In a corner of Rambutan, the buzzing little Sri Lankan diaspora restaurant just off London’s Borough Market, I’m midway through a rather nerdy theatre question to Indhu Rubasingham, new artistic director of the National Theatre. Suddenly — perhaps mercifully — we are interrupted. Restaurant founder Cynthia Shanmugalingam appears at our table bearing a plate.
“This is on the house,” she says, indicating a selection of buttermilk-fried chicken, fried bread and coconut chilli sambol.
Rubasingham beams with delight. “You’ve got to try this!” she exclaims, explaining that the chicken is Shanmugalingam’s British take on a traditional Sri Lankan dish. “It’s a real fusion food. You wouldn’t have that in Sri Lanka, you’d only have it here.”