6 Top Foods to Try Out in Bentota – Seafood Dishes of All Types!

Being a coastal town, seafood is part and parcel of the diet of the people of Bentota. As such, the hospitality industry of Bentota has a rich history of serving up delicious seafood meals. One such seafood you simply must try is Jumbo Prawns. Jumbo Prawns, like their name suggests, are just like regular prawns expect that they are larger in size and have much more meat. Because of the extra meat in these prawns, they provide a juicier and more succulent gastronomic experience. Jumbo Prawns can be prepared in a number of ways; cooked and served with curry as per traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, baked or grilled on an open flame, or deep fried in batter to create a jumbo rendition of the locally beloved Batter-Fried Prawns.

Cuttlefish is another seafood dish that is extremely popular in Sri Lanka. Although there are many ways in which cuttlefish is prepared in Sri Lanka, one of the best and most flavorsome dishes incorporating cuttlefish that you can try out while in Bentota is the Cuttlefish Curry. Cuttlefish Curry is essentially chunks of cuttlefish cooked in a think curry made of coconut milk and an array of spices and condiments. Known for its rich zesty flavor, the Cuttlefish Curry goes well with rice and other curries, and can even be eaten with a side of flatbreads or string-hoppers.

Bentota is also known for having several restaurants serving delicious crab dishes. Like Jumbo Prawns and Cuttlefish, Crab is also prepared in a number of ways in Sri Lanka, and in Bentota you can try them all. Amongst locals, Crab Curry is probably the most popular, as it is a spicy dish in which large pieces of crab are served in a flavorsome and spicy curry, which is best eaten along with a starch such as rice. However, you will also find dishes of Baked Crab, if you are not a fan of curries or do not have a palate for spicy foods. Crab, being a popular food in Bentota, is served in many Bentota restaurants, including the restaurants of resorts such as the AVANI Bentota Resort & Spa.

Calamari is a type of seafood that is quite popular in Sri Lanka. Bentota, being one of the top seafood destinations of Sri Lanka, is therefore a great place to try out a dish of Calamari. One of the most popular Calamari dishes is Fried Calamari. Fried so that a thin crispy layer is formed on the outside and a succulent piece of meat is on the inside, Fried Calamari is a mouth-watering dish is commonly consumed as dish to complement a glass of arrack; the preferred local alcohol.

Mixed Grills are rather common in most restaurants of Bentota. With so many types of seafood and meats available in Bentota, it is no surprise that Mixed Grills are found in the menus of most restaurants. Most restaurants offer their patrons a choice of Mixed Grill, in that you can choose whether your Mixed Grill should be seafood, or whether it should be lean and red meats. But no matter what you choose, you can be assured of having a hearty meal as the Mixed Grills are rather sizable!

By now it must be pretty obvious that seafood is the specialty of Bentota, and a place that is renowned for seafood is definitely going to have some great Tuna steaks. You can be assured of having mouthwatering Tuna steaks in Bentota, made using fresh and juicy meat straight from the ocean!