Yarl, a northern Sri Lankan restaurant in KL
We Malaysians are spoilt for choices when it comes to makan places. From cafes to hawker centres, we have a galore of delicious food finds to keep our tummies full on the weekends.
Even with our wide array of food options, Sri Lankan cuisine is something most of us might not be familiar with. But if you already love South Indian cuisine and want to further broaden your food horizon, head to Yarl – this authentic northern Sri Lankan restaurant serves mouth-watering dishes such as crab curry and appam.
A pre-war building & alfresco dining area
Image credit: @yarltherow
Yarl has been charming foodies at its two branches in TTDI and Brickfields in KL. Its newest location at The Row – which comprises, well, a row of pre-war 1940s shophouses that’s now home to various businesses – is equally charming.
The colonial building housing the Sri Lankan restaurant has been given a modern makeover inside, with charming archways and concrete floors giving off overall bright and minimalistic vibes.Â
Image credit: @pinanya.p
Busy urbanites can settle in here for their meal times, with comfortable cafe-style dining seats inside and also an alfresco area to accommodate lunch and dinner crowds.
Ambience aside, Yarl’s menu items are a treat for those who love rich flavours.
Variety of curries & customisable Kothu
Bringing authentic flavours from the city of Jaffna to the heart of KL, Yarl at The Row utilises a blend of Sri Lankan spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, and fenugreek seeds in their dishes.
Their crowd-favourite appam (from RM3), served plain, egg, or sweet, comes with curry or sambol that are fragrant with spices.
Image credit: Yarl
They have up to ten different varieties of curries on the menu.
To help you narrow down your choices, some of their must-try ones are their Crab Curry (RM14 per 100g) – a traditional, slightly spicy, dish that packs a punch – and Mutton Varuval (RM18), with tender chunks of mutton in a slightly thicker curry.
Image credit: @yarkltherow
Another Sri Lankan staple you can order at Yarl is their customisable Kothu (from RM8). This stir-fried dish is made up of diced roti, puttu – rice flavoured with coconut – or idiyappam, a local variation of rice noodle. They are all mixed with spices, and paired with a protein of your choice – egg, chicken, mutton or prawn.
Image credit: Yarl
To complete your meal, order a classic cup of Ceylon Tea (RM4), or Yarl Masala Tea (RM4.50) for a balanced mix of cardamom, cinnamon, and milk with Ceylon black tea. If these are not your cup of tea, you can go for their refreshing Mango Lassi (RM9).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner sets from RM5
Image credit: Yarl
At Yarl, you’ll get to enjoy a variety of sets throughout the day from as low as RM5 – which is a major steal in KL.
Start your day with their breakfast sets such as Vadai Set (RM5) and Puttu Set (RM8), which are available from 7AM to 11AM.
Image credit: @feimao_my
During lunch hours, Yarl offers a lunch set that starts from RM9. This gets you a plate of rice, and three vegetable side dishes that you get to pick from a plethora of options available at the cafeteria-style counter.
Image credit: Yarl
Dinner sets are also available at Yarl – find Yarl Thali Set (RM12), a mixed selection of delicious side dishes comprising meat and vegetable served with rice on a platter, or the Idiyappam Set (RM7) and Puttu Set (RM8) that both comes with sodhi, iddi sambol, and onion curry as sides. These are up for grabs starting at 4PM.
Affordable Sri Lankan food from Yarl at The Row KL
If you’re in KL and looking for a wholesome, flavourful, and hearty meal, you can swing by Yarl for lunch with your pals or brunch with your fam on the weekends. With three locations throughout the city, you can choose the one closest to you to feast on Sri Lankan cuisine.
Yarl @ The Row
Address: 22, Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy, KL
Opening hours: 7AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 012-375 9883
Yarl’s website | Facebook | Instagram
Check out these places nearby:
- SuperPark, indoor activity park in KL
- Kecur, a bungalow cafe that serves Johorean comfort food in KL
- Shuttle In The Dark, a glow-in-the-dark badminton court in KL
Cover image adapted from: @yarltherow, Yarl and @reysheats