This Sunday, Specifically decided to have a Srilankan lunch, searched and went to this place. Myself and My wife....loved a lot...seemed to be a small place, but good ambiance. We wished to have Chicken Biriyani. But we didn't say it in advance, so they said, it might take some time. Instead of Chicken Biriyani, we were told to try a complete packaged food in a Banana leaf, which had Chicken, rice, Eggplant and Green banana and they told to have it microwave cooked for 8 mins. It was simply superb, mixed everything and it gave a good taste. The other item, which we ordered was string hoppers, with fish and egg curry, that was also good. Wattalappam was our desert choice, that palm sugar taste still lingers in the tongue. Chicken fries gave a run for KFC. Not to miss the Fish Cutlets, they too tasted damn good. Would highly recommend this place. read more

Saw an article about this restaurant a couple of weeks ago and made the drive for it today and boy was it worth it! There doesn't seem to be much Sri Lankan food in LA which surprises me as it's so delicious! We ordered the beef lamprais, which comes wrapped in a banana leaf and comprises of tender chunks of beef, gloriously sweet and sticky eggplant, caramelised onions, a coconutty sambal and a few other tasty things I'm not sure of the names of, all on top of a bed of perfectly cooked rice. Insanely delicious. We also got the fish pol roti meal, which came with a fiery red chilli sambal, 4 coconut roti and an amazing, tangy and deeply flavoured fish curry. The vegetarian string hopper meal comes with these little pancakes made of stringy noodles, which you use to scoop up the coconut curry sauce, coconut chilli sambal, a boiled egg and some vegetable curry. Ours came with curried okra and a refreshing kale and coconut chopped salad. We also got the jackfruit curry which I think was my favourite dish. It blew me away with its creaminess and warming, comforting spice. I had no idea jackfruit could be made so delicious. Don't miss out on the milk tea (made with condensed milk and expertly poured from a height) and the wattallappam, a cardamom scented dessert reminiscent of a crème caramel or a flan. You can call or text your order in, and pick up was super easy and very safe. Only 2 customers allowed in at a time, glass screens between you and the staff and mask wearing enforced. The owner was really bubbly and friendly. What a brilliant way to spend a Sunday! read more

Apey Kade - Beef lamprais - Sri Lankan Near Me - Tarzana, California

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Husband and I felt adventurous today and tried our first Sri Lankan cuisine. We were not disappointed as we saw a variety of freshly prepared meals... and a very courteous host. Maybe because we went on a Sunday but it felt like visiting a friend's house who happened to open his kitchen to us. If you like authentic spicy exotic meals and supporting small business, come by. read more

Great examples of the many, many cuisines of Sri Lanka. Go to the buffet to try a variety. I love the short eats ( savory pastries ). The family who owns the restaurant is very kind and welcoming. read more

Tried something different. Glad I did. I loved it, so did kids. Wife is vegan. She had plenty to choose from too. Very nice staff. Support 'ma and pa' establishments read more

made the trip all the way out to Tarzana after reading the write-up of Apey Kade in LA Weekly. Always on the look out for new food experiences and Apey Kade definitely fit the bill since they are one of only a handful of Sri Lankan (an island country off the southern coast of India) restaurants in Los Angeles. Upon entering, we were greeted by the owner who was in the middle of helping his children with their homework which was sort of endearing. He was extremely friendly and did his best to help us decipher the menu. Having never tried Sri Lankan food before, we deferred to his choice for our entrees; the fish Pittu & chicken lamprais. The chicken lamprais was a rice dish baked in a giant banana leaf topped with various veggies and chicken. Super delicious. The fish pittu was basically a cylinder-shaped mold of ground rice and coconut. Having no idea how to eat this, the owner instructed us to break off a few spoonfuls at a time from the rice mold and then top it off with the coconut milk, fish curry, and a dab of chili paste (that also came with the meal on the side). It was decent but I preferred the chicken lamprias, but the pittu was definitely an eating experience that I enjoyed having. Overall, I'd described the flavor as a combination of Indian food & Thai food as a basic reference point. Also, it became evident that Sri Lankan food is spicy! I definitely had an enjoyable lather going on my forehead as we ate. For dessert, we got a slice of wattalappan which I would basically describe as Sri Lankan flan. Delicious!!! Curious to go back and try out the friday/saturday dinner buffet. read more

Their food is delicious! Costumer service is top class.. We live in las vegas, but whenever we are in LA , this a must have... There is no other restaurant in LA that can come close to their taste... definitely recommend! My favorite is their hoppers and kottu! Husband and wife pair is great!! Keep it up!! read more

I am surprised to find that this place is under new management, but it has been a while since the last time I came (It was Curry Bowl). The owners are really nice people; welcoming and talked to us for awhile. I really like that feeling that you can just talk to people casually. We were grabbing lunch on a Thursday and it wasn't that crowded at all.. NICE! I did the lunch buffet and was delighted to find lentils! love it. I tried various curries and they were all good. I tried this fish curry(?) that was quite spicy, otherwise everything was just right. I was too full for dessert. Bottomline: try this place if you're curious to try Sri-lankian food! You'll like it and prices are reasonable too! read more

Service and food is excellent. The food is definitely authentic. Tastes like your grand mother cooked it in a Sri Lankan kitchen. Roti was fantastic. Katta sambol was perfect and so was the eggplant. Lots of vegan options. Spicy so mild or medium is recommended if you aren't a fan of very spicy food. read more

Apey Kade - Menu - Sri Lankan Near Me - Tarzana, California

Came here with my friends in accordance with the Festival of Lights celebration and we were not disappointed! Food is spicy (the authentic style) so beware if you're not the kind who can take spice! Very friendly staff and rather clean environment. Gotta try everything! There are limited parking in the plaza but there's also street parking. read more

Just had my first experience with Sri Lankan food and it was wonderful. My son and I stopped for a quick dinner after reading the reviews on yelp. Not knowing what to order we asked the owner who was happy to oblige and make recommendations. The food was very tasty. Nicely spiced, but not overly hot. The portions were good sized and the food was ready pretty quickly. We will definately return to explore more of the menu. Good food, nice people and great prices. Can't ask for much more than that. read more

Having never had Sri Lankan food despite being Indian, I was indifferent about this spot. I went in, saw the buffet, which was a little less than impressive... so I ordered what would've been a major purchase there ($12+ for a single dish) ... and I guess if that's how it's supposed to taste, it was good. I would just have to try it a couple of more times, which I will, in order to get a real feel for the place. Hence, the 4 stars for now. I thought for the service, price, and amount, it was very good. read more

Best Sri Lankan food I ever had !! Taste soo authentic! Very kind people.I definitely recommend this place!!!

Th food here is delicious, just the right amount of spicy, and different enough to entice the most jaded eater. We love Indian food but often find it to be too heavy. The flavors here are clean and don't leave you feeling logy at the end of the meal, though getting your fill is not a problem here. Also, no matter how full you are, have dessert. Staff is friendly and informative. read more

Ask for Lalith, The best customer Service... very welcoming & vibrant smiles, will go above & beyond to help you out... plus you'll get free ceylon chai tea :) ! It's a family run biz, a large variety of Sri Lanka foods... authentic ! read more

My favorite place to get authentic Sri Lankan food. Its like home cooked food!! The people that work there are very lovely and i always get amazing service! read more

We made a stop here on the way home from Ventura back to San Diego last weekend. Being from Sri Lanka I am very particular about Sri Lankan food. This placed was fantastic. The food was fresh and delicious. The right amount of spice! My kids loved the string hoppers. My wife and I loved everything. My favorite is always the Chinese rolls and the fish cutlets. In fact we are driving up there today for some good food. If you are ever in the area, or just want some good delicious food, drive yourself to Apey Kade! read more

Apey Kade - Sri Lankan Near Me - Tarzana, California

Avoid if you are going there with family. Especially avoid the buffet. A friend of mine recommended this family owned restaurant, so we went there for Sunday buffet. It is a family owned restaurant, but I won't recommend going there with family. There are two or three tables on the side to eat, with some tables upstairs but those are not always available (as they seem to live there). It is uncomfortable to sit there with all heat (no air conditioning or fan). You will eat on paper plates and plastic spoons. Food: Two veg and two non-veg items in the buffet with several rice items. All looks authentic, but you pay a hefty price ($15 for lunch buffet with so few items) for the mediocre quality of food and the ambient condition you are made to dine in. The taste is mediocre. Maybe order the menu items, which seems to be the right price for the quality, although taste cannot be guaranteed. Dealing: The owner (man) seems to be a nice person, but one of the lady owner) seems to be rude. We went there another day a month ago. The owner welcomed us to eat, but we all (party of 6) had to leave as we could not sit there with two infants. It is strange that the owner wanted us to dine in for the buffet lunch when there was clearly not enough food left, and he strictly said that they would not cook more. I gave him the benefit of doubt and went there today again -- a big mistake. read more

I have had several meals here and enjoyed every one. I even brought a group of 15 people to try their cuisine, and it was a great hit. Although it was far to spicy for some of the people. This is my only experience with Sri Lankan food, so I can offer no comparisons but Apey Kade will make it into my rotation of restaurants. read more

Fantastic authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, first time eating at this cozy extremely casual restaurant. The owners were incredibly helpful in recommending the cuisine and what goes well with each curry dish. We will definitely come back but with friends next time. read more

Unique variety (cf. buffet), most of which were excellent. Some are too spicy, but the people there were honest and open about their recommendations. Quite small, but friendly read more

Ok I have eaten at many places and NONE have AMAZED me such as this. I felt like I opening a birthday present when I was peeling the banana wrap off to uncover and gift of flavors! read more

Not sure how this place got lot of reviews and sounds to be fake. The place is upper tiny and staffs/ owners are extremely RUDE. They think they giving for free and don't show any respect at all to the customers. Place is not clean. Go there only if you need disrespect and waste your time and money read more

The home cooked meal was delicious and served with a smile by the nice Srilankan couple. We had the fried fish appetizer, chicken hopper, sambol and the gothamba roti. All these items were freshly made and delicious without the typical Punjabi cream base that you see in Indian restaurants. This is exactly how food is made at my house. If you want great food and good hospitality - please visit this nice little restaurant. Also, make sure to get some hot tea at the end of the meal:) read more

I found this place on yelp to go to with my boyfriend, and we both loved it. It felt a little bit like we had temporarily gone straight to the other side of the planet for dinner and it was wonderful. It was a great intro to Sri Lankan food, which I hope to have more often and get more familiar with. read more

Super yummy! They had a lunch buffet, everything was excellent! Spicy and flavorful. Also very friendly. Would definitely recommend. read more

Apey Kade - Sri Lankan Near Me - Tarzana, California

It was my first time trying Sri Lankan food, and it was SO GOOD! It was spicy, fresh, comforting, lots of textures, and very unique. It's a mom and pop type place, and it feels like you went over to eat at a family members home. Not fancy at all, but the food is worth the trip. It was packed the entire time with what seemed to be people who regularly eat there and stop by for pick up. We tried the vegetarian dish that's wrapped in banana leaf, the lentil patty with spicy coconut sauce, and the dish that resembles freshly made tortillas with green beans and yellow lentils. You definitely need to REALLY like spicy food, because we joked that our mouths were on fire, haha! But in a good way :) read more

I have been here twice with my wife. This place was first and only Sri Lankan food experience thus far. Let me tell you, this place is awesome, and not just the food. The food is amazing, the spices are something you won't quite find in an Indian or Pakistani restaurant, they're very unique. So we know the food is great. The atmosphere is a little hole in the wall that reminds of a nook in San Fransisco that you know you'll be getting something authentic, it is not fancy, it is comfortable, but not because of the ambiance, because of the people. Honest to god, I have never personally been to a restaurant with nicer people! They make you feel like family, no, really, like FAMILY! Besides the owners being the most likable folks you'll meet on any given day of the week, the patrons there are the same way! The atmosphere due to everybody there makes you feel more than welcome, more like a part of. Thank you guys for making a bad night for me a LOT better. Eric & Stephanie read more

Amazing authentic Sri Lankan food!! such a wide selection of items on the menu and everything is so delicious. I highly recommend the mango lassi with any meal :) I went for the first time last night and already came back for lunch today! Everything tastes just like it did growing up eating these meals at Sri Lankan family parties as a kid. Feels great supporting a family-owned business as well. Can't wait to come back! read more

Food was pretty good. I tried the lunch buffet. But the options felt pretty limited and the price was too high. Service was nice. Interior a little too small. I tried both of the dessert options, and they were awful, some of the worst I've ever had at a restaurant. Way too sweet with no subtlety or complexity, with poor presentation. read more

I went a while ago but since I have a yelp account now I thought I'd finally review Apey Kade. The lunch buffet was disappointing, particularly because of all the glowing reviews and I was really excited about getting a good meal. I was the only one there. The meat and fish were dry and stringy, rice was dry, very small selection. I also purchased an additional item to go, a kind of savory bani, it was dry with what I'm pretty certain is canned tuna inside. The couple who run the restaurant were very polite and helpful but the food was just a bummer. I didn't want to come back for a regular meal after that because if the buffet was that bad, how good could the regular entrees be? read more

good place to eat Sri Lankan food. try Friday nights and Saturday night for special buffet. Milan

Excellent home cooked food! Came here when it was Curry Bowl and was very disappointed. But the new owners are great. Very happy with the Saturday lunch buffet that had shrimp curry and mango curry. Nice spice level. Friendly, family owned. "Hole in the wall" Highly recommended!! read more

Absolutely my favorite restaurant! I love the food & the family that runs it! Always a warm & friendly atmosphere. The tea is amazing! Everything Neza cooks is delicious! They know spicy so be warned if you are sensitive! Steer clear of anything called"deviled", they're not playing! Lol! Sri Lankan eggplant is the bomb! The lentils, the mutton, the fried chicken!!! Egg hoppers! String hoppers! Thosa! Kothu rotti! Jack fruit curry! Seriously try everything, is an exciting culinary adventure that does not disappoint! read more

Very good and authentic. Not a great eat in place but not gross. Very spicy if you're not used to it. Owner is very friendly and passionate. If you're into this kind of food, definitely go. Prices are good. read more

My little piece of home in LA. Love the kottu and ice coffee and I especially love how the staff are always smiling and welcoming.

Ok, I came to Tarzana to check this place out and try Sri Lankan food. It was super authentic, and super amazing. You feel like you are in someone's house, they even insist you finish your dessert before you leave! The dessert was this unbelievable honey Sri Lankan version of creme caramel. It was NUTS. Everything was amazing, being of Indian descent and it being my first time here, these Sri Lankans really kick things up a notch. The spices were incredible, I'm definitely coming back. Oh, and make sure you grab a few fish balls to go. read more

I had Sri Lankan food for the first time at Apey Kade. Many yelp reviewers described this similar to Indian food, which I would not disagree, but the food was distinctly different. We arrived to a dinner buffet. In front of us were plain hoppers and egg hoppers. A plain hopper was a simple savory thin crepe shaped into a bowl and egg hopper is the same thing with an egg served over medium (I think) on top. Since we like eggs, we opted to try all of the curries with the egg hoppers. We got to sample the vegetarian curry, which was potato (I don't know if they serve different types of vegetarian curry, but that is what they had that night). We also had the chicken curry, mutton curry, and fish curry. I asked what type of fish they use and the owner said that it's King Mackerel. There were three sambols, which for me were really condiments. There was a coconut sambol, a raw onion sambol (this was really spicy), and a cooked onion sambol. At the end of the line were stringhoppers, which are these small nests of rice noodles. Being that we were not familiar with Sri Lankan food, we had topped our egg hoppers and stringhoppers with a curry and a sambol. The owner recommended the vegetarian curry with the stringhopopers and coconut sambol, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the combination of the egg hopper and chicken curry or mutton curry. My bf is not a fan of Indian food and when I read that the food is similar to Indian food, I was a bit reluctant. But he scarfed this food so fast and told the owner how much more he likes this food to Indian food. I read from a yelp reviewer that compared Indian curries as more rich and creamier and that Sri Lankan curries were watery (I would describe it as more of a broth). But the highlight of the evening was the faluda drink, which was a refreshing rosewater drink served with vanilla ice cream and tiny tapioca balls. The sweet and creamy drink complemented to cool down the spicy curries. Don't be deterred by exterior and tiny interior. The food is really delicious and the owners are very sweet and helpful. read more

This place is absolutely bomb. My co-workers and I decided to come here for lunch one day (back when it was called the "Curry Bowl"), and for the most part we had a pretty good dining experience. Before coming here I had never had Sri Lankan food (I had eaten Indian food before, so I wasn't exactly sure how much different it would be). Anyways we decided to go for the lunch buffet, which by the way, is an awesome price for what you get. When we arrived the couple who owned the place greeted us and told us what the dishes were in the buffet. There were two kinds of rice (yellow and fried) as well as some meat curries and vegetable dishes (some kind of green melon smothered in a yellow sauce). They also told us which ones were spicy. I enjoy spicy food, so for me, everything they had out looked scrumptious. Anyway it was similar to the food that I had at Indian restaurants before, but delicious nonetheless. Because we had such a big group we opted to take the dining room upstairs. There was a large flat-screen TV there and the room looked just like a dining room in a family home. Very nice atmosphere I must say - funny thing though, when we were pulling in to the parking lot, one of my co-workers exclaimed to us, "What?! This is the place? It looks so ghetto!" Needless to say I think he changed his opinion after multiple servings. The dessert at the end (which I remember was some kind of mango pudding with cut fruit) was also a nice bonus. We joked with the owners and asked if the dessert was spicy too, and they just laughed. Overall, great place if you're looking for authentic Sri Lankan food. The only downsides? The parking here is pretty darn cramped and the location is a bit awkward; coming here and leaving was probably the most frustrating part of our trip. And some of my co-workers and I ran to go sit on the porcelain thrones once we got back to the office, but hey, that's what Indian/Pakistani/Sri Lankan food is - "enjoy now, pay later!" read more

I visited this restaurant on a Sunday noon and I saw there was buffet. Being a first timer to this place I thought buffet was a good option. However the variety and number of items on buffet was a bit disappointing given the price($14.99). We had hoppers, fish curry, 3 types of sambol(2 coconut & 1 chilly), fried chicken, mutton kheema, some beans, friums, white and yellow rice, tapioca, salad, red rice cake and a coconut curry. The fish curry was tasty but a bit spicy, so was the minced meat. Fried chicken was very dry and hard. Rice was cold. Beans was tasteless. And they served this buffet with a desert which was apparently just yogurt with honey . On the whole I would say that this buffet was disappointing for me and this rating is just for the buffet service. But most of the popular dishes of this place is not included in the buffet like the fish cutlets, beef buns, egg hoppers, string hoppers, different curries,kottu roti and pitu. So I would definitely go back there to try other items but strictly don't recommend buffet. read more