"Things we think about with alarming regularity: otters using their little otter hands to open things, whether Eeyore is a prime candidate for cognitive behavioural therapy, and Hoppers’ indulgently buttery bone marrow varuval. It’s a fixture on the menu of this Sri Lankan spot’s three London outposts—the cosy Soho original, the shiny one in King’s Cross, and this sophisticated Marylebone kari house that has an aesthetic that is part spa day trip, part week-long escape to a leafy holiday resort with a climate that calls for strappy sandals. photo credit: Hoppers photo credit: Hoppers On the ground floor, friends tuck designer shopping bags beneath the black banquette as satellite-sized hoppers arrive at their table, and couples chat weekend plans while mopping up the luminous remnants of a fiery prawn kari. But downstairs is where you want to be for a good time. With a low, wood-panelled ceiling, it feels like a prohibition knees-up bunker sponsored by exuberant chutney consumption and several rounds of the aromatic, coconut-y pandan Negroni. It’s the ideal space for bedding in for a double date destined for a notable two-day hangover, or a fun, spice-fest birthday where your guests of honour will definitely be in attendance: the epic tear-and-share hoppers, the tropical mindset cocktails, and of course, our permanent cardamom crush, that bone marrow varuval. Food Rundown photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Egg Hopper There is a certain childlike thrill we experience every time one of these hoppers arrives at our table. Spaceship Yolk has landed and there’s something uniquely satisfying about tearing at this paper-thin scooper. It's light on flavour which makes it ideal for letting the karis take centre stage. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Bone Marrow Varuval & Roti This is the kind of curry that is so fragrant and so indulgent that we want to text it to invite it over for dinner every Friday night and feel sad that it doesn’t let us know if it can’t make it. The roti is flaky, chewy, and just as obsession-worthy buttery. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Prawn Kari Hoppers has a history of giving us big feelings over big, fat prawns. This turmeric show-off kari is no different. It’s a real sizzler with a heat that sticks around long after you’ve fished out all of those chunky crustaceans." - Heidi Lauth Beasley
