Yarl Corner, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

WHAT? Sri Lankan cuisine prepared and served by Sri Lankan refugees who are under UNHCR.

WHERE? Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur (opposite the Petronas petrol station).

*Notice that ALL dishes are contained in earthenware cooking pots and kept warm. 

HOW MANY DISHES? Approximately seven.

❶ Crab Kuttu Curry – crab cooked in a thick coconut gravy (RM5).

Kav: The crab flesh was so sweet and fresh and the gravy was savoury-perfection. Super tasty! They even obliged and cracked the crab leg for me. =)

Mien: Really fresh and I loved the spicy gravy.

Shiv: Wow! This was so amazing. The gravy was infused really well with the crab flavour and the portion was decent for 4 people. Reminded me a lot of my mum’s home-cooked crab curry.

Gaj: Crab was fresh and the gravy was perfection. Will definitely come back here for seconds.

❷ Mutton Peratal – mutton chunks cooked in a dry gravy style (RM4.50).

Kav: Loved the way they prepared this dish. The gravy was spicy and savoury to the core. My only bone to pick (no pun intented!) was that the mutton was not tender enough.

Shiv: Didn’t like this. The mutton was not as tender as I would have liked it, and the gravy coating it was not spiced well. Lacked the splendour of the other 3 meat dishes. Was also way too oily.

Gaj: Was not a big fan of this dish, as the flavouring was not done well.

❸ Prawn Sambal – prawns cooked in a chily-based sauce (RM4.50).

Kav: This was ultimately the best dish there. Unlike most sambals these days, it was not sweet and was flavoured to perfection. There was a ginger-y, garlic-y spiciness. However, the prawn was overcooked and therefore a little tough.

Mien: Good, but not the best dish there. Spicy, but the prawns were overcooked.

Shiv: The best dish I have tried here! The sambal was so savoury and spicy, and the prawns used were very fresh – they could do no wrong with this dish except for the excess oil used. Highly recommend this.

Gaj: The prawn was tough, however, the sambal was very savoury and spicy, just the way I like it.

❹ Sura Vare – shark fish shreds cooked with coconut gratings (RM3).

Kav: The sweetness of the coconut shreds complimented the savoury fish flavour. Loved it.

Mien: Well flavoured.

Shiv: Flavoured well, and they were not stingy with the shark meat. The coconut gratings added a nice bite to the dish. If you have a sensitive stomach, this may just be the right thing for you. Liked it!

Gaj: The combination of fish and coconut was surprisingly pleasant. Will come back to have this again.

❺ Tofu Sambal – tofu cooked in a chily-based sauce (RM2).

Kav: They know how to make their sambals. It was so savoury and spicy just the way I like it.

Mien: Really really good. Spicy and the tofu had a nice fresh soy taste.

Shiv: Very good – sambal was not sweet, and the tofu had a springiness to it indicating that it was fresh. A good option for vegetarians.

Gaj: Best dish here. The level of spiciness was just right and the tofu just melted in my mouth.

❻ Vaalappu or plantain cooked with coconut gratings and Ponanganni or dwarf copperleaf vegetable (RM2).

Kav: This dish was a little overcooked and it was a little bitter, just the way I like it. It brought back memories of my Ammamah’s (maternal grandmother’s) cooking and I loved it.

Mien: Not a fan – bland.

Shiv: Had an issue with this one as they overcooked the greens and it ended up tasting a bit burnt.

Gaj: Did not enjoy this dish as it had a burnt taste to it.

❼ Green leafy vegetable kadaiyal – mashed green leafy vegetables (RM2).

Kav: LOVE LOVE LOVE! It was sour and earthy. It just melted in my mouth!

Mien: Amazing (anything with spinach is amazing to me). Not too oily and had a good blend of ingredients. Nice clean detox-y feel to it.

Shiv: Wow! Super good, as the mixture of greens were not mashed to a purée (I hate when it is!) and it was flavoured very well.

Gaj: Tasted good and well-mashed.

Side Ⓐ : Paruppu  or dhal, which is a thickened lentil soup.

Kav: Generally, I am not a big fan of paruppu /dhal. However, this was to die for. It was earthy and the flavouring brought out the taste of the lentils.

Shiv: Very tasty. Had a nice, earthy taste and blended well with the other spicy side dishes.

Gaj: Was amazing – the lentils were cooked to perfection. Not too soft, nor too hard. 

Side Ⓑ : Rasam, an Indian soup made with various spices.

Kav: On previous visits to this place, it had the best rasam I have ever tried – super spicy and full of flavour. However, this time round, it was diluted and lacked flavouring.

Mien: Good, however, it was too oily and spicy!

Shiv: Mediocre – tasted like it was watered down. Funny, as it is usually really good.

Gaj: Just ordinary, nothing special.

Verdict: WOK ON

PRICE: Very reasonable (RM30.00 for 7 dishes).

AMBIENCE: Stall concept; next to a bustling road – can get a little busy and noisy during lunch hour, so be prepared to rough it out a little.

SERVICE: Very good – waiters are smiley, friendly and responsive.

FOOD: Insanely good, authentic and a wide variety of dishes to choose from.

YARL CORNER

JALAN TUN SAMBANTHAN 3,

BRICKFIELDS,

50470 KUALA LUMPUR