Catch of the Day!

Our beach house in Sri Lanka is in a town called Tangalle which is the southern tip of the country; next land mass south is Antarctica. I have told the kids that this is their vacation at the end of the earth on Goyambokka beach. While we can see the ocean from our house, we have about a three minute walk down the hill to the beach. There are three little huts set up that all appear to be restaurants, however Ocean Moon Restaurant seems to be existing just for us. As we tumbled onto the beach (four adults, three kids, two boogie boards, 7 beach towels and a couple of footballs), the restaurant attendant quickly came out offering us some plastic chairs and an umbrella. Given the intensity of the sun, we were grateful.


Rolling around in the surf with a water temperature that seems to be perfect all time is a great way to work up an appetite. As a veteran mom, I never come without snacks. The kids quickly peeled through the fruit roll-ups and a bag of cashews. The adults were enjoying Lion Lager – since beer is filling we didn’t have the same drive for getting lunch. As we ordered a few more beers and some cokes, the restaurant attendant presented his menu. Three index cards laminated describing our options (I am including the restaurant spelling for your entertainment):

Prowns – grilled/ fried/ devilled with chips and salad

Kalomari – grilled/ fried/ devilled with chips and salad

Fish – grilled/ fried/ devilled with chips and salad

Ok, seems easy enough. Two orders of calamari and 1 order of prawns (a.k.a. giant shrimp), both grilled. Immediately after ordering we see someone leave the back of the shack with a pole and flippers. I am not kidding; they went to go a catch lunch! Ninety minutes later, our lunch was served. The floor of the restaurant is sand, we sat on plastic chairs but our meal was served on china with real silverware and the table completed with a small vase holding a plastic rose. The food was amazing, so much so we are on our third day of ordering the exact same thing. We have learned to order around noon for a one-thirty seating and have upped the quantity of calamari given its sumptuous taste. Bon Appétit at the Ocean Moon!