Modest Perfection

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In Colombo, Sri Lanka's busy commercial capital, the disco-loving night crawlers tend to be far removed from the city's working class. But there is one place where their two worlds intersect: Hotel de Pilawoos. No evening out in Colombo is complete without an after-midnight pit stop by this grungy eatery on the Galle Road. If you're put off by the rust-ridden iron furniture and curry-stained floors (Pilawoos doesn't win awards for hygiene), then follow the example of the local élite and chow down in the comfort of your car. Any time of day or night, you'll find dozens of cars parked out front, while waiters in white sarongs scurry from the kitchen to the curb, bearing trays of steaming, spicy curries and serving customers through their open car windows as in a '50s American drive-in burger joint.

But that's the only Westernized touch at Hotel de Pilawoos — the food, happily, makes no such concessions. The house specialty is that sublime Sri Lankan staple, the hopper — a wafer-thin, bowl-shaped pancake with a crisp surround and soft spongy center. Made out of rice flour, yeast and coconut milk, hoppers are usually eaten with spicy sambol sauces or just a fried egg plopped in the center. They're quite light, so you'll want to order at least four per adult. I like them best with a blistering curry, and my personal favorite is another Pilawoos delicacy, fish curry. Thick chunks of fresh tuna are marinated in a blend of mustard seeds, tamarind pulp and fenugreek and then mixed into a rich coconut sauce. You'll pay 50¢ for the curry and a mere 5¢ per hopper. It's the best deal in Colombo.