While much of the “Caribbean” food served in restaurants tends to be Jamaican, Bristol will soon get a chance to taste dishes from other islands, with Turtle Bay opening on Broad Quay in February.
The brand – which has three existing branches in Nottingham, Milton Keynes and Southampton – was co-founded by Ajith Jaya-Wickrema, one of the pair behind much-loved chain Las Iguanas and a non-executive director of both Tampopo and Aqua Italia. The first branch was the Milton Keynes restaurant, which opened at the end of 2010, and their website suggests that we can expect to see more restaurants rolled out across the UK in the near future.
Their aim? “To capture the Caribbean island vibe by serving up exceptional, authentic dishes in an environment inspired by the love of laid-back living”. I’m certainly liking the look of their menu – which includes Caribbean street food, salads, one pots and more, along with the obligatory Jerk dishes.
Las Iguanas prides itself on its cocktail menu, and it appears that Turtle Bay is no different: I’ll definitely be trying the Frozen Rum Runner (dark rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, lime, pomegranate & pineapple juices) when they open.
Says the website, “Put simply, everything we do in our restaurant is about creating a perfect atmosphere for ‘liming’, which means hanging out with friends and family, while enjoying good food and a few drinks.” A slice of the Caribbean in a cold British February? We’ll be there.