Rambutan & Tamil Prince collaborate for Tamil New Year in London

A Flavour-Packed Tamil New Year Feast in the Heart of London

On Wednesday evening, London came together over an unforgettable dinner celebrating our rich diaspora Tamil food culture at Rambutan & Cousins, a monthly collaboration of culinary talent from across the globe.

Rambutan, the much-loved Sri Lankan restaurant in Borough Market, founded by British Tamil chef Cynthia Shanmugalingam, hosted a special one-night Tamil New Year collaboration.

Teaming up with Prince Durairaj, the talented executive chef behind The Tamil Prince, The Tamil Crown and Tamila, the event showcased the best of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan flavours.

Seats for the £50 tasting menu sold out almost immediately upon announcement, and it’s easy to see why.

We arrived early and snagged a spot at the bar—front-row seats to the action. The air was filled with the comforting scent of coconut and Tamil spices, from freshly thrown coconut infused flaky rotis and woks worked over open charcoal stoves.

Here’s what was on the tasting menu:
– Green mango pickle & cucumber acharu
– Devilled chicken lollipop with verna lemon
– Chickpea & mustard seed chaat
– Prawn Masala (Varuval)
– Jaffna mutton nalli roast
– Pineapple, coconut & shallot sambol
– Coconut roti
– Cashew pilaf rice
– Sweet pongal rice ice cream

Each dish was bold, vibrant and packed with flavour. Our highlights? The prawn masala varuval and the coconut roti—absolutely unforgettable.

To pair with the feast, Lost & Grounded brewed up some creative remixed beers for the occasion – here’s what we ordered;
Lemongrass Shandy: with ginger, turmeric, and lemon
Pachai Thanni: with mint, coriander, cucumber and chilli

This was more than just dinner—it was a celebration of our roots, reimagined for today’s London.

Want to be in the know about more events like this? Follow Thamarai.com for the latest Tamil food, culture and community experiences across the UK.