In the family of exotic brunches, I ask for Shandika. This Sri-Lankan restaurant, located in Paris's 2nd arrondissement, invites you on a culinary voyage and delights gourmets with its Kothu Idiyappam , for example, which was awarded a prize by theAcadémie Nationale de Cuisine.
And for Saturday bruncheurs, there's good news: the restaurant offers its own three-part menu to gently awaken your taste buds and introduce you to the delights of Sri Lankan cuisine.
Do you prefer tea or coffee? Here, there's something for everyone: to start the three-course brunch, you can choose between a Ceylon Tea with cardamom (which we recommend!) or a coffee. Then the journey begins. If you love Lassi, that delicious yoghurt-based drink, you can go for a Mango Lassi. And here's a pleasant surprise: it's not too sweet and is easy to drink.
Alternatively, you can indulge in a Rose Sarbath, a very floral drink, as you'd expect, but also very refreshing. These drinks are accompanied by Surru Appam, a Sri Lankan pancake made with coconut and syrup from Kittul, a type of Asian palm whose taste is similar to that of sugar cane. Its lightly caramelized taste awakens the taste buds, and the shredded coconut adds a slightly crunchy touch. The result: we melt with pleasure at this sweet introduction.
Moving on to the second phase of this brunch, you'll discover an assortment of savory specialties. These include Shandika's delicious samoussas, with their soft yet crunchy dough (yes, that's possible), which are a real treat for gourmets. Cutlets de thon, breaded finger-licking dumplings.
In addition to this exotic assortment, you'll also have the opportunity to try one of the four dishes that await you as you enter the restaurant. Every Saturday, the specialities on offer change, giving you even more reason to try and try again this brunch to discover a different aspect of Sri Lankan gastronomy.
On our test day, we fell for the Chicken Devilled, a harmonious blend of sweet and savory with caramelized poultry and peppers, all spiced up with a hint of chili. We were also tempted by the vegetarian dish: Channa Masala, a blend of chickpeas in coconut milk, Ceylon curry and spinach shoots, giving a pleasant mix of mild, slightly sweet flavors that don't overload the palate!
But if it doesn't seem to have enough oomph for your taste, don't worry: this dish is served with preserved lime, which adds a tangy note that's sure to please! And to accompany it all, these dishes are accompanied by a Garam masala, a dhal of coral lentils and coconut milk, as well as basmati rice flavored with cardamom: Be careful, it's very hearty!
However, we strongly advise you to save a little room for the trio of desserts that bring this exotic brunch to a close. The Badusha, a cardamom doughnut, will satisfy even the sweetest palates. Lovers of spices will fall in love with the Kesari, a semolina cake in ball form that literally melts in the mouth. An exotic fruit salad drizzled with a mango coulis invites us to end this meal as we began it: on a sweet, fruity note.
Just the thing to inspire us to travel!
Location
Shandika
6 Rue Léopold Bellan
75002 Paris 2
Access
Metro Sentier (line 3)
Prices
Formule brunch: €25
Official website
shandika.com
