Lakruwana Restaurant

*Not to be a missed place in NYC*.
The moment you enter, you feel like you are in a museum, it is very very beautiful adorned with Sri Lankan artifacts.
The place looks and smells great.
It’s not spacious and that makes it cozy, there might be around 12 to 15 tables.
For the weekend brunch menu, once you get seated, you can pick up a plate and get started on the unlimited food.
It was my first time trying Sri Lankan food and I must say I am quite impressed; plenty of vegetarian & vegan options, along with two meat options (pork and chicken).
The only underwhelming part were the desserts.
There was sago pudding along with various mousse (mango, gooseberry, chocolate) options, and one caramel custard.
That was a disappointment as we expected more authentic & extensive Sri Lankan dessert options.
Otherwise, a fabulous place to visit to relish Sri Lankan food and vibe.

Had made reservations for 3 pm on a Sat and the place was at 40% occupancy.
The people I was with had tried this place before and spoke very highly about their food.
We were seated right away on an 8 person table and the overall restaurant setup is very welcoming.
Noise levels were on the quieter side. We tried their $21 buffet ($10 for kids) and one thing you can never go wrong with is the deliciousness that Sri Lankan food brings with it.
From the very first time I had Kothu Roti (not on buffet) to trying out their various curries, Sri Lankan food never disappoints.
Lakruwana has raised the bar further higher with their amazing buffet selection.
Being a vegetarian, I can't comment on their rather inviting Pork Curry, or Egg curry - but what was interesting was my table, who is primarily meat eaters were enjoying their vegetarian entrees more! The Pineapple Curry, Mix Vegetables curry, and Egg Plant (the best eggplant I've ever had) - were packed with spices.
Egg plant never tasted better and now, I can never enjoy egg plant any other way! Their Kale salad and coconut salad, along with the spicy chillies brought absolutely fantastic flavors with every bite.
Spice levels were on the milder side, and the chicken actually was on the sweeter side (per our table). Their dessert included an extremely delicious Sago Pudding which takes you by complete surprise with its extremely balanced sweetness which comes through in the second or third bite. I will highly recommend this place for anyone who appreciates and likes flavorful food.
This was a perfect five star experience for us.

Hidden gem, feels like a sanctuary, food is very different with plenry of vegetarian options.
They serve desserts at the back too.
It's a must to visit while on Staten Island :)