Spicy Zest - Restaurant & Bar

Tried Sri Lankan food for the first time the other day at @spicyzest—and wow, what an experience! 🇱🇰✨ I thought it might be similar to Indian cuisine, but it was surprisingly different! The flavors were incredibly unique—lots of coconut, tamarind, and mango. Everything we tried was bursting with taste and totally delicious. The owner was beyond kind and welcoming. We let him know that we’re vegetarian, I’m gluten-free, and this was our very first time trying Sri Lankan food. He personally walked us through the entire buffet, explaining what was safe for us to eat. That level of care? So rare—and so appreciated! Since there weren’t too many gluten-free options at the buffet, he even had the kitchen make special rice dishes just for us—like veggie fried rice and a flavorful masala rice. 🥹 Hands down, my favorite dishes were the eggplant salad and the mango curry—I would honestly go back just for that mango curry alone! Beyond the food, the vibe was amazing. The staff checked in often, made us feel at home, and there was even a live singer with such a beautiful voice—it added the perfect touch to an already wonderful evening. 10/10 experience. We felt cared for, welcomed, and absolutely stuffed with delicious food. Can’t wait to go back!

Oh my goodness what a diamond in the rough! • the atmosphere was clean, bright, and relaxed • our server was SUCH a delight. Very attentive, pleasant, and happy to explain any questions • the food was DELICIOUS! We had the chicken patties and chicken stuffed roti (same filling, just different bread encasing it), the curry & rice, and the chicken deviled. Caution! - everything was at least a little spicy, but not so much that I couldn't enjoy it. The patty and roti was cooked to perfection and the stuffing was spiced perfectly. The curry & rice was alright. The deviled chicken was sweet and spicy and perfectly cooked. • for dessert we got the Watalappan (flan), which almost had a 'firmer tres-leches' consistency and was delightfully flavored. I'm/very/ glad I tried it. We also got the curd & treacle. I think it was just yogurt topped with honey (no cashews) and I loved it! The tangy yogurt helped to balance out the sweetness from the flan. Overall, I'm so glad I got to try Sri Lankan food at this restaurant. It was a treat and I'll be sure to back next time I'm in town. Thank you for such a great experience!

Got to try their Saturday lunch buffet as a courtesy offer from the owner due to our previous issue with our reservation when they closed for renovations. I must say this..if every owners are showing this amount of understanding towards their customers, there is no way to go wrong in their business. Hats off to the owner for his exceptional responsibility and kindness. Now coming to the food..the sweet appam is must must try. Chicken biriyani and other chicken dishes are tasty and shrimp coconut curry is good too. In the dessert section, the watlappam and one other moist cake is yummy. Overall, we had an amazing experience and highly recommended. The service staff are kind and attentive to the core.

Don't sleep on this restaurant. All fresh ingredients, no cans. They even peel and grate their own ginger. The freshness comes through in every bite. The Sunday buffet offered a little bit of everything. We also got mimosas, which were perfect. Finish it off with a sweet crepe. The entire staff was welcoming and friendly. I asked about a certain dish and they explained not just what was in it but how it was made. We also found out they were celebrating the Sri Lankan New Year! Can't wait to come back.

I visited Sri Lanka for the first time in March this year and fell in love with the food. I was super excited to see there was a Sri Lankan restaurant with such good reviews. I went with my family (who had never had Sri Lankan food) on a Sunday for their buffet brunch. OMG! The food was just as delicious as what I ate in Sri Lanka. The buffet was kept clean and fresh and they had egg hoppers made to order!!!! It was quite busy so it was a lovely atmosphere. I met a number of Sri Lankan customers who said they go there when they want a taste of home - a good sign! The service was great, being attentive without going overboard. You felt like you were eating at their home and warmly welcomed. They took the time to explain the flavors of different dishes to my family and made suggestions. I would definitely recommend this place and I am definitely going back!!!

Spicy Zest is an absolute gem for anyone craving real Sri Lankan food. The flavors were spot-on — spicy, rich, and full of traditional taste! We tried the kottu, chicken curry, and hoppers and so many — all delicious and freshly made. The portions were generous, and the presentation was great. The staff was super friendly and made us feel right at home. The restaurant has a cozy vibe and is perfect for both Sri Lankans missing home food and anyone wanting to try something new. Highly recommend!

As a Sri Lankan who’s had countless experiences with our cuisine, I can confidently say this place is exceptional. We came all the way from New Jersey, and this was our first stop for lunch — and what a perfect choice it was! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. Watching the live hopper station in action was a treat, and the food came out fast, fresh, and full of authentic flavor. Truly a gem — highly recommend to anyone craving real Sri Lankan flavors done right! I would also like to note that the falooda was the bomb, out of this world.

I’m from Pakistan and love Srilankan food ! Loved the deviled beef on a bed of rice mixed with crispy deviled vegetables. Great service and a very warm welcome from the gentleman who was preparing the tables. Definitely coming back ! Thanks for the great hospitality and great food !

It's been about a month since the visit. We went for Sunday buffet. Small place in a little strip mall so parking might be rough. Our waitress was so nice and friendly. She even went over the menu with me to help choose items guaranteed to not be in contact with fish or shrimp. It's the first place to even tell me do not eat from the buffet which meant less money I spend there ... but she was explaining ordering my own item is promised to be the safest. That really means a lot when you have a serious, dangerous allergy. It's nice when the place does care about customers and doesn't mind to help explain the preparation methods. Really appreciate that so much.

DALLAS HAVING THE WORST INDIAN FOOD SCENE in US I had given up on finding anything remotely exciting until I found this Sri Lankan gem. A warm Lankan joint that offered a welcome respite from the mind numbing stale "Desi this " "desi that " joints that dot every corner of north Dallas . Every damn thing from biriyani joints to A2B suffer from soulless , stale , fatty over spiced flavor profile that even people from AP+Telangana have started to disown.Unlike these joints Mohan and crew at zest take pride in their food , it's almost perfect , yes the black chicken curry in Sigiree in NYC is marginally better but the sambals and freshly made appams here are clearly superior..The surprise star of the menu was the unassuming eggplant moju, simply put it is my absolute favorite preparation of this vegetable that I can barely stand done any other way. Even the bloody dal and bread is heartwarming with a slightly imperfect tinge of turmeric that somehow adds to its authenticity .I hope they never buckle under the pressure and stay true to their roots in a city of Indian restaurants that have clearly given up. Until such a day , I will land up every week with my family to enjoy the warm hospitality where my kids get their special marshmallow laden hot chocolate and I try every combination I can think of on their menu. P.S: If you think Vijaywada Biriyani is a real thing this is not a place for you , stay away.

We have been going to Spicy since they opened up 9 years ago. As a Sri Lankan living in another country, having authentic Sri Lankan food means so much. We have loved watching them grow from a small restaurant to what they are now. Nimudu & Chamari are very hard working and very welcoming. They are always happy to talk about the food if you have any questions. If you are not familiar with Sri Lankan food, but want to try it out, I'd say definitely check out their buffet. They have a Friday night dinner, Saturday & Sunday brunch. The food is mild and there is a huge variety. Our favorites are Yellow Rice, the Godhamba, deviled chicken or beef, fried noodles, my husband who is American likes their Zesty bowl. They make a killer crab curry, but this needs to be ordered at least an hour in advance. And don't forget to get a nice cup of Sri Lankan tea!

We came here to celebrate my cousin's birthday and I thought it was a great place with great food. The buffet has an array of different things for you to try and the food tastes so fresh! My kids are picky eaters and they enjoyed the food very much. The service was amazing, and our waiter went above and beyond to take care of our group. We each got a free mimosa and the staff made me two Egg Hoppers to try. The ambiance is family friendly. The owner was a very friendly guy, and he even brought my cousin a complimentary dessert for her birthday and joined in to sing for her. Great place!

Tried this place for the first time and the food was delicious! Definitely a great place for me to try new food. Service was a bit slow but everything else was good.

The food is very closely related to Indian food. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad. I tried 3 of their fried appetizers one of which they got wrong, but I didn't make a deal of it. Since it was a cool day, I got the chicken stew with a spice level of 1. If you don't do spicy, ask for no spice because 1 was too spicy for me to enjoy.

Great food! Awesome service. Live music on weekends and buffet make this a great place.

As soon as we parked, my boyfriend and I were so excited that we could smell their amazing food. We ordered the vegetable biryani and potato curry with roti. The potato curry was some of the best I've ever had - spicy and creamy with a hint of coconut. We had our biryani made with a spice level of 3, which was mild but so satisfying. With the overwhelming plethora of American and Tex-Mex places in the DFW area, this place stands out and is a must try when you're craving something comforting and immensely flavorful. We are already planning on getting a tub of their potato curry on our first cold day in Dallas!

Mohan was our waiter and he embodies the Sri Lankan hospitality I remember from back home. He was joking around with us and making us feel just like home. The food was terrific. I am not a huge kottu fan but the kottu was really tasty here. The mixed meat one had delicious fatty pork in it cooked to perfection. I do not like the lunumiris that accompanies the meals. It is a wet type that seems to be blended maybe? It has a bit of an odd taste but not that bad. I got a beef curry for my roti and it was okay. I asked for a fried egg and some green chili on the side and the nicely made roti was then the perfect meal. I asked for a 5 in spice level and it was not really spicy but because of the good flavor I did not mind just getting the green chili on the side for the kick I was looking for. The deviled chicken was amazing. If you are going to order egg hoppers ( ) ask them not to break the yellow part of the egg. I am sure you will enjoy it with a spicy beef curry and some lunumiris. The milk tea with ginger and jaggery was very good too. We went here two days in a row to try the buffet out and was able to sing some nice Sinhala songs during karaoke night. The owner offered and made us all some nice tea towards the end of the night. The buffet is so reasonably priced for having "cooked to order" egg hoppers and kottu. They also had crabs and fried fish at the buffet table. The buffet includes one alcoholic beverage (margarita or Carlsberg). THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. Money WELL spent. Best "bang for your buck" as some may say.

We wanted to try this place out because 1) I saw the great reviews and 2) I wanted to try something new. This was an absolute winner. I've never had Sri Lankan food before, so every bite was a flavor bomb in my mouth. What we got: Hopper: This was like a super thin, crispy, crepe with crushed onion and chili. It was amazing how delicate but flavorful this dish was Kottu: This was another super interesting dish. Chopped up slices of thin roti with vegetables and a meat of your choice. Holy smokes this was quite the dish. It took me a while to comprehend the roti pieces in the dish. Delicious. Lumprais: A banana leaf-wrapped rice dish with spices, meat of your choice, and veggies. This was an amazingly prepared dish and definitely on the spicier side. The dishes come in large portions and will definitely fill you up. The staff are super friendly and proud of their food, as they should be. Looking forward to trying their other dishes the next time I'm in the area!

I was really impressed with the service. The owner is very friendly and welcoming! We started with the Shrilankan cocktail and fisn buns. For entree, we shared chicken lamprais which is their specialty. It was delicious with perfect amount of spice. I loved the sides of eggplant and caramalized onions, they were packed with flavor. We also got Godambe with egg roti to go. I was surpsised how well the roti reheated in the microwave the next day. Over all, it was a great experience.

My first time trying Sri Lankan food, but it will definitely not be the last! I visited Spicy Zest in Farmers Branch and every single item was absolutely delicious! It is most similar to Indian food - which is not a surprise given the proximity of Sri Lanka to India - with a bit of a twist. I had the Lumprais, which is Fried Rice with Cashews, Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves, Cinnamon, Cloves and Garlic wrapped in a Banana Leaf with Eggplant, Fried Egg, Plantain Curry and a protein of choice. A very unique dish with many unique flavors throughout. I also tried the Kottu and the Yellow Rice, both equally tasty. The restaurant was clean, the service friendly and they also have a store in the back with Sri Lankan items for sale. There is also a bar, and they do offer a buffet during the weekends. If I have any criticism, it's that I would prefer a little more spice. That said, I wanted to experience the food in it's traditional way for my first visit, and they also brought me some chili sauce at my request. There is another location in North Richland Hills, but I understand that the menu is somewhat different. If you like to try new cuisines, or have never tried Sri Lankan food, you owe it to yourself to try Spicy Zest. If you do, leave a note in the comments to let me know what you thought of it.

This is not a fancy place, at all. But it's a slice of Sri Lanka. The service on our visit was excellent and very friendly. The buffet offered a surprisingly large array of choices, including a couple of made-to-order items. The decor has many, authentic Sri Lankan touches. And they had a singer/guitarist performing live Sri Lankan music. But it has a fusion element, too. The entertainer also played Western music, including Willie Nelson, the Beatles, and Johnny Cash. He even threw in that famous Jimmy Buffett song. Speaking of Margaritaville, they offered free margaritas with the buffet. How cool is that? I guess that made it a Buffet buffet :-) The place was packed, and all the guests seemed like they could have been from Sri Lanka or had roots there, which added to the ambience and authenticity of the place. They all seemed very friendly and were all having a good time. We were glad to be a part of it.

We had such an amazing experience being here! The dinner buffet on Friday was so worth it and all the dishes were so different and flavorful. The hoppers are so good when you eat them hot with chili paste and the chicken curry. The drinks were also unlimited (margaritas, Sri Lankan tea, and coffee) and the tea was sooo good. 100% worth coming on a buffet time!

SOS friendly! Just ask for NO Salt, Oil, Sugar. Everything made fresh from scratch, so they are happy to accommodate SOS request for any item on a menu! We had Vegan SOS meals, but you must be specific and request not to use any Salt or Oil or Sugar.

I love this place. Always great service and the food is spectacular. Go for the weekend brunch and you can try everything. It's so good Don't forget the egg hoppers. I like it runny.

I was just there to pickup food for a small party and i ended up staying there for longer talking with fellow Sri Lankans and ordering short eats. They had Karaoke night and i was able to talk to a few people and it was really pleasant. Mohan was our waiter and he was super friendly. We were from out of state but he made us feel like it was home. We ordered few Fish buns, and rolls. They were pretty good. Inside the store we saw there was a Appa (String hoppers) station, Kottu Station, Live music and grocery section in the back with Sri Lankan wall art/decor.

Great Sri Lankan restaurant ! I remember first going to spicy zest when it was a tiny establishment about 8-9 yrs ago. They had served great authentic Sri Lankan dishes. They have now moved location and expanded their restaurant! I'm so glad they're doing so wonderful! Especially since we don't have any options for Sri Lankan food. On sundays they offer buffet, since my friends and I don't know much about Sri Lankan food, we wanted to try to buffet in order to try many of their dishes! I loved all their curry options, korma chicken and Biriyani. A lot of their buffet entrees are not spicy, which I did not expect. I expected more spicy dishes. They did have some sides condiments that are VERY spicy that you can add such as the coconut sambal. The buffet did have lots of non Sri Lankan opts for kids or some people who want something a little more American. Best part is the lady who's in the middle making fresh egg hoppers! Omg! It was amazing! Very thin and crepe like with a runny egg in the middle to dip. Would not mind coming back for regular dinner.

This was in Dallas Observer's top 100 list and I've been tackling all the spots, so I paid SpicyZest a visit! I'm not super well versed in Sri Lankan food, but the staff here were incredibly friendly and polite, even helping with describing some of the dishes for me and what they'd recommend. I ultimately landed on the Kottu given the dish's popularity and portion size. I really enjoyed it. The curried meat, strips of flatbread and veggies are all very well seasoned and mix together comfortably. The curry flavor itself is distinctly appetizing and not too overwhelming like I've had among other dishes. Also, the spicy sauce gets served on the slide of the plate which I appreciate, and it's got a slight sweetness to it. Really liked the mix of that sauce in with the main dish. Lastly, portion size is LARGE. I took quite a while to eventually down it all. Very pleasant meal overall, glad I got to try! And again, all compounded by fantastic service. I'd come pay a visit again, worth the drive. :) PROS: - wide assortment of dishes to choose from, and they have baked goods! - staff are incredibly friendly and polite (great recs) - kottu was high portion size, tasty curry flavor and all the ingredients mesh well - family restaurant interior kinda feel - prices are reasonable relative to dish size CONS: - none! :)

We are foodies and will go more than the extra mile to flavor good food. The idea of Sri Lankan Food was surely a very good reason to travel 20 miles from Plano! The restaurant offers that might look like South Indian cuisine but has distinct flavor that is different than the regular south Indian fare served in the DFW Metroplex. We went on a Saturday when they serve a buffet. You have the option of Al-a-cart but we decided to stick to the buffet. The spread is impressive, including Lamb, Chicken, Pork, Beef, Shrimp, and Fish. The starters are not the ones that will fill you up and include a good spread of salads, veg cutlets, vada, etc. The chutneys were deliciously outstanding. From the main course, my favorite were the Mango Delight a tangy Mango curry, the Chicken Korma, Daal, and Lamb Biriyani. I did try the Deviled Chicken and the Deep Fried Fish (Mackerel) and did not fancy them. The fish did not taste fresh and the chicken was a bit hard. You can get unlimited freshly prepared Appams (Kerala's version of a Dosa) in three flavors, Plan, Egg, or Sweet. The deserts are yet another story with over half a dozen of items along with fresh-cut fruits. They also serve complimentary fresh juice and tea. They have a fully stocked bar and a good selection of beer on tap. So why just 4 Stars? The presented food gives you the impression that it has been sitting on the chaffing dish for a long and looks stale when it is not! The service is quick, efficient, and personal. The staff is friendly and warm.

Absolutely fantastic super friendly staff they really care about the food they prepare, and will assist you in choosing learning more about the food they have. If you'd like curry, this place is great and I learned so many different types of curry. It's hard to lump it all into just one word. Great place!!!! a hidden gem!!!

The food tasted familiar to Indian flavors yet unique. We went during a weekday and the food came out at a decent time. The ambiance was ok.

Such good food and so friendly here! The Mango Lassi is to die for it feels like you're in someone's home!

I'm still drooling over that lunch buffet I had over a month ago. I think that means it's time to go back, ASAP. All the food was great. There were a few things on the buffet I didn't love, but there was so much more that I did. Especially the hopper. Not sure where those have been all my life, but so glad I finally found them. Probably need to go for dinner sometime also.

We went for a Friday dinner buffet which had variety of selections and they even had srilankan live music. Their hoppers taste amazing sweet, plain and egg. Kothu Parotta is flavorful. Appetizer are decent fried fish, vada, bitter gourd salad it's surprisingly good. The curry's are just ordinary but the hopper, kothu and omelettes are worth the try. The best thing about this place is how kind the owner is. She came to our table and asked us if we were new customers. Very hospitable place. Overall a good experience!!

Mouth watering flavorful food. We tried Kottu, Zesty Bowl and Lumprias apart from other appetizers. Everything tasted really good.

Just need to vent. I went out to lunch with friends today and didn't check ahead for the price of this lunch buffet. I assumed it would be reasonable because it's similar to Chinese food (I thought) and it's hole in the wall ethnic. I'm angry because the meal was so unhealthy. Scant vegetables except for the chickpeas and some weird eggplant salad. The food was unappetizing because it was mostly brown and 75% fried so there were all these little brown fried things in pans that mostly tasted alike. On top of it I'm supposed to be on a low salt diet, and everything was over the top salty. The one interesting dish was the egg hopper which I didn't try because it was more fried stuff, but I heard it was good. So I kept eating without much luck hoping something would be good and healthy, not salty or too sweet. I was already disappointed, so imagine my alarm when I was handed a check for $27!, that's without a tip. So I'm just mad that I blew that much money for an awful unhealthy buffet. If you like lots of salty fried brown foods, have at it for $27 at lunch yet.

First time checking his place out !! Food was amazing! Very clean place , very friendly staff. The butter chicken had great taste, very flavorful and fresh ! Definitely recommend !

Great food & service. It is a great addition to farmers branch! We need more mom & pop small businesses just like this here!

What a fun evening of culinary exploration we had at Spicy Zest! An old college friend and I wanted to meet for some kind of interesting food and I randomly found this gem on the map. Neither of us had tried Sri Lankan food and what a treat it was! We arrived to a packed restaurant on a Thursday night. Not a seat left and people waiting outside. We were first told there was no way we would be able to get in, but with patience, persistence and a little willingness to stand and have the buffet and eat it on a countertop, the lovely staff accommodated us, then as people left, treated us to such TLC and found us a great spot at the bar where the bartender made us special hot chai to drink. The staff was so kind. We even met, Nimidu, the owner and his intelligent, beautiful wife. They put so much passion into the food and service. We learned more about the Sri Lankan food we were trying and hospitable Nimidu even treated us to a digestif liqueur that is a signature drink in his homeland. We had such fun with him and every single thing we tried was excellent! Make sure you try the crepe dessert, the biryanis, and the robust tasting curries. All excellent! But the star of the show here is the truly lovely staff. You can see their passion for good service and taking care of people, which is rare these days!

Absolutely amazing place! My parents, husband and I visited the restaurant yesterday. The place is beautiful, the staff is super friendly and the food is delicious. I love that you get a lot of food as well for the price. I cannot recommend this place enough! Such a warm and welcoming environment!

Don't even know where to begin! The customer service was beyond measure, everyone is so sweet and welcoming. We got the buffet and it's so worth it, you can try all the food and desserts and it came with a complimentary mimosa. The food was delicious, we tried almost everything and it was so hard to pick what our favorite dish was. Definitely coming more often, and recommending to all my friends.

We came here on a Friday night hungry after a wine walk. They do cocktail specials at 5:30p with a local Sri Lankan liquor, Araak. We started off with a lamb patty and veggie Sri Lankan roll. Each order comes with just one piece. Both were pretty good, with me favoring the lamb patty. We ordered the nasi goreng and a Sri Lankan curry that is marinated for 48 hours. I don't recall the name but I got the lamb version of it. I would say the nasi goreng was better. Unfortunately, both lacked spiciness even after asking them to make it hot. However, the curry is worth the try if you haven't had it before. It was flavorful. Overall service was good. Staff is very friendly. Karaoke night began a little into our night there which was entertaining. Definitely a good time to be had there.

Great authentic Sri Lankan food and Asian fusion! On Sunday they make homemade hoppers. Today I had milk tea, sweet hoppers, and pol sambal. I cannot sing enough praises of this place. Glad they've expanded from a small intimate location to TWO great new locations. Can't wait to return.

Great food and amazing service. I had a togo order and had a mix up with my order. The staff did an amazing job fixing my issue, which as completely my fault and they handled the situation so well it was impressive. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Buffet is in full swing! You also get fresh hoppers and side of omelet made to order. This restaurant is a staple for my family. We have no made plans to visit more frequently. The owners know how to make exceptional Srilankan food like your Archie would've made. There are various spice levels and options for the sophisticated palette or your more simple water! The eggplant curry is mouth watering along with pol sambol. If you want short eats to go- they have you covered!

Nasi goreng - 4/5 This is Indonesian style fried rice. Which, since I hailed from Indonesia .. I can attest this isn't authentic Indonesian fried rice. Rather , I should say this is probably Srilanka Indonesian fried rice. However, overall, the taste was still good. Just don't expect it to taste like Indonesian ones. Lumprais 4/5 I don't know what to say.. since that was my first time eating it. I have nothing to compare it to. Visually , both dishes were attractive. They wrapped lumprais with banana leaves and plated nasi goreng nicely. Service was great

Great spot for Sri Lankan food in the DFW metro area. I wanted to try a little bit of their curries/kottu as well as their bakery items, so my order consisted of the following:- From the bakery: Omelette bun - Standard ciabatta bun filled with tomatoes, lettuce, sauce and a well cooked omelette with plenty of chilies - nice! Seeni Sambol bun - Baked item filled with seeni sambol, which is a highly spiced caramelized onion relish (cardamom and cinnamon were the dominant flavors) - I liked it! Standard menu: Kottu - Sri Lankan style bread (made with bleached flour) that is shredded and tossed with oinions, tomatoes, chilies, spices and choice of protein, in this case went with chicken. Served with a gravy to soak it with. Very flavorful, a bit spicy but not too much. Very well done. Rice with curry - Served enclosed within banana leaf - great touch! Two types of vegetable sides, in this case it was stewed greens and a coconut based gravy that included carrots, beans and potatoes. Chicken was very flavorful and spiced just right, not overdone. Rounded the meal off with an intriguing sounding "Marie Biscuit pudding". Marie biscuits are very popular in the Indian sub-continent, usually paired with tea. The biscuits were soaked in milk and cooked into a pudding, with chocolate and cashews rounding it all off. Unique and good! I'll definitely be trying more of their menu in the future.

My only issue with this restaurant is that it's not closer! I'd like it next door! Not a bad thing to say about the food or service. I was able to try their food through a work pilot program. I got the combo, a little of everything offered. Beef, yum! Chicken good and better with the sauce! Lamb roll, I could just eat that and be happy. I plan to take my family to the buffet at least once so they can experience it. Sri Lankan food is a keeper!

A unique dining experience! I really enjoyed the combination of flavors in each of these dishes. My favorite out of the three dishes we got was the Lamprais, which came in some sort of leaf. My boyfriend really loved the curry burrito and felt it had a good "sauce" in there to combine everything. It was just so unique that it's hard to explain. We had plenty of leftovers! Would return here again. Apparently, starting in august 2021, they will open up for a buffet (brunch I think).

I can't believe I've never tried this type of food before. I'm glad I came. So good and so worth the drive. The employees are really helpful with the menu and considering it was my first time in. I'm vegetarian and their menu accommodated for me very well. I got the vegetarian rice and curry and the veggie roti! The veggie roti tastes so much better than samosas I was in love with the range of spices that they used. I was also in love with the curry that they used. So good! The restaurant is very clean and sanitized. I will definitely be back ASAP.

Authentic Sri Lankan food in nice and clean restaurant. Ordered off the menu but buffet on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday looks like a very good value at $20.00.

Just left and ready to go back. My new favorite place. Food was SO good, spices were wonderful, could eat my weight in hoppers and the service was on point. Clean and great atmosphere. 10/10

This couple from San Diego met the match of our senses tonight: Brought forth first by our storyteller, Jeff, who created an air of confidence that set the tone for a wonderful meal. Sam, the owner, and his passionate staff, managed to create a smorgasbord of spices, sauces, and aroma we had never experienced. To say the food was delicious would be an understatement: We truly had a culinary experience the moment they said hello. PS: Tell the family what you need, and they will create some magic in those spiral bound notebooks. Thank you for the tour of Sri Lanka this evening!

I took a few days to write my review of this restaurant because I wanted to be sure I wasn't just enamored with the idea of Sri Lankan food, a new choice for me. I can now assure you that my dinner at SpicyZest was quite literally one of my best food experiences ever. Jean-Georges, Alinea, The French Laundry...all exceptional meals, top notch service, and a lifetime of memories for me. SpicyZest has taken its place among those fine restaurants for me, but at a fraction of the price. The skill of preparation, the cascade of warm spices, the waiter who felt almost like an old friend....the experience was unforgettable. Obviously this is not fine dining, but it shouldn't be...it's in a small strip mall. SpicyZest is a rough diamond. I promise that if this restaurant was dropped in the middle of Manhatten, you would see its reservation book filled for weeks on end. Some practical notes: the location is a bit of a challenge to get to, but please don't let that deter you, as you will be rewarded. I also recognize that the name of the restaurant might also be a barrier, especially to my fellow "mayo is too spicy" white people. Trust me: they can make any dish as mild or as fire-y as you wish. My significant other was deeply concerned as her delicate palate can't handle much heat, but her fears quickly disappeared when she tasted her beef kotta. All the richness, none of the capsaicin. My lamprais, cooked at level 3 heat, could have easily been ramped up for me. Another note: they have Carlsberg beer on tap, a rarity in DFW. Get it, served in a true Imperial pint glass, then thank me later. Finally, save room for dessert, especially the watalappan (just Google it) because it is worth the extra calories.

Hidden little gem! I've passed by this place many times and actually only became aware of it due to a friends recommendation. It was nice to explore different menu items and have a more exciting take out option right around the corner.

Years later we are back and the restaurant has grown and gotten busier but the food is just as good. Food is so so good. They now have a weekend buffet which is fantastic and the selection and quality of dishes is to die for. They have Sri Lankan hoppers and Kottu Roti made right in front of you. Despite how busy they were the service was prompt and attentive. We drove all the way from Houston just for this food and so glad that we did. It feels just like I am back in Sri Lanka!

Buffet Friday evening 6:30. Live music. Excellent food from master chef. Good service attractive environment.

One of the best food and and hospitality, if u like appam this is the must try place , the best I have had from here, and hospitality like back home.. with reasonable price for buffet , with margarita and karaoke on Friday night and Mimosas on Saturdays and Sunday brunch. They have order to cook options as well. Got a chance to talk with the owner and he was really nice and mentioned they just like to cook food in the way we make at our home, with no artificial flavor or msg..

Very flavorful food with great service. I give 3 stars because the restaurant was a little too hot and muggy.