Rambutan
Borough, London
There’s a lot of love for Rambutan, and it’s repaid with interest from the moment you walk through the door of this enticing and immensely likeable restaurant by Borough Market. Chef-owner Cynthia Shanmugalingam was born in Coventry to Sri Lankan parents and her debut bricks-and-mortar gaff is a fond, personal tribute to the old country’s culinary heritage. Natural clay walls, pink-painted brickwork, a green-hued marble counter, tall tropical plants, buffed wood and rattan chairs create exactly the right mood, while sweet-natured, welcoming staff simply add to the feel-good vibe. An open kitchen does its stuff impressively, celebrating the sheer diversity of Sri Lanka's rich, hot and spicy Tamil cuisine: expect lots of curries, sambals and rotis, all underpinned by supplies of prime British produce ranging from Cornish mussels to Dingley Dell pork. As a curtain-raiser, try one of the ‘short eats’ – say, beautifully tender grilled chicken with spicy kalupol (black coconut) seasoning, accompanied by an intoxicating sweet and tangy tamarind/green chilli dip. We were also bowled over by the fried aubergine moju and a curry of red northern prawns, cooked in the shell with yet more tamarind – perfect with a moist, flaky roti. The cooking ‘crackles with inventiveness’, and if you fancy ‘getting down and dirty’, try tackling the whole Dorset crab in a Jaffna-style curry. After that, a mango soft-serve sorbet is all that’s required for cooling off. A dozen wines are supplemented by spicy cocktails, Cornish Harbour lager and kalamansi iced tea.
