Kitchen features in Unawatuna

Sri Lanka's national cuisine has been greatly influenced by European traditions. Nevertheless, it is characterized by a special spiciness and sharpness. It is customary for hotels on the island to serve a buffet for guests. And it's always best to ask the waiter which dishes are less spicy, otherwise you may be surprised.

Even if they tell you that a dish is not spicy at all, it's likely to mean that it doesn't have much pepper in it. Take more bread with meat and vegetable dishes.

One of the things to try in Unawatuna is definitely vegetarian dishes. Fruit and vegetable salads, soups and, of course, seafood are always a favorite.

Alas, experienced tourists say that alcohol in Sri Lanka is far from the best. Even the local coconut vodka, arak, is not very popular, although you can try it for experience.

Without a doubt, try tea and coffee, how could you not. Home of the best tea, Sri Lanka is still a trendsetter in this matter today.

National dishes in Unawatuna are represented, itself, by a hundred variations of rice cooking. And curry. Curry is everything. And literally so. As curry can be called any food that is made with powdered spices. This mixture consists of black pepper, coriander, burnt chillies, mustard seeds, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, garlic... and then there's the actual leaves of the curry bush.

If you can imagine the fiery fullness of this spice, which is almost incomparable to what's sold on our shelves, feel free to buy curry in restaurants. At your own risk.

Spicy food lovers, however, appreciate these dishes. Try the traditional dish kottu rotti, a mixture of chopped fresh vegetables, meat, and rice cakes. Street vendors prepare it much tastier than in restaurants.