic Sri Lanka.

I want to spread Sri Lankan cuisine to many people

I asked Mr. Rakumaru about his future prospects.

Mr. Rakumaru: "What I would like to do in the future is to teach Sri Lankan cuisine to many people through YouTube and SNS, etc. With YouTube, anyone can watch and I would like to challenge myself. I would also like to share authentic Ayurvedic cuisine."

*What exactly is Ayurvedic food?

Ayurveda is one of the three major medicines in the world. The world's oldest traditional medicine with a history of more than 5,000 years, which was born in India and Sri Lanka. It comes from the Sanskrit words Ayuh (life, longevity) and Veda (science, knowledge), and has been handed down as a practical lifestyle and health method.

Finally, I asked Mr. Rakumaru the following question.

- What do you value most in life?

Mr. Rakumaru: "Family comes first. And I value all relationships."

True to their words, they are a gentle couple who warmly welcomes everyone. I still remember that when I first came to this restaurant, they talked to me very openly. The gentle life is transmitted to the dishes, and the spices are effective, but the dishes that warm the heart and body.

Both mind and body will be filled. Please come and enjoy authentic Sri Lankan home cooking. And don't miss the clear and sparkling smiles of the couple!