Bath might not have the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean, and the River Avon might not be quite the same shade of sparkling blue as the Caribbean ocean, but the flavours of the Caribbean islands have arrived in the city thanks to the latest restaurant opening.
Turtle Bay opened in the old Duck, Son and Pinker music store last week and promises to turn up the heat on the food scene.
The restaurant and bar sets out to capture the celebratory spirit of the Caribbean with a hedonistic combination of explosive flavours, a fun, laid-back vibe and a bar laden with more than 40 different types of rum.
The menu is bursting with dishes that showcase the colourful, soulful and delicious culinary experiences that the Caribbean has to offer from Cutters inspired by the beach shacks and street hawkers of the Caribbean Islands which are ideal for sharing over a couple of cocktails, to the Jerk Barbecue Pit which uses hot coals to seal fiery flavours into the meats, and rich, slowly simmered One Pots.
Signature dishes include Pepper Roti, Jerk Pit Ribs, Blue Mountain curry goat and Rastafari Run Down which is rumoured to be Bob Marley's favourite dish.
"It's our take on classic Caribbean flavours," said General Manager Jamie Pearce. "They are all based on authentic recipes and we get excellent feedback. Sometimes someone from the Caribbean might say that our jerk chicken isn't as good as their mum's, but when I go out and have a roast dinner that's never as good as my mum's either! Nothing ever tastes as good as your mum's cooking.
"Caribbean cooking is a patchwork quilt of colours, textures, and flavours; a multi-ethnic tapestry woven from the cuisines of Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mouth-watering hot sauces, spice rubs, fragrant marinades and cool chutneys feature in our food, to fresh hand tossed salads, spice wood jerk grills and exotically spiced one pots, perfect for sharing with friends in true Caribbean Limin' style."
Even the cocktails are given a special Turtle Bay twist. A Bay Caipirinha adds orange and ginger flavours to the classic lime, while a Marley Mojito incorporates water melon and ginger and the signature Reggae Rum Punch made with Wray and Nephew rum, strawberry liqueur, fresh lime, orange and pineapple packs a punch that lives up to its name.
The service at Turtle Bay is as important as the food and rigorous selection criteria are used to choose the final team.
"We had more than 2,500 applicants for 60 jobs," said Jamie. "It's a tough process which involves everything from limbo dancing to psychometric tests. We've ended up with an amazing team though who are really passionate about what we do at Turtle Bay."
Operations Director, Stephen Entwhistle said: "What is fantastic about the city of Bath apart from the historic buildings, is the growing global food culture and the current range and variety of Bath's food offering. We are proud to be joining this community and looking forward to placing well-known and not so well known Caribbean dishes right in the heart of the city."
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