Being Australian and an avid cricket fan, when I think about Galle I immediately think, of the international cricket ground. I can picture, Australia versus Sri Lanka trying to beat each other in a hotly contested cricket test match.  What I wasn’t expecting was the classic European architecture and history that can be found along the tight streets of Galle Fort.

Galle Fort is the tourist heart of this city, with a variety of bars, restaurants, hotels, shops and cafes aligning the streets and laneways. After a day of solid exploring, we duck into Coconut Sambol restaurant for a quick, cheap meal.

Coconut Sambol is a small restaurant with seating for 10 people that offers an all you can eat buffet style dinners. The banquet consists of 6  traditional Sri Lankan curry dishes and steamed rice. Each dish is  refreshed during the dinner service providing plenty food for its patrons.  Table rotation is fairly quick, so hopefully you won’t have to wait long to get your fill.

The restaurant is thin, about 2 metres wide, so it can get a bit crowded in there if everyone is trying to get food at the same time.  Yet, it feels cosy and intimate. Being small it holds in a lot of heat and there are some oscillating fans above to cool you down. If this doesn’t help, cool refreshments are available from the menu. The cost for the all you can eat buffet is 800 LKR  (AUD$6.60 )per person and the range of curries is decent.

Some of the curries available are a Dal, curried chicken, curried banana, and curried mango served with plenty of steamed rice.

Coconut Sambol serves traditional Sri Lankan food daily, which is flavoursome and delicious. The store opens from 1000hrs and offer food until 2200hrs. The food is served on authentic woven reed plates covered with baking paper. We had no trouble getting a table and there was enough food to feed an army. The staff are friendly and quick to assist in this strictly no smoking restaurant.

Overall the Coconut Sambol was a good restaurant, which provides quality food. Having a small shop front means it is easy to walk past. Although, the restaurant decor doesn’t look that inviting, don’t be fooled and give them a try. Importantly, the food is abundant and delicious, and at that price, a real bargain. So, if you are in Galle for business or pleasure, head to the Coconut Sambol restaurant and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for Coconut Sambol