Hopper Hut

Very good place to try Sri Lankan cuisine. The items are a bit spicy, so make you sure you tell them to reduce the spice levels when you order. They also have an array of takeout options. From hoppers (aapams) to briyani, they have it all. The staff are very friendly and meals are priced reasonably. Recommended for those who love sri lankan or south Indian cuisine.

Hopper Hut has a Sri Lankan menu, prepared in a homemade style.  With some guidance from the waitress, we ordered chicken lampries (rice with meat and a boiled egg, inside a banana leaf, arriving at the table inside a paper bag.  We also ordered string hoppers (rice noodles) with mutton curry, that came with a yellow broth (said to go over the noodles) and sambal (chilis and coconut).  For an appetizer, we ordered a mutton roti (which could be a meal in itself).  Since we were looking for mild spiciness, the waitress advised us against the beef curries.  For drinks, I got a SriLankan Delight Nelli Crush (which tasted like a cream soda), and my friend ordered a mango lassi (when he thought the food was getting spicy).  

The meal was an adventure.  These dishes were distinctly different from Indian cuisine (which is geographically nearby).  Our request for mild spiciness was mostly satisfied, with a few occasional tingles on the back of the throat that would lead to a cough.  The meal could be described a hearty and filling.   I may have taken home half of the food that we ordered.  

The Sri Lankan menu could benefit from a dictionary for the uninformed (as we were, on a lunch meeting rerouted from a Malaysian venue that was closed).  We arrived about 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, so we had the who restaurant to ourselves.  

The restaurant is located at the northwest corner of a strip mall plaza, at the northwest corner of Ellesmere Road and Kennedy Road.  There's ample parking around the strip mall, and presumably most people would drive, although the adventurous might take the 5 minute walk from the Ellesmere TTC station to the east.  The rest of the strip mall complex is rather run down, with empty storefronts, so destination diners will probably want to enter the driveway on Ellesmere Road and drive north towards the back.  The storefront has a long takeout counter, with a doorway to the left that leads to the hidden diningroom behind.

I love the hoppers with the coconut sambol. Don't use credit cards, just bring cash!!! But great hoppers.

Uber tasty