Plates: if you’re a dumplings fan, you have to try the chicken char siu dumplings at the Yi Jing Chinese restaurant at the ITC Ratnadipa Hotel in Colombo. 

Shaped like swans, with the delicate layers of dough spreading out ever so thinly and crisply, and stuffed generously with flavour-packed chicken char siu, these dumplings are not your garden variety serving. What makes them special and keeps them off à la carte menus in general is the time and effort that goes into their preparation.

I visited Yi Jing earlier in the week for lunch and started the meal, understandably, with dumplings – chicken char siu, pan-fried beef, lotus stem char siu, and sake and edamame. The chicken char siu dumplings won me over at first sight and again at first bite, followed by the juicy and succulent beef dumplings.

Then came the mains – crispy sea bass, stir-fried shredded chicken, Shanghai-style stir-fried vegetables, chicken noodles, and crab meat and egg white rice. Being a rice addict, it was this flavour-packed yet delicate dish that I enjoyed the most from the mains, but that doesn’t mean the others fell short.

I enjoyed the sea bass too, while the vegetables were perfectly done, their colours and flavours coming through beautifully. As for the noodles dish, it was a meal in itself – a somewhat spicy and somewhat sweet slurpy delight.

Most of the main dishes at Yi Jing can easily be shared among three, especially if you start the meal with some dumplings. Getting to the restaurant is somewhat of a convoluted chore, given the layout of the hotel, but the food – classic Chinese cuisine reimagined in contemporary style – is worth it.

My meal ended with the yuzu mascarpone cheesecake, which was very different to any cheesecake I’ve had before and quite delicious. It comes with a serving of homemade mango ice cream, which is also served as a standalone dessert and has become quite popular – just like the signature chicken char siu dumplings.

Poems: a few days ago, feeling somewhat submerged by worries – real and those brought about by overthinking, as one is wont to do – I came across this beautiful poem titled ‘No Small Thing’ by Ellen Rowland, which helped shift perspective:

The smell of baking bread, smooth floured hands,

butter waiting to be spread with blackberry jam

and I realise, this is no small thing.

These days spent confined, 

I am drawn to life’s ordinary details,

the largeness of all we can do

alongside what we cannot.

The list of allowances far outweighs my complaints,

I am fortunate to have flour and years, a source of heat

not to mention soft butter, the tartness of blackberries

harvested on a cold back road.

A kitchen, a home, two working

hands to stir and knead,

a clear enough head to gather it all.

Even the big toothy knife feels miraculous

as it grabs hold and cracks the crust.

Places: a spacious new Barista outlet opened up on Pagoda Road in Nugegoda recently and it’s got a pool table, due to which the outlet is proving to be quite popular. 

There’s a guitar at the Pagoda Road outlet too, which anyone can pick up and play.

The menu features the usual Barista fare – from coffees, cakes, and croissants to sandwiches, pastas, and more.

Barista has actually been opening up a host of outlets lately, which bodes well for diners looking for a place to have a quick snack at a decent price point.