The Little Sri Lankan
Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Supper Clubs:
- Thursday 15th May, The Goods In Prestwich
- Thursday 29th May, Miru Mill, Stockport
- Wednesday 11th June, Grounded Mcr, Levenshulme
- Wednesday 18th June, The Goods In, Prestwich
- Thursday 26th June, Miru Mill, Stockport
- Friday 27th June, Miru Mill, Stockport
Each event has limited tickets, so book early to secure your spot.
We’ve kept a close eye on The Little Sri Lankan for a few years now, and it’s a joy to see them grow into one of Manchester’s best multi-faceted food experiences. They’re currently running monthly supper clubs at Miru Mill in Stockport and Prestwich’s The Goods In, selling chutneys and basically bossing the more interesting end of Manchester’s independent food culture.
The whole operation is headed up by Malanie Tillekeratne and Michael Hooper, with no small input from Mala’s mum, who vets each and every dish. Team this high-level authenticity with Mala and Michael’s kitchen skills – both cut their cooking teeth in some the UK’s top restaurants – and you’re in for something special.
We checked out a recent supper club on a Friday evening at Stockport’s Miru Mills, an elegant former textile mill. It’s the perfect place for a pop-up kitchen – all natural light and space for guests to kick back and relax.
It’s a menu that combines big flavours you might not have heard of, but instantly make sense on the tongue. And while some supper clubs throw everything at the diner and hope for the best, this is all about nuance and knowing when and how to take things in a new direction.
The menu switches up regularly, but this begins with a wonderful golden mutton pancake roll, stuffed with slow-cooked meat and wild garlic, crisp on the outside, soft and comforting within. On the side, an all-important pineapple and chilli chutney (now available in jars, chutney fans).
The main event is a varied bowl of Sinhalese food, based around a curry made with tender ox cheek. It’s served with spinach parippu (a kind of Sri Lankan dhal), a zingy radish salad, and earthy cabbage fried up with chilli. Not forgetting the soft roti made with locally-sourced wild garlic.
To finish, a dark chocolate crémeux, silken and intense, cut through with mango and topped with crunchy candied cashews. Best of all, there’s a vegan option for each course – plus multiple non-alcoholic choices for those wishing to avoid the demon drink.
Of course, Mala is the Little Sri Lankan – as she points out, she’s little and she’s Sri Lankan – and her upbringing is at the heart of it. She has a wealth of stories, both about her family and wider Sri Lankan cuisine, giving context and passing on knowledge in a smart, engaging way – it never feels like a classroom.
Best of all, she has an effortless knack for making sure everyone feels involved and welcome. It’s the kind of supper club you can head along to by yourself without any apprehension.
The Little Sri Lankan do pop-ups and various events all over the North, not to mention sells jars of that delicious pineapple chutney. For full details, check their website below. Word to the wise: sign up quickly, they tend to sell out.
