With La Joie, opened in an old butcher’s shop, getting Sri Lankan cooking no longer requires a jaunt on the Eurostar to London. The menu cleverly spans a mix of the island country’s greatest hits and the chef’s childhood favorites. Kick things off with the egg hopper, which arrives with a spoonful of seeni sambol and pol sambol (a spicy coconut-based condiment) plopped right in the center. You can fight over who gets to fold the paper-thin pancake and roll it up like a cigar, mashing the sweet and spicy flavors together for each bite. Then continue with garlic-drenched roti, excellent lamb croquettes with mustard-sour cream and apricot chutney for dipping, and the lentil curry that pops with crispy chilli. The watalappam, a cashew custardy pudding that delivers the same jolt of sweetness as the French crème caramel, is also an essential order. This is a great solo dinner spot, but slightly better suited for a quick lunch, given the straightforward French school canteen furnishings that aren’t ideal for long meals.
Dining and Cooking