Sigiri — Restaurant in New York

A Sri Lankan Gem in New York:

“Ayubowan,” meaning long life in Sinhala, is a traditional greeting on the island, so at the Sigiri, New York restaurant I’d say “Ayubowan” to a long life of happy bellies in the city.

If you are into ethnic dining, Sigiri, New York is the spot for you. Good Lankan food is hard to find internationally but at Sigiri, New York, it’s the real Lankan deal! The cuisine here is so authentic for me as a native Sinhalese lady and journalist/ professor. Simply delicious. Get ready for a spice shot though - the song “Some Like It Hot,” by Robert Palmer should be playing here non stop in rhythm with the dishes you will palate.

I’ve travelled the world and dined at the finest Michelin star restaurants and the most humble street hawkers alike, as a journalist and student.

When I touched down at Sigiri on the east side of New York my heart was joyous and my tummy on a culinary voyage of simple bliss homeward bound to my roots through to my Kandyan heritage.

I recommend the chicken lamprais (a very hearty portion indeed, mildly spiced, with a yummy fish cutlet ) which I savored with relish. Plus the pol (Ceylonese word for coconut) roti is out of this world - simply divine! Try the string hoppers and lentil curry too. These are great options for vegetarians plus vegans. For the pescatarians (and even non pescatarians) the fish cutlets are out of this world - very authentic indeed.

I was thrilled to bump into the passiona (passion fruit) cordial as a beverage which is a family favorite. Oh summertime beverage bliss !

The daily rice and curry lunch set is also not to be missed. It’s a great deal to be savoured for only 15 dollars. Two vegetables and one meat or fish combination plate. Served until 330 pm on weekdays only.

Top your meal off with a traditional Ceylonese dessert - watalappam. It’s a Sri Lankan crème caramel made with rock palm sugar (jaggery). It’s almost as good as my grandmother’s home made version. Oh the family heritage nostalgia!

The staff at Sigiri are warm, welcoming and friendly - a lovely touch of Sri Lankan hospitality in America. Prices range from modest to affordable depending on the seafood or meat ingredients in the dishes you order.

Sigiri is an earthy dining spot, nothing fancy, just down to earth and hearty. It’s great for an amazing rice and curry lunch or cosy ethnic dinner. Dine early if possible, as it’s a small restaurant of 15 tables, that fills up on weekends fast. There’s also a bring your own wine or beer policy at the restaurant.

I wish you a fabulous dining experience at this little Sri Lankan gem in New...

Sigiri is a Sri Lankan restaurant, planted amongst Indian restaurants in the East Village. a walk-up restaurant from the sidewalk—small/medium space full of warm colors, some Sri Lankan decor items. the vibe is casual and welcoming. the menu of Sri Lankan dishes is small but but offers a lot of range. however, the general theme is relatively spicy hot even when asking for “mild”—the entrees errs toward bringing the heat. you were warned!

faves for appetizers: the fish cutlets and/or fried spring rolls. both are deep-fried and have crunch exteriors—each filled with a unique savory filling. each is great as a starter.

faves for entrees:

chicken lamprais, dish of rice, chicken, eggs, eggplant, and a bunch of other foods baked in banana leaf. it’s awesome.

Kothu roti, shredded roti bread stir fried with veggies, spices, eggs, and more. you can chicken or beef added in but the vegetarian version is perfectly delicious and the way i prefer it.

deviled chicken is basically a sautée of chicken, veggies, and tomatoes in a bunch of Sri Lankan spices, served with rice on the side. savory, flavorful.

all curries are tasty / spicy if you are looking for something more simple. all are coconut milk based. i prefer the chicken or prawn.

the Aapas— which is more of a shareable side dish are great. bowl-shaped pancakes served with either a onion sambol or coconut sambol. i like ordering these with any of the curry dishes and dipping pieces of the pancake in or just pour a little bit of the curry in the whole pancake.

definitely sharing is both caring and the way to go in terms sampling the breadth of the menu.

the kitchen being slow is a constant at Sigiri. most of the dishes just have long cook times and factor in multiple tables ordering dishes like that will eventually cause a traffic jam of orders. that is just a fact that can’t be cured. and nor should anyone want the kitchen to speed up bc the food will suffer in terms of quality. my best advice is to come to Sigiri just as they open for lunch or dinner—the kitchen will still move slow but you won’t be a stacked-up behind a ton of other orders. no amount of complaining will speed up the food, Karen. it’s just the way.

the service itself is friendly and casual—home-style in ways. it’s like eating at a friend’s place waiting as the smells of mom’s cooking permeate the home and your stomach growls. there’s not a lot of formality or pretense. the food is ready when it’s ready and there’s no way to rush that. again,...

Who said Scoutmob/Groupon deals aren't a great way to advertise your business? I found Sigiri through a 50% off Scoutmob deal last year, and have paid full price for it ever since. The flavors keep me coming back for more.

Never had Sri Lankan food before until this place. Think of it as a cuisine somewhere in between Thai/Southeast Asian food and Indian food. The spiciness of this place is out of control, so if you order anything medium spicy, you bet you'll be sweating it hard. No worries though, you can ask them to bring you a bowl of yogurt to calm your burning mouth down. I'm like a masochist - I love eating it at medium spicy even though I have to take breaks between bites after a while. This is coming from a girl who slathers hot sauce over all her food.

My absolute favorite is the Kotthu Roti ($14.50), which is a Sri Lankan street food - basically shredded thin pieces of Roti pancakes that are stir fried with veggies and egg and your protein of choice. The flavors are super unique and full of spices. It also comes with a curry sauce on the side that I absolutely just love.

I've also ordered the Pork Black Curry ($12) in the past and have loved it for the flavor of the sauce, I would definitely order that again.

The only thing that I was a bit disappointed by during my last visit was the Chicken Lamprais ($15.25), which is basically their rice dish filled with chicken, fish, boiled egg and other goodies wrapped up in a banana leaf. The rice in this was too dry for me - although the presentation did look impressive since it comes in like a huge burrito wrapped in the leaf. This wasn't as exceptional as their other dishes so I'd skip.

As a warning, the service here is actually pretty slow, but the wait is worth it for me. Be prepared to wait for at least 25 minutes for your food, and also maybe that much time for your table since the place is pretty small.

Also, don't forget that this place is BYOB, so grab a few bottles of beer from the store below and have a blast with your spicy flavorful Sri...