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NAoMangos souTH INDIAN $
(%222 8294; Nallalaxmy Ave, 359 Temple rd; meals
r s 200-400; h10.30am-10pm) With an open
kitchen, lots of space and outdoor seating area,
Mangos is an atmospheric place to dine and
wildly popular with extended Tamil families.
The South Indian food is exceptional with
around 20 dosas (try the ghee masala), great
parotta (Keralan-style flat bread) and idiyap-
pam. For lunch, the thali (Rs 200) can’t be beat.
It’s located around 2km northeast of the
centre, but is walkable from the guesthouses
in the Nallur district.
Malayan Café sr I lANKAN $
(36-38 grand Bazaar; meals rs 120-220; h6.30am-
9pm) Highly authentic and atmospheric
old-school eatery in the market district with
marble-topped tables, wooden cabinets,
swirling fans and photos of holy men illu-
minated by lime-coloured fluorescent tubes
gazing down on diners. The cheap, tasty veg-
etarian fare (dosas, rice and curry for lunch
and light meals) is served on banana leaves
and eaten by hand.
Hotel Rolex sr I lANKAN $
(%222 2808; 340 Hospital rd; meals rs 80-250) On
the main drag, this local eatery is usually bus-
tling and has friendly management, a good
range of food options and ‘nuts ice cream’.
Rio Ice Cream IC e CreAM $
(448 a Point Pedro Rd; ice creams & sundaes rs 60-
250; a) For a typical Jaffna treat, head to the
trio of popular ice-cream parlours behind the
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. Rio is the local
favourite, though local tastes are very sweet.
oCosy Restaurant N orTH INDIAN $$
(%222 5899; 15 sirampiyadi ln, stanley rd; meals rs
240-700; h11am-11pm; aW) Cosy now has two
locations. This (non-vegie) branch has a lovely
open courtyard seating and subdued lighting.
The big attraction here is the tandoori oven,
which fires up at 6pm daily and pumps out
delicious naan bread, tikkas and tandoori
chicken. The Jaffna crab (combo with naan
and a drink Rs 699) is outstanding too, and
beer is available.Green Grass INDIAN $$
(www.jaffnagreengrass.com; 33 Aseervatham ln,
Hospital rd; mains rs 300-500; h10am-10pm; W)
The garden restaurant here, with tables under
a mango tree and around the pool, is a good
spot for Tamil, Indian (try the crab curry) and
Chinese dishes, and also for an evening beer.
Avoid the unappealing indoor dining room.Jaffna Heritage Hotel INDIAN, wesTerN $$
(Temple rd; meals rs 600-1200; W) For a re-
fined ambience, the restaurant at the Jaffna
Heritage Hotel is perfect. Offers excellent
(veg-only) Indian and Sri Lankan food in-
cluding wonderful coconut rotti and deli-
cately spiced currries. Also a good choice for
a healthy, if pricey, Western breakfast (Rs
900) which includes tropical fruit, cereals,
toast and tea/coffee (but no eggs).Morgan’s BAr
(103 Temple rd; h6-10pm; W) By far the nicest
place for a beer in Jaffna, the garden court-
yard bar of this unsigned but characterful
guesthouse draws a good mix of travellers
and NGO workers most nights. Beers are cold
and the wi-fi is fast.7 Shopping
Jaffna Market MArKeT
(Hospital rd) Jaffna’s colourful fruit and vege-
table market is west of the bus stand, but the
greater market area encompasses several glo-
rious blocks beyond that. In the market itself,THE PALMYRA
Symbolising the North of the nation, the towering, fan-leafed palm tree known as the pal-
myra is abundant across the region, its graceful crown of leaves defining many a horizon
at sunset. Of the estimated 11 million or so palmyra trees in Sri Lanka, 90% are found in the
three provinces of Jaffna, Mannar and Kilinochchi.
Making an essential contribution to Tamil culture, palmyra uses are many: timber for
construction; leaves for fencing, roofing and woven handicrafts; fibre for rope; and sap for
drinking. If left to ferment for a few hours, the sap becomes a mildly alcoholic, fragrant tod-
dy. Young palmyra roots are high in calcium and eaten as a snack and also ground to make
flour for a porridge called khool. In markets across the North you’ll find great blocks of jag-
gery (delicious golden-coloured unrefined palm sugar) from unfermented palmyra toddy.
The Palmyrah Development Board (www.katpahachcholai.com) promotes a range of
products, from shopping bags to shampoo, made from the palmyra.