The Diplomat's Guide to Dining: New York City & Beyond

Find the Most Authentic Sri Lankan Restaurant In Manhattan

When Murray recently got a restaurant recommendation from a Sri Lankan diplomat, we were intrigued, and so a couple of weeks ago we met our son, Ben, and his boyfriend, Joe, for dinner at Sigiri, on the Lower East Side in Manhattan.  According to the diplomat, Sigiri is the restaurant serving the most authentic Sri Lankan food in New York City.

I needed a quick geography and political lesson in order to feel at all legitimate in writing about Sigiri.  Fortunately, my husband and my son were able to fill me in.  Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, is an island nation east of southern India.  During its history, it was colonized by Portugal, Holland, and then Britain, finally gaining independence after World War II.   For over 25 years, and officially ending only last May, Sri Lanka was embroiled in a civil war between the two main ethnic groups, the governing Sinhalese (who represent over 70% of the population) and the Tamil minority (about 20% of the population).

Both its geographic location and the countries that colonized Sri Lanka have contributed to its cuisine.  Spices are used liberally; in fact, some Sri Lankan dishes are considered to be among the hottest in the world.  Rice accompanies most items, and coconut milk is frequently used.

This is what we ate at Sigiri, items we selected in order to sample a range of dishes on the menu, and also including some recommendations from our helpful waiter:

• Appetizer Sampler, which includes Dhal Vade (lentil patties), fish cutlet (salmon and potato), vegetable rolls (fried crepes filled with potato, carrot, leek and onion), and fish rolls (tuna and potato)

• Vegetarian String Hopper Kotthu, rice noodles stir-fried with onion, tomato, cabbage and egg
• Chicken Kotthu Roti, a Sri Lankan roadside specialty prepared from doughy pancakes shredded and stir fried with vegetables, onions, egg, and chicken
• Sri Lankan Style Pork Stew

• Dhal (lentil) curry, slow-cooked lentils in a coconut milk sauce
• Aapa, wafer-thin, bowl-shaped pancakes made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk

• Saffron rice with cashew nuts and raisins

And, yes, we also had dessert, as recommended by our waiter:

• Watalappam, a rich pudding of coconut milk, brown palm sugar, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and nutmeg
  
• Banana Fritters, deep-fried crêpes filled with banana, and served with ice cream
  

The food was all quite delicious. It was spicy, but not at all overwhelming, although I suspect it had been toned down for our American palates. The servings were ample, but not huge; we had a little left over to take home for lunch the following day.  And the bill for the four of us, including tip but not including any beverage other than water, totaled only $110.  We had been forewarned that Sigiri does not serve alcohol; still, you can bring your own beer or wine, which is exactly what we did.

We also had been forewarned that the restaurant is small and very busy and sometimes requires that you wait before being seated.  I tried to reserve a table in advance, but learned then that Sigiri does not accept reservations.  Since our time was limited, we chose to arrive early (around 6:00 pm) and had no issue getting a table.  By the time we left, however, the restaurant was filled and people were signing up to wait for one of the 10-12 tables to free up.

By the way, in case it’s not already obvious, let me add that Sigiri is a perfect place for a vegetarian.  And all major credit cards are accepted.

 

Where and When

Sigiri
91 First Avenue (between 5th and 6th streets)
New York, NY 10003

(212) 614-9333

www.sigirinyc.com

 

Open 7 days
12:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Dining room closed Sundays 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm to reset after buffet.

 

"Korea Way" in Midtown Is Home to Most Authentic Korean Restaurant

When Murray asked a diplomat from South Korea where to find the most authentic Korean restaurant in New York, the diplomat was reluctant to respond immediately but promised to follow up.  Sure enough, a short time later, the diplomat provided a list of four recommendations – three on "Korea Way" (32nd Street), and one in Flushing.  Last weekend, we ate at the one at the top of the list, which was accompanied by this note: "Officials from our Ministry of Foreign Affairs like to come here for dinner."  That sounded like a good recommendation to me!  And so off we went ... to Kang Suh.

I tried calling in advance for a reservation but was told by the person who answered the phone that reservations would not be necessary.  Sure enough, when we arrived at around 6:30 pm, accompanied by friends Carole and Wayne, the place was bustling, but we were seated immediately.

The menu is quite lengthy, including items that can be barbecued at your table, as well as stews, teriyaki, noodle dishes, casseroles, and even sushi and sashimi.  But our first challenge turned out to be ordering drinks. Although we could see there was a full bar, our waitress did not speak English well enough to understand words like "martini," "gin," or "olive," so the cocktail that first arrived was a bit startling.  I played it safe by ordering a Korean "OB" beer, Murray had a glass of wine, and Carole and Wayne did finally get the cocktails they wanted.

Next challenge: Figuring out what to eat and ordering it.  We finally decided on the following:

Appetizers

• Mandoo Gui (broiled dumplings)
• Japchae (stir-fried vermicelli noodles, vegetables, and meat)
• Haemool Pa Jeon (seafood pancake)
• Cho Muchim (which was described as "vegetables with vinegar dressing, and shell fish" on the menu but turned out to be a delightful plate of mostly seafood – including octopus and salmon, as well as shrimp and clams) 

Entrées

• Bulkoki (grilled tender prime rib-eye marinated in soy sauce, which is eaten wrapped in lettuce along with a bit of bean paste)
• Honguh Hwe (Raw skate fish marinated in hot sauce)

• Kigolaki (chicken with pepper, onion, cucumber and garlic)
• Bibim Bob (rice with assorted vegetables, ground beef, egg, and red pepper paste, mixed together at our table by our waitress and then served to us in individual helpings)

The waitress tried to steer us away from the skate, but when we pressed her for a reason – or an alternative recommendation – her answers made us think she was assuming non-Koreans wouldn't be so adventurous. Still, hearing her description, we decided we were more than up to the challenge.

And, in fact, all of the food was quite enjoyable, including the skate – although we cleaned every plate except for the one with the skate, and we declined to bring it home.  It was tasty, but a small amount was adequate, and we were maybe a little put off by the cartilage (?) that we encountered.

The service at Kang Suh is a bit odd. I can't call it "bad service," because every staff member we encountered was quite friendly and helpful, but they were just a little too pushy and rushed. First of all, although items we ordered were listed as appetizers versus entrées on the menu, everything arrived in a haphazard manner – perhaps in the order it was ready in the kitchen - but without break, causing our table to become quite crowded.  Once we finished, the staff whisked our plates away, and brought us a platter of fruit and the check.  Then, as soon as the check was paid, they acted as if we were running right out the door, even though the fruit had not yet all been eaten, and I was still working on the last couple of sips of my beer. 

Nonetheless, the food was good, and if you are looking for a genuine Korean experience, this seems to be the place.

Our bill totaled just over $200, including tip.

Where and When

Kang Suh
1250 Broadway (entrance on 32nd Street)
New York, NY 10001

(212) 564-6845

Every Day
Open 24 hours