It was a Friday night in Darwin and a friend was in from interstate. We’re headed to Brown’s Mart for a show, deciding on a quick bite at Ella by Minoli. It’s equal parts cool, cultured and smoked coconut-scented and a great spot to take an interstate guest, so that you can show them how sophisticated we are in Darwin as we sip our $25 cockails! 

Now let’s start on a high, the service at Ella is immaculate. The waiters glide across the room like well-trained ballerinas in black aprons, always attentive but never intrusive. You’ll never be without water, a cocktail special to start or a quiet “another wine?” whispered at precisely the right time. 

We didn’t want to stuff ourselves silly, as I’ve done many times before, only to roll into the theatre regretting every last bite. So, we shared a small few plates, starting with the Spiced Lamb Ribs, slow cooked for 18 hours with tamarind treacle and yoghurt dressing. The lamb was falling from the bone like a public servant clocking off at 4:21pm in a rushed frenzy. It was sweet, sticky, tender, but a little lean! 

The Crispy Pumpkin came next, with ginger, turmeric and a black pepper sauce that had all the right notes; earthy, spicy, comforting. Delicious. We were off to a good start. 

Then came the Eggplant Moju, twice cooked, with a slow cooked spiced coconut sauce, but clearly tired of being cooked altogether. For a twice-cooked dish, it was not as tender as I remember. The flavours didn’t quite sing either, more of a mumble than a melody. 

The pappadams, however, will never let us down, crisp, golden and made for dipping into anything that comes your way. Honestly, give me a plate of those and a trio of sauces and I’d be in my happy place. 

We also ordered the Gothamba Roti, usually one of the shining stars of the menu, large, buttery layers that pull apart in perfect harmony. But this time? Heavy and oily. A shadow of its former flaky self. We couldn’t help but wonder if the kitchen’s lost a bit of its spark, the heyday of Ella was vibrant, pumping, exciting, new. 

Maybe the chefs are just a bit tired of cooking the same hits on repeat. 

When I got home, I did what any self-respecting foodie does: scrolled through the reviews. Sure enough, a recent review echoed our experience. “Food was quite tasteless and oily. Quality has definitely deteriorated since last year.” But more than one review praised the Kangaroo Tartare. 

Ella By Minoli smashed into the dining scene in Darwin in 2022, the darling of every Tourism NT famil, and deservedly so, the flavours were bold, the razzle dazzle was real. Manoli was often in the kitchen, dishing up amazing plates and could absolutely do no wrong! It was THE place to be, and here’s the thing, Ella is still a Darwin treasure. It’s a restaurant with heart and soul, bringing Sri Lankan warmth to our wild, wonderful Top End. Even on an off night, it’s still got style, spice, and a certain swagger that you could find in any restaurant in Surry Hills. 

But yes, we left a little underwhelmed from the glory days but not discouraged. 

Next time, I have interstate guests in town, I’m ordering the Kangaroo Tartare, which everyone swears is a showstopper, and the Roti, and hopefully it’s got its mojo back! TQ