With spices and tea leaves hailing all the way from Ceylon, this might be one of the most authentic Ceylonese restaurants in Singapore.
Located in between Little India and Jalan Besar MRT Stations, Kunthaville offers plant-based Ceylonese cuisine. Ceylon is also officially known as Sri Lanka after 1972.
Our honest review of Kunthaville
Honestly, this was my first time eating Ceylonese food, so I don’t have a benchmark to compare it with. But, on it’s own, it was pretty damn good. Everything was so flavourful and layered with different spices. What I appreciated most was Kunthaville’s dedication to transporting the flavours of Ceylon to Singapore. The spices used in their dishes are all from their own plantation in Sri Lanka, and all their sauces are made in-house.
The 10-Course Culinary Odyssey
For a no-frills dining experience, opt for their 10-Course Culinary Odyssey ($128), including three appetisers, three entrees, and four desserts.
After cleansing our palate with a potent tangy and spicy broth, we began our 10-courses.
Appetisers
The first appetiser, the Paan Roti, was a coconut flatbread with dollops of Kunthaville’s KayChef chutneys — all made from scratch in Sri Lanka. Our favourite was the lime and date chutney, which had a nice clash of sweet and tart notes.
The next two courses were Dosai served with a roasted coconut Poricha chambal and a raw green coconut chambal, and Crepe served with four kinds of hot sauce.
Entrees
For mains, we started strong with a Kiribath — layers of coconut milk rice with spicy caramelised onions and chambal. This was such a good combination of various flavours; nothing overwhelmed one another. But, what was most surprising to me was the texture. Even though the rice looked packed together and mushy, it was actually loose, with each grain distinctly noticeable.
Served next was the Iddiyapam, string hoppers layered with chambal and soaked in subtly spiced creamy poricha sothi gravy.
We concluded the entree section with a humble yet flavourful Coconut Rice, infused with fenugreek — a staple in Ceylonese cuisine. The fluffy samba rice, seasoned with a complex blend of spices, pairs beautifully with an array of accompaniments: slow-cooked eggplant moju, a vibrant carrot stir-fry, and crispy fried moringa leaves.
Desserts
Honestly, it was hard to pick our favourite dessert; there were four to choose from.
Appam is a Sri Lankan delicacy made with fermented rice. You first get to taste the syrupy rounded sweetness of the syrup and coconut milk, before the funky tarted fermented rice flavour kicks in.
If you can’t get enough of coconut desserts, you’re going to love the Wattalapam and Sago Bed, a coconut custard and coconut jelly respectively.
It was a tough choice, but our vote eventually went to the Vaippan. It’s essentially banana fritters, possibly the best version I’ve had. It’s light on the banana, which I personally prefer, and it’s not too heavily fried either.
Alternatively, if you’re on a budget, you can opt for the 6-Course Tasting Menu at $88 instead.
Location: 18 Veerasamy Rd, Level 1, Singapore 207326
Opening hours:
Monday: Closed
Tue-Thu: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
Sunday: 10am-9:30pm
Follow Us For More Content!
Looking for the best things to eat nearby? Check out our guide on:
