From the Caribbean to Bristol via Milton Keynes. The authenticity of Turtle Bay may be questionable, but the ambition is most certainly not. In what has long been an empty unit on the centre, £900,000 has been spent creating this new restaurant, which seats 120 diners.
This is the second major restaurant opening on Bristol in less than a month following Bill’s on Queen’s Road; and is from a company whose managing director is Las Iguanas founder Ajith Jaywickrema.
It seems that only chains have the deep pockets to open in such a cavernous space, but the space here is filled well if a little haphazardly, with everything from paint pots for lights to what looks like a beach shack on the way to the toilets, past a staff-only area in a shipping container.
The haphazardness is also reflected in the menu, which is divided into nibbles, cutters (i.e. starters at £4.95 each including jerk pit ribs and sweetcorn fritters), provisions, salads, lunch n’ lighter, one pots, jerk pit BBQ and puddings.
The prices here are good value, with the majority of dishes under £10. Although not to Grillstock standards, they don’t skimp on the meat either.
My friend Tim enjoyed his jerk pork bun from the lunch n’ lighter options; while having ordered a pulled jerk chicken bun, what actually arrived in front of me – prompting much apology from our waitress – was the jerk chicken flatbread, which turned out to be a great alternative, the flatbread doughy soft and the chicken topped with coriander, tomatoes and thyme.
Red Stripe from Jamaica is currently the only beer on tap, with Carib from Trinindad in bottles. Cocktails may well prove to be the preferred option hour, with a two-for-one deal between midday and 7pm and after 10pm every day.
There are also a whopping 40 rums from across the West Indies, including Mount Gay from Barbados, Angostrura from Trinidad, Wood’s from Guyana and Elements 8 from St Lucia.
A sour taste in the mouth was left when the bill arrived and the small glass of milk I ordered for my two-year-old daughter was bizarrely priced at £2.35. On questioning this, we were told it was intentional, but in true Caribbean style I bartered the price down to £1 – still expensive for something that should have been free of charge.
For real Caribbean authenticity, go to somewhere like Caribbean Wrap in St Nick’s. Turtle Bay is as Caribbean as La Tasca is Spanish, but it’s a fun place to be and should do brisk business.
Turtle Bay, 8 Broad Quay, Bristol, BS1 4DA. 0117 929 0209.
www.turtlebay.co.uk/bristol-restaurant
