I am obsessed with dhal-wade. Some months ago I was lucky to be served homemade wade, and my life has never been the same since. It’s a well known fact that few restaurants compare to Sri Lankan home cooking, and the home cooked wade I had made all of the wade I’ve bought at train stations seem like tasteless blocks of cardboard.
Since that fateful day, I’ve patronized nearly every wade shop in Trincomalee. I’m thrilled to report that I have found a shop that stands up to home cooked wade. Located next to Shalinga Liquor Shop, near the main post office, is a non-descript cart that sells some of the best wade I’ve ever tried. They have your staples: wade, prawn wade, and sautéed chickpeas. They also make chili wade, which have become a new staple of mine. I find myself frequenting this stall several times a week.
One of my favorite pastimes in Trinco is buying wade at this stall and walking over to the harbor to watch sunset. You can sit out on the now deserted Trinco-Mutur ferry pier and leisurely enjoy your wade as you watch passing boats and the setting sun.