By Panchali Illankoon

If you have settled into knowing The Chinwag as one of Colombo’s best hole-in-the-wall joints for juicy, flavour-packed dumplings (I’m thinking of you, Thai-style creamy curried prawn dumplings), they have surprised their customers by leaning into the Sri Lankan fusion side of their menu with an All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night. 

Hosted every Wednesday and Thursday, the All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night [MAIN PICTURE – 0360]  is an indulgent mid-week affair priced at a well-valued Rs.3,850 per person with an unlimited serving of five varieties of meats, seafood, curries and condiments. 

The catch? It’s two sittings per evening, each a two-hour window, where you can order and reorder every curry, sambol, and carb on offer. Prior reservations are mandatory as food is made to reservation. 

THE CURRIES

The All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night offers five varieties of meats and seafood. You can order all five, or you can just order only your favourites and continue to have it refilled until you get your fill.  

Jaffna Crab Curry: Unlimited Jaffna crab curry? This alone would have brought me to the All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night. The Chinwag didn’t disappoint, serving us a spicy, murunga leaf infused beast of a curry packed with that signature Jaffna curry mix taste. The crab itself is meaty, the shells soft enough to crack without a battle and the flesh inside soaked in curry. 

Batticaloa Prawn Curry: A coconut-rich curry where the mild flavours of lemongrass, chillies and curry leaves come together in a gentle and creamy gravy. Prawns are tender and juicy, served generously from the get-go and is perfect for mopping up with a side of hot roast paan. 

Black Pork Curry: For those who enjoy their pork, a good black pork curry is something you always come back for. And The Chinwag served up a black pork curry that was worth the price of entry on its own. The pork had a good balance of meaty and oily pieces and was super tender from an unhurried slow-cook process with a spice mix with dark curry powder, black pepper, tamarind, Goraka and lemongrass layered on thick. 

Red Chicken Curry: Robust, familiar and comforting, it’s the kind of curry that doesn’t need to try too hard to impress. The chicken is cooked on the bone, the gravy is thick and mildly spicy. 

Beef Fry: A dry, beef dish with small, chewy pieces fried with spices, curry leave, chillies and slivers of onion and garlic. It’s a got a satisfying bite and works as a perfect contrast to the gravy of the other meats. 

THE SIDES AND CARBS

Of course, no good curry feast is complete without the sides. The All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night offers two vegetable curries; a Vegetable Kuruma 0338 that’s mellow and coconutty with potatoes, beans, carrots and peas and a creamy tempered Dhal curry 0348 that’s a staple of any rice and curry meal. They also serve a side of dry Seeni Sambol and a spicy Pol Sambol 0312 with freshly grated coconut. 

For your choice of carbs, you can opt for both Ghee Rice and hot Roast Paan to scoop, soak and smother everything on your plate. Both hold on their own, the Ghee Rice is perfect for the spicy red Chicken Curry, Black Pork Curry and Beef Stir Fry while a chunky piece of Roast Paan is ideal for mopping up the Batticaloa Prawn Curry and Jaffna Crab Curry. 

OVERALL

Can you trust a place that does good dumplings to also do good curry? The Chinwag can. Despite the big contrast in the two cuisines, The Chinwag’s All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night is an absolute riot of flavour. The curries are rich, bold and prepared in a truly Sri Lankan style. 

For Rs. 3,850 per person to indulge to your hearts content on any and every curry of your choice, the All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night is value for money. Drinks and dessert can be ordered separately, and you are still welcome to order items off their regular menu. 

Make reservations and come hungry for a Sri Lankan curry feast. All-You-Can-Eat Curry Night is available every Wednesday and Thursday in two sittings (6.30-8.30pm and 8.30 to 10.30pm). 

Address: 9 Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 00700
BYOB 

Pictures by Nisal Baduge