Kurumba

Overview

Kurumba is Surry Hills' breezy two-level Sri Lankan restaurant from the crew behind The Fold in Dulwich Hill. The beloved Inner West diner closed in 2023 so The Fold team could move into this ambitious new Crown Street space.

Upstairs at Kurumba, the dining room spotlights traditional Sri Lankan eats. The team's also mixing things up with Sydney menu staples like Sydney rock oysters, Western Australian lobster and smoked brisket. Downstairs, there's a casual bar where you can snack on hoppers over a glass of vino.

Highlights from the main dining room include smoked brisket pan rolls, kajugama tiger prawns in a chilli cashew butter and crispy pork belly curry. If you're okay with splurging a little, Kurumba's signature dish is the lobster kottu — a chopped roti, vegetable and lobster-head curry.

The set menu is a great way to attack the meal, especially for groups. The $85 per person option runs through the pan rolls, hot butter soft-shell crab, three different curries and tempered cauliflower, all paired with hoppers and rice. Or you can go big with the $125 premium menu, adding the signature lobster kottu and oysters topped with calamansi, coconut water and coriander root to the fold.

If you've got the space, there's only one way to round out your meal at Kurumba. While a few desserts are on offer, the falluda soft serve is a must-try, adding rose syrup, crystallised pistachio and crispy vermicelli to the nostalgic sweet treat.