In response to the worst humanitarian crisis that Sri Lanka has ever experienced, Sydney's Sri Lankan community, headed by six of our best restaurants, is banding together to raise funds and help provide support to the country in crisis. With the ending of a 35-year civil war, a devastating tsunami, and most recently a severe decline in tourism as its two largest tourist partners Russia and Ukraine stopped overnight, Sri Lanka is suffering incomparable trials.
The Long Lunch for Lanka will have six Sri Lankan restaurants – Colombo Social (Enmore), Dish: Sri Lankan Street Food (Glebe), Indu (Sydney CBD), Lankan Filling Station (Darlinghurst), Sri Lankan Bites (Glebe) and the Fold (Dulwich Hill) come together for a one-off event.
The lunch will begin with Sri Lankan short eats from each restaurant – pan rolls, Lankan ceviche and empanadas, followed by a seated family-style banquet of curries, sambol, rice and hoppers. Expect hard-hitting favourites such as Northern Sri Lankan goat curry, fish curry, dahl and cavolo nero mallung. To end, enjoy the traditional Sri Lankan dessert of wattalapam and spiced ice cream. Guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail by LongLeaf Tea vodka, infused with Sri Lankan tea. The special guest MC for the lunch will be 1996 World Cup cricket hero Rusell Arnold amongst other Sri Lankan Australians all coming together to drive change.
In addition to the lunch, Colombo Social is donating meals through its ‘Buy One Give One’ model at it's Enmore restaurant, with every banquet meal sold until the end of May donating a meal to someone in need in Colombo. So far this month, Colombo Social have been able to feed close to 1,000 families.
Long Lunch for Lanka will be held at Plate it Forward Headquarters in Darling Harbour on Monday April 25 (ANZAC Day) at 12.30pm. Each ticket is $125 and includes a cocktail and six snacks on arrival, plus a banquet feast of curries, sambol, rice, hoppers and dessert, plus beers and wines throughout the lunch. All funds raised will be going to support immediate food relief to people in need in Sri Lanka, working with on the ground charities who can deliver support now.
Dig deep and book your tickets here, you won't regret it.