Sri Lankan gem hopefully here to stay
This spot on St
Clement's
seems to have been in a state of
continuous change recently, but The Coconut Tree, the new Sri Lankan
restaurant, is hopefully there to stay. The Coconut Tree was born in Cheltenham
in 2016, and has now opened branches in
Bristol,
and of course,
Oxford.
I can't vouch for their interior, as we enjoyed a takeaway meal, stylishly
presented in simple cardboard boxes, but I can speak for the quality of the
food. The menu is simple and light-hearted, reminding you that the mixed fried
rice will cause 'NO DRAMA', and that the mushrooms are 'Only for
Vegans!!'. There isn't the vast variety that you might expect from an
Indian or a Chinese takeaway, but it is definitely more upmarket than your
average takeaway.
The boxes are quite small, which is perfect for sharing this
new (to me) experience of Sri Lankan cuisine. We tried a selection of their
dishes, the highlights of which were the Pineapple Curry cooked in coconut milk
(like a pina colada that you eat) and the Cheesy Colombo (sticky fried cheese
cubes, which were very moreish). This restaurant is a great introduction to Sri
Lankan cuisine, and I'll definitely be going back to explore more dishes again.