Heritage House Sri Lankan restaurant open in Newport

Heritage House, located at the former Granchies site on Upper Dock Street within Newport Market, opened its doors to hungry customers wanting to try South Asian food with a twist on Thursday, September 12.

Husband and wife duo, Asanga and Dinesha De Silva, opened Heritage House as they saw a gap in the market for authentic Sri Lankan fare in Newport.

Heritage House's new interior, decorated by husband and wife duo, Asanga and Dinesha De Silva. (Image: Heritage House) Mr. De Silva, said: "It's flavours that the people of Newport may not have experienced, which are not too unfamiliar to what they are used to."

A departure away from the eclectic Granchies decor, the De Silva's have put their unique stamp on the site already.

They have painted the interior a calming shade of blue and beige to represent the white sandy beaches and clear blue sea surrounding the island of Sri Lanka, while incorporating a wooden countertop and bar-style seating, offering additional seating for diners.

However, they have already had to overcome several challenges, including a drop in electricity the night before they were due to open.

Owners of Heritage House, Asanga and Dinesha De Silva. (Image: Newsquest) “I had to do a complete rewiring for the griddle and the burner, and the hood wasn’t working,” said Asanga, adding, “luckily, I had a good electrician who was able to solve the issues on the day we opened.”

The restauranteurs have confirmed that the site is a work-in-progress with a transformation in the works for both the interior and the menu.

Heritage House offers a selection of curries, appetisers, sides and desserts, with the addition of Heritage rice bowls and ‘koththu’ – a dish which combines roti (South Asian flatbread) with meats, seafood, egg, vegetables, and Sri Lankan spices.

Koththu, one of Sri Lanka's most famous dishes, with grilled chicken and curry sauce (Image: Heritage House) Koththu, also spelled as 'kottu', is one of Sri Lanka's most renowned and most popular dishes.

The name originates from the Sri Lankan Tamil word for "to chop", which refers to how the dish is made, by chopping the ingredients together in an expert way on a griddle to seamlessly blend the flavours to create a hearty and delicious meal.

Diners in the area also might not have tried the traditional dessert of ‘watalappam,’ a coconut milk and jaggery (raw cane sugar) pudding infused with spices.

Heritage House exterior on Upper Dock Street in Newport (Image: Newsquest) On the weekends, Asanga and Dinesha are hoping to offer the public a round of 'Hoppers' - Sri Lanka's answer to crispy pancakes. These will come in plain, egg and milk, but they will only be available at the weekends.

With footfall now rising in Newport, members of the public have visited Heritage House and praised the offerings. When I visited, Cardiff residents had travelled to eat at the new restaurant and were singing the praises for the food they tried.

Heritage House to the left of Newport Market entrance on Upper Dock Street (Image: Newsquest) Asanga De Silva has confirmed that all meat at the store is halal and the owners source it locally at Masala Bazaar in Newport.

He said: "We wanted to make sure we are not excluding one group of people, in favour of another."

Ceylon tea, grown exclusively in Sri Lanka, is also available, which is considered a pillar of the country’s culture, heritage and identity.

Ceylon Tea is grown exclusively in Sri Lanka (Image: Newsquest) The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm - 10pm. Find the store on the left of the Newport Market entrance from Upper Dock Street.