Five-star dining on the promenade
View(s):Filling the gap between high-end dining and cafe-trawling, Tsing-Tao is a restaurant that manages to be both impressively elegant and welcoming
By Duvindi Illankoon
In Colombo -a city of social extremes-it’s hard to find a restaurant that settles into the comfortable middle ground. A five-star restaurant may only be found in a five star hotel, which can be a little inconvenient for those not willing to dress up in their weekend finest after a long hard day at work. Settling in nicely to fill this yawning gap between extreme high-end dining and cafe-trawling is Tsing-Tao, Colombo’s only independent five-star restaurant at the Racecourse Promenade.
Found on the first floor of the promenade, the lower level houses the reception and a small dining area, with a staircase leading up to the swanky upper levels and the breezy open air terrace for dining. The interior design of the restaurant is one of rich warmth and elegance with the subtle lighting contributing to the intimacy of the setting. Owner Janaka Wimalananda would have spent a staggering amount to ensure that the restaurant met his standards, and it seems to have paid off.
Janaka, the proprietor of the hugely successful Loon-Tao beach restaurant in Mount Lavinia is a self- confessed Chinese food aficionado. He spent the 90s in the Far East, immersing himself in the hospitality industry, falling in love with the exotic flavours and unusual combinations. Working chiefly in Japan, Janaka developed a lasting palate for Chinese food-so much so that it became a career ambition. “I knew I wanted to come back to Sri Lanka and set up my own restaurant,” he says.
He returned in the late 90s and paused to take a 10 year break from the hectic world of hospitality. In April 2008 he opened Loon Tao, a restaurant many predicted would crash and burn. “People just couldn’t face up to the idea of Chinese seafood on the beach,” he remembers. The restaurant defied critics, proving to be wildly popular with locals and tourists alike. It changed the pace of dining in the island by being one of the first restaurants to introduce live acoustic music and a website with menu and prices. For Janaka, who has lived a lifetime in the embrace of the Mount Beach, the successful combination of the beach, casual ambience and Chinese cuisine was no surprise.
In deciding to open yet another Chinese restaurant in Colombo itself he felt the need to shake things up a little. This was not to be another Loon Tao-“we had been playing with the idea of a five-star Chinese restaurant for a while,” he says. When on a five star mission, one does well to find a five star location and the Racecourse Promenade in the heart of Colombo 7 fitted the bill.
Tsing Tao was opened to the public at the beginning of this year. “Tsing Tao is a port city in China,” Janaka explains. “I thought that was a nicely coinciding name for a restaurant in Colombo, also a port city.” They opened the restaurant as quietly as possible; wanting to test drive the venture before giving it some well deserved publicity. It was almost full house on the Friday evening we visited.
Tsing Tao manages the Colombo-impossible of being impressively elegant yet welcoming, shifting firmly away from that scarily formal air of other such five star establishments in Colombo. Here the dress code is smart casual and the diners around us are relaxed into the cosy confines of their dining space. Waiting staff manages to be attentive yet unobtrusive. It’s the perfect venue for a first date (guaranteed second), a birthday treat or even dinner with your family or friends.
As a five-star, there are certain criteria that Tsing Tao must meet to qualify. In terms of ambience, interiors, service and of course the food, it’s doing exceptionally well. The restaurant is run by Manager Christiaan Van Dijken, a man who has travelled the world serving his time at the best and hopes Sri Lanka will be his last stop. “I love working in this country, and the job is made all the easier when there’s such fantastic response to your restaurant,” he says happily before moving onto ensure his regulars are satisfied. “Of course, we’re still adjusting to certain things and learning from experience.”
The kitchen is run by four chefs from different provinces in China. Janaka explains that this contributes to a heady mix of different flavours and cooking techniques; in China, cooking varies from province to province. The four chefs from Guangzhou, Guangdong, Sichuan and Beijing are well versed in their craft; Master Chef Huasheng Mo oversees the kitchen, while Chef Xia Meng from Beijing is the dim sum specialist in the restaurant (there’s a special dim sum menu, available for lunch from Monday to Friday).
“This is original Chinese with no face lifts,” says Janaka. The dry ingredients for the food are flown in from China, while all the seafood and meat are brought in fresh daily. Vegetables and fruits are brought every other day to ensure tangible freshness, something Janaka considers absolutely essential in his restaurants. But it’s Chinese for the Sri Lankan palate, mind you. Spicy to the very end.
The menu has a staggering 203 items on it at the moment. Once you’ve factored in the extensive drinks menu and the fabulous dessert menu you’ll have more options for lunch or dinner than the Queen of Sheba. Order an apple mojito for mocktails (or try the daring ‘Safe Sex on the Beach’!) to while away the time while you wait for your food, or choose from the extensive list of cocktails, wine, champagne and spirits (available by the glass and bottle). We have the menacing-sounding Black Fungus in Hot Chilli Sauce as an appetiser. The crunchy fungus is perfectly complemented by the thin oily sauce, the perfect starter to a gastronomic adventure. Enjoy a clear, thick or steamed soup-the steamed soups are a healthy Chinese specialty and they take ages on the stove as they are literally steamed (not boiled), so you’ll have to order well ahead.
For mains you could choose either from the extensive list of Chef?s Daily Specials, the Sizzlers menu, or the selection of seafood delicacies made using Garupa, fish fillet, prawn, cuttlefish, lagoon crab and lobster. Or maybe go for chicken, pork, lamb, and duck or beef items. They have either Sri Lankan beef or Australian Angus beef while the duck is imported from Australia. If you?re feeling virtuous, go for the egg, mushroom, tofu and other vegetarian options or maybe the rice and noodle dishes. On the desserts menu, you?ll find such delights as the Cardamom Crème, Coconut Sago, Choco-nut Cookie Ice Cream Sundae and a selection of Carino Artisan Ice Cream. Wrap up with a soothing cup of Ceylon Tea; there are 40 different kinds to choose from and we have the Jasmine Tea-the perfect finish to a sublime meal.
Tsing Tao is open every day of the week. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. while dinner is from 6 p.m. to 11 a.m. (last order). Drop in on a weekday lunch time for the special dim sum menu. The restaurant is on the first floor of the Racecourse Promenade, Reid Avenue, Colombo 7. See also their website www.tsingtao.lk
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