Shades of delicious red

Kinjou celebrates close to two decades of Chinese cuisine

By Nizla Naizer

For close to two decades, in a quiet corner of Havelock Road, a unique restaurant has been capturing hearts and loyal patrons with consistent Chinese cuisine prepared with a Japanese twist. The Bottom Line decided to visit Kinjou to find out first hand the appeal of this restaurant which celebrated its 19th Anniversary on July 12.

Palace of delights
Kinjou which means ‘palace’ in Chinese has remained in the large white building with the comfortable garden since its inception and has emerged as a palace of culinary delights.
One unmistakable element of Chinese cuisine is the delightful aroma, full of flavours you can smell and this is an aspect you cannot escape as you enter the traditionally carved doors of Kinjou and are greeted by two large white porcelain lions. An entrance symbolic of the Forbidden City itself, you then enter into a world trapped quite pleasantly in time. The ambience revolves around various shades of red from the large Chinese lanterns and red wooden carvings, to Japanese good luck charms in bamboo falling from the ceiling. It’s like stepping into China Town in the heart of Colombo.
“Since we opened operations in 1991, the founder Jayantha Kumara has had one priority,” Assistant General Manager Terrence Carson explained, “ensuring the best standards and the highest quality.”
The commitment to standards and quality has ensured that Kinjou keeps dishing out that perfect, delicious and wholesome Chinese meal each time. But what makes this cuisine so unique and different to other restaurants? “Our chefs are all trained in Japan, and they prepare Chinese cuisine with Japanese ingredients and sauces,” Terrence explained. The extensive menu with colourful pictures of many of the dishes facilitates choosing a dish and contains several ready-to-eat Japanese dishes such as Ramin noodles with various toppings as well. However, my focus that afternoon was Chinese and some of the dishes Kinjou is renowned for include the Singapore Style chilli crab, tricolor Combination with fish balls and chicken in sesame sauce, prawn in hot garlic sauce, pan fried vegetables and garoupa prepared whole, accompanied by their flavour filled fried rice and Chinese style noodles.
My favourites at Kinjou however, revolves around crab and sweet corn soup, followed by cuttlefish in hot butter sauce that is the best i had tasted in a long time and diced chicken and cashew which is full of an irresistible flavour. The cuisine at Kinjou mostly originates from the Sichuan region in China where the cuisine is more spicy and suitable to the Sri Lankan palette but the unique flavour in each dish is the result of the Japanese sauces that are used.
The portions are quite large and the ambience is ideal for families and meals out with colleagues and friends. You are provided with a complimentary pot of green tea or jasmine tea, ideal to appease the health fanatic within you.

A hold on generations
While the restaurant provides catering and takeaway meals which are very popular, the garden area which can seat close to 100 has been a favorite for private celebrations and parties with an al fresco ambience that is nicely combined with cozy, traditional lanterns.
The restaurant spread their operations as well, with branches opened in Kotte in 2005 and in Dambulla in 2008. Kinjou has been a Tourist Board approved restaurant since 1991 and with tie ups with several travel agencies see many foreign customers walk through their doors. However, Terrence explained that many of their loyal patrons are from Colombo. “Those who dined here as children, now bring their kids for a meal,” he said with a smile.
With a hold on generations of satisfied customers, this unique Chinese restaurant is sure to see many more years of delicious cuisine and good service. There’s more, to celebrate their anniversary, Kinjou will provide a 10% discount during lunch to all patrons, all July.
So head over to Kinjou Chinese Restaurant at 33, Amarasekara Mawatha, Colombo 5 or call 2591728 for more information on reservations and takeaways. The restaurant is open from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm for lunch and from 6 pm to 11 pm for dinner.

Pix by Ravindra Dharmetilleke