Shanaka’s Utopia In Melbourne: ‘Lentil As Anything’
By Laksiri Fernando -December 24, 2013
Dr. Laksiri Fernando
It is a crazy idea but it works. Shanaka Fernando is a Sri Lankan origin migrant living in Melbourne, Australia. Although he is my ‘namesake,’ we are not relatives. I didn’t know him personality until the last meeting and only acquaintance was through information. He perhaps didn’t know about me, but I knew about him because of his ‘Lentil as Anything.’
‘Lentil as Anything’ is a multicultural and refugee friendly ‘not for profit’ restaurant network with three outlets in Melbourne metropolitan area, at St Kilda, Footscray and Abbotsford. ‘Pay as you feel’ is the principle. There is a big wooden box like a till for people to contribute. I had the pleasing opportunity to visit his outlet in Abbotsford, thanks to my friend, Saman Halgamuge (Professor of Engineering at the University of Melbourne). He took me there for lunch when I visited Melbourne recently. I ate the stuff and it was good, rather excellent. We met Shanaka briefly and he was there at Abbotsford.
