Coconut, a restaurant offering homemade Sri Lankan food, opened in Cambridge’s Barnwell Road on August 9, 2023. Coconut's owner and chef Niroshi Mendis has spent the last eight years cooking for staff and students at Selwyn College, Cambridge University.
Niroshi, who is originally from Sri Lanka, said: “My food was very popular at the university, as it was something different from the dishes that were typically served. Staff and students kept telling me I should set up a restaurant.
The first few weeks of Coconut are a trial run, as Niroshi and her team of family and friends get feedback from customers and work to establish themselves as the go-to place for Sri Lankan cuisine. During the trial, a different menu is posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page each day, typically including seven meals that come with a free drink, two to three further dishes, and two to three extras.
The meals offered so far have included: Sri Lankan kottu (chopped) roti, with chicken, egg and vegetables; coconut milk rice with coconut cream potato curry and caramelised onion; and tempered potato, fine beans coconut curry, aromatic rice and a papadam.
Saminda Ranawaka is Niroshi’s husband, who has been supporting her in front of house outside his day job as a scientific researcher. He said: “People who haven’t tried Sri Lankan or South Asian food become fans after eating Niroshi’s dishes.
