Athugala, so-called because of its elephant-like shape, is a rock that overlooks the town of Kurunegala in Sri Lanka.

It doesn’t actually feature on the beautiful hand-painted map in its namesake restaurant, which features prominent landmarks of the south Asian island and – on a cold January evening in Bristol – serves as a reminder of sunnier climes far away.

But the name is an important reminder of home for the family who have opened Athugala Ceylon, one of the newest additions to Two Mile Hill in Kingswood.

“It’s named after where my parents are from,” says our server, with a smile when asked about the name of the restaurant as she places a large bottle of cold water and a complimentary dish of crunchy snacks down on the table.

It’s just past 5pm on a Saturday and a lone balloon remains on one of the tables from a party that afternoon as the restaurant team swiftly straighten things up for the evening service.

As the only diners this early in the evening, we could almost be guests in a family home. Friendly staff take the time to stop and chat as we admire the warm, vibrant artwork on the walls that was painted by a family friend.

There is little deliberation as we tear through the menu, picking a dish or two from each section, starting with the irresistibly-named devilled dishes.

The tofu version of the latter (£6.90) is a sizzling dish of bold flavours, tofu coated in a rich, sticky chilli and tomato sauce with a hint of sweetness – and a lot of onions. A starter of pol roti (£3.90) – a dense flat bread with subtle undertones of turmeric and coconut – proves perfect for mopping up extra devilled sauce. The sweet sambal and spicy lunu miris served with the roti deserve their own mention. It’s a combination that really gets the taste buds tingling.

At Athugala Ceylon, every dish tells a story, echoing the culinary traditions passed down through generations.

Whichever generation is responsible for the dhal curry (£5.90) has my thanks. This small, simple dish is a beautiful example of its kind, all fragrant coconut, sweet spices and the perfect pick-you-up on a cold winter evening.

The jackfruit curry (£6.90), although also coconut based, is a much tangier counterpart to the smooth dhal, with generous chunks of jackfruit, while the vegetable fried rice (£7.90) – served hot, fresh and piled high in the bowl – could be a standalone meal in its own right.

My meat-eating partner assures me the chicken curry (£6.90) from the specials is tasty. Frankly though, it’s worth ordering for the parotta that accompanies it alone. Large, folds of hot, flaky flatbread with just a subtly glisten of grease, these are devoured like, well, savoury hotcakes by the whole family. Our one-year-old daughter asks for more before finishing each mouthful as she tucks into the flakey bread dipped alternately in yoghurt (£2.90 for a generous side) and dhal.

Full but committed to completing our Sri Lankan culinary adventure, we order a Watalappam (£4.90) to share for dessert. The sweet coconut custard pudding is intensely sweet, lightly spiced and satisfying. Although I couldn’t eat a whole one.

By 7pm, the compact restaurant is starting to fill up and a couple at a nearby table are raving about the green bean curry. I make a note to return for that and such intriguing options as a Brinjal sweet curry – aubergine cooked with fresh pineapple in a sweet sauce – and beetroot curry.

A family-run, friendly neighbourhood restaurant, Athugala Ceylon, offers a joyful romp through a variety of different Sri Lankan dishes in a relaxed environment and is a welcome addition to Two Mile Hill.

251 Two Mile Hill Rd, Bristol, BS15 1AY
www.athugalaceylon.com

All photos: Ellie Pipe

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