Restaurants

A haven from the Victoria maelstrom, Sekara provides homely surroundings, friendly staff and interesting food. It’s an unassuming place, with parquet flooring, elaborately framed paintings on the walls (above red wooden panelling) and a counter at the back. A happy crowd of regulars, mixed in age and ethnicity, adds to the appeal. The menu offers a wide selection from the Sri Lankan culinary canon, including a couple of pork dishes (indicating a Christian heritage). More commonplace Indian food is also served. We’d recommend skipping the Sri Lankan starters (a routine choice of fish patties and mutton rolls that were similar to packet ones) and feasting on main courses instead. Chicken lamprais is an excellent choice: a biriani of Dutch ancestry, singing with spices (peppercorns, cinnamon bark, cardamom), baked in a banana leaf. For £11.95 it came with a gorgeous on-bone chicken curry, seeni sambol (beautifully caramelised onions) and aubergine curry. Don’t miss the dhal: a splendid aromatic version with lemongrass, curry leaves and coconut milk. Less pleasing were the seer fish curry (excessively bony, in a tame, creamy sauce) and the slow service. But choose wisely here and joy will be yours.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008