“Things are not normal, but we are adapting” is a sentiment that pretty much describes what all of us are going through right now. It’s also the first thing you’ll read if you log on to Lankan Filling Station’s newly re-designed website.
The squeezy Darlinghurst restaurant that was crowned both Best Casual Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year at the 2019 Time Out Food Awards temporarily pressed pause on March 24, but returned over the weekend with a new takeaway and retail offering.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, almost the entire menu is now available for pick-up, including all of chef-owner O Tama Carey’s curries and sambols, as well as fan favourites like the wok-tossed cabbage, tamarind-scented eggplant and the aromatic love cake for dessert. There are a few bottles of minimal-intervention wine from the list for sale at retail price to accompany your meal, too, in addition to a couple of soft options. And if you feel like splashing out a little, the $65 banquet menu can also be yours in all its glory.
A small range of retail products like loose-leaf teas, t-shirts and tote bags has long been up for grabs at the restaurant, but the team have expanded the selection considerably – so much so, in fact, that it’s now akin to a small-scale grocer. You’ll find pre-packaged foods, which run the gamut from small jars of snacks like housemade devilled cashews to roti and family-sized portions of curries, and a whole pantry’s worth of hard-to-come-by Sri Lankan ingredients like heirloom rice, organic lentils, Maldive fish, coconut vinegar and curry powders that have been blended in-house.
Pretty much the only staple from the restaurant you’re not able to get your hands on right now are the hoppers, which don’t survive the takeaway journey in crisp and lacy form. You can, however, buy a non-stick hopper pan and master the art of making them with all your newfound downtime. And if you’re unsuccessful, at least you’ll enjoy them that much more when this all goes back to normal.
Lankan Filling Station is currently open on Friday (noon-8pm for retail shopping; 5-8pm for takeaway dinner collection) and Saturday only (10am-8pm for retail shopping; 5-8pm for takeaway dinner collection). For more information or to place an order, click here. For the latest, follow the restaurant on Instagram.