21. April 2015: Restaurant Island Ceylon
The Restaurant Island Ceylon is an absolutely lovely place. It is a bit hidden and not located on any of the main streets but it is worth the short walk. The interior is simple but very cozy – you can absolutely feel that the place is run by a family and you feel respectively comfortable.
As a starter selection we went for “Thakkali Roti (roasted naan bread with tomatoes, sapphron, chili stripes and coconut oil” (CHF 5.00), “Samosa (crispy dough bags Indian style, filled with vegetables and mild spices, served with salad and chutneys)” (CHF 8.50), and “Patties (crispy dough bags from Ceylon, filled with prawns, potatoes, and mild spices, served with salad and chutneys)” (CHF 9.50). The selection was a good one as the dishes were tasty …
… and the “chutneys” perfectly supported the quality and flavour of the starters.
As a main course, we went for two different ones – once “Gosht Vindaloo (spicy combination of beef, potatoes, vinegar, a specialty from Goa; prepared spicy the European way)” (CHF 28.50) which was a bit spicy but definitely not as spicy as I had hoped for. The beef quality was good and there was actually enough beef in the dish for a change (which is often not the case in other Indian restaurants I have been to). The second dish was “Katherikai Curry (fresh eggplants, cooked in a coconut curry sauce, spiced up with traditional herbs from Ceylon, refined with fresh curry leaves)” (CHF 16.50). I am not much of a vegetarian but the dish was actually quite tasty, especially due to the smoothness of the eggplants.
Besides that, we ordered “Raita (mildly spiced yoghurt with cucumbers and tomatoes” (CHF 5.00) which came with naan bread. It was really much more like a tzatziki but not entirely optimal to eat as the yoghurt was a bit too liquid.
The service is superfriendly, the whole family is actively taking part in the restaurant business and they are very dedicated and attentive. Somehow, it is just cute with what dedication they engage in their business.
The prices are also absolutely fair – for the dishes especially but also for the beverages (i.e. Valser, 0,75L, CHF 7.00; Mango Lassi, 0,3L, CHF 5.00). I can absolutely recommend you the Restaurant Island Ceylon – great atmospheric place with traditional good dishes and perfectly friendly service – for fair prices! I’d recommend you booking in advance as even on a Tuesday evening the place was pretty full!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Island Ceylon
Rütschistrasse 29
8037 Zürich (CH)
Tel.: +41 43 243 63 42
Homepage: http://www.islandceylon-restaurant.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
