St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2034 2006 / www.turtlebay.co.uk
Turtle Bay lies on St Mary Street offering a refuge from the cold, wind and wet; its doors a portal into a surreal Caribbean universe. Stereotypical images and posters associated with the Anglophone Caribbean adorn its walls, with the late great Bob Marley gazing over diners to the tune of Peter Tosh urging them to “not criticize it”. Mesmerising neon signs hang over the well-designed zones of the restaurant, and it’s clear a lot of effort has gone into creating a laid back and attractive atmosphere. However, being on St Mary Street I suspect that it may fall victim to the usual hordes that swarm the area on Friday and Saturday nights.
Upon entering the restaurant, we were quickly seen to and shown to our seats. First up, a couple of drinks, and the large choice of rum, beers and cocktails was the first thing to strike me. A frozen rum runner cocktail and a Trinidadian beer, Carib – both hit the spot – alongside spicy sweetcorn fritters, fried dumplings, sweet potato fries (delicious as always), and a new favourite of mine, sweet plantain.
Then the mains were brought out: curry pork cheek one pot and mo’bay chicken, which was creamy but still flavoursome. The pork cheek was outstandingly tender, with the consistency between pate and a medium steak, while its flavours had mingled perfectly with the chilli and spices. Finally, the warm and syrupy Caymanas rum cake (along with some El Dorado rum, one of the many impressive rums on offer) was a perfect way to end the meal.
LUKE OWAIN BOULT