Wallawwa, near Negombo, Sri Lanka

There are times not to review a restaurant. Times when, perhaps, your critical faculties may not be at their sharpest, and your tastebuds not at their keenest. For example, just after a journey of nearly 24 hours, or after a couple of flights where you are being plied with food and snacks,

In other words, just like today. It's true that the flights to Sri Lanka were fairly uneventful. It's also true that we avoided any food on the second plane. But after driver Sam deposited us here in this 18th century manor house, it's fair to say that food wasn't at the forefront of our minds. So we did all the logical things you do when checking in. Dumped the cases, checked the mosquito nets, squirted on a liberal application of Deet (mossie repellent - don't leave home without it)  and headed out into the rather lovely garden.

It gets dark early in these parts, but the gentle sound of pans sizzling and the aromas of spice are a natural magnet to a Johnston. We were too tired to go out. How to fill the rest of the evening? What harm could a wee one course do? Hotel food, so no high expectations. We hadn't worked out the exchange rate. That's what happens when you buy dollars. As it happens we couldn't have bought Sri Lankan rupees in advance, as it's a closed currency.

Wallawwa is only a 20 minute drive from the airport, so it's a popular stopping off point for those who are fortunate enough to be arriving, and those sad souls who are about to depart. The menu accordingly caters for western tastes. The expensive items are for things like fillet steak, pork chop and the like. Not being here for that nonsense we consulted the page entitled Rice and Curry. Bizarrely, on the island you will normally find this option to be a lunchtime staple, one often not available at night.

Anyway, a quick decision. Prawn curry for me, fish curry for her. It takes its time in arriving. We discover that everything here is done to order, and to very good effect. We spend the time happily listening to the exotic sounds in the trees. Frogs, perhaps, crickets, or even monkeys? Fireflies flicker, the green ones on one side, the white ones opposite. Insect apartheid, perhaps? What care we?

Then the food arrives: then some more, then more, and more. In the end there are eight dishes on the table, plus the main plates bearing rice, sambol, poppadoms and fried dried chilli. Wow! Don't be fooled. This kitchen isn't trying to impress you with quantity over quality.

On the side we had kale, perhaps the least interesting. Banana blossom curry - who knew such a thing existed? And interesting dish of green beans done with garlic and mustard. Beetroot curry - another first. A good daal is always a pleasure. In Sri Lanka it will usually have coconut in it. We went on to sample (and cook) this dish on a number of occasions, but never to such effect as here. Finally on the side an aubergine and onion dish. Sweet and sour, the onions still crunchy, Chinese style.

Our mains were terrific as well, but we returned and returned again to the so called side dishes. Oh my, oh my, oh my. To sleep, sated, not to say gobsmacked. Sri Lanka, what a welcome.