Curry Leaf – Torrance

We all like to say we’re adventurous, and we all love to say we’d eat anywhere, anytime. But when was the last time you really ate anywhere, anytime? Have you EVER just walked into a hole-in-the-wall that looked like it could give you glory, grease, and maybe the worst case of food poisoning in your life?

I did.  I were starving and saw a sign for Sri Lankan food and walked right in. I don’t know what I was expecting, but a tiny 5-table establishment featuring a Sri Lankan buffet for $9.95 wasn’t it. And then I saw the buffet. The food had clearly been sitting out for quite some time, which was not helping me stand by my decision, but the offerings were of a reasonable quantity, and plus I was kind of in the middle of Torrance nowhere.

Turns out, the quality of the food was surprisingly good and by no means stale. My favorite was the Pineapple Curry. It’s sweet and spicy, but eat it slowly because the burn will sneak up on you with a vengeance. The Fish Curry was A-okay – I’m just not a fan of curried fish. The Dahl was disappointingly salty, but the sweeter String Beans were right on the money. The deep red Beetroot Curry was irresistible, with a heavier curry broth than the pineapple. The Chicken Briyani was tasty, as was the other seasoned rice I can’t remember.


This was a huge gamble, and the only thing I’ve learned from gambling is that I really shouldn’t gamble. But that’s the thing with people who gamble – we don’t learn. Casinos don’t make the big bucks because people like me can step away from the slots. Instead, I walked right into the fire, and even when it looked like a shady situation, I still charged straight ahead, ready for a wager with a small probability of payoff. But instead of losing half a paycheck at blackjack like I usually do, I got away with a pretty good Sri Lankan meal, full of foods I would never otherwise try. I really don’t like to gamble, but Curry Leaf may be the only gamble I was glad to take.