The Little Sri Lankan: An intimate supper club with massive heart

If you’ve frequented any of Manchester’s markets or street food concepts over these last few years, you’ll likely have crossed paths with some iteration of The Little Sri Lankan. If you haven’t, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do…

Founded by partners Malanie and Michael Hooper Tillekeratne, the concept is a love letter to Malanie’s Sri Lankan roots, and the times spent helping her parents cook for parties and celebrations. Between the couple, there is a serious culinary pedigree, with the pair having worked in a long list of esteemed kitchens all over the globe.

Back in 2023, following COVID and an unfortunate incident in which Michael slipped on an ice cream tub and fractured his elbow (we’re assured that laughing about it is encouraged), the pair launched their Supper Club concept for the very first time. The premise was simple: an intimate room, a handful of people and the family recipes Malanie had grown up cooking, passed down (and often signed off) by her Ammie (mother).

Fast forward a couple of years, and the duo now have a residency at Stockport’s Miru Mill, hosting Supper Clubs on the last Thursday and Friday of every month, as well as making regular appearances at other venues across Manchester, like Toast in Altrincham, which is where we joined for the night.

To kick things off, we’re served freshly-baked milk bread and whipped Pol Sambol butter (Pol Sambol is a traditional Sri Lankan coconut relish made from freshly grated coconut, shallots, chilli, and lime juice). It’s a simple but gorgeous combination, one which covers sweet, salt and spice in one go — it’s comfort and excitement all in a single delicious bite. It’s also the perfect example of why these events are so great; discovering brand-new flavours that, potentially, you may otherwise never have crossed paths with.

Malanie takes the lead on storytelling between courses. Her passion and personality are infectious, and being invited into the personal stories behind each dish feels incredibly special. Along with the heartwarming, often hilarious tales, there are fascinating insights into Sri Lankan ingredients, the globetrotting influences that have shaped what is still a relatively unfamiliar cuisine to most, and the various techniques, tips and tricks that come with crafting the marvellous creations being served up to us.

Next on the menu is Hot Butter Oyster Mushroom, which, to put it simply, is brilliant. Think crispy shredded beef, but elevated to an entirely different level — thin strips of mushroom are fried golden, before being coated in this punchy glaze that packs in a hidden but wildly addictive dose of spice.

Onto the mains, and as always, there’s a veggie and meat option available (as well as vegan and gluten-free variations). I opt for the latter, which, for this evening’s edition of The Little Sri Lankan Supper Club, is an indulgent-sounding Black Pork Curry. Arriving piled high and in a rainbow of enticing colours and scents, tender chunks of pork are crowned by shards of poppadom, carrot pol sambol and white potato curry, all of this sat atop a bed of steaming yellow rice; a delicacy that holds a special spot in Sri Lankan cooking.

Closing things out, a rich and joyous Ceylon tea chocolate torte, balanced out by a whipped cardamom vanilla creme fraiche and a welcome contrasting splash of acidity supplied by a cinnamon apple compote.

Aside from gushing about how unbelievably good all the food is, I think one of the biggest compliments I could pay to both Malanie and Michael, is that before we’d even left, Skyscanner was open on my phone, and I was eyeing up flights to Sri Lanka with the very real intention of heading over.

You can find all of The Little Sri Lankan’s upcoming supper clubs, as well as information about booking them for events and pop-ups, on their website here.