Feelin’ hot hot hot

Thursday night saw the launch of a new restaurant in Leicester, Turtle Bay, and The Tab went down to check it out.

Turtle Bay takes Caribbean food and drink and the ideas behind them to new level, creating an enjoyable and entertaining dining experience.

Bringing a taste of the Caribbean to the heart of Leicester

We had a look around the place and it certainly seems like they have captured the essence of the Caribbean in every sense. The centrepiece of the restaurant is undoubtedly the Beach Hut Bar; which sits in the centre of the venue, setting the scene perfectly.

Before the venue filled and staff were rushed off their feet, we had a chat with Scott, one of the managers of Turtle Bay Leicester, to hear a little bit more about the brand and where the idea for it came from. He told us that the main idea behind the restaurant is to help facilitate the mixing of cultures and ideas, ‘bringing something different to high street dining in the process’.

Life’s a beach … hit the hut if you fancy a drink

Scott went on to tell us that the founder, Aj Jaya-Wickrema, knew the kind of food he wanted to serve at the restaurant but had to experience it for himself to understand it and the culture that it stems from. He travelled extensively around the Caribbean to find the recipes for Turtle Bay’s menu, with both Barbados and Jamaica being heavily influential.

Those influences are clear to see, with a beach hut bar, drinks menu containing more rum than Captain Jack Sparrow could dream of and a food menu containing flavours from both land and sea, given a kick with spicy seasonings and sauces.

The restaurant also recognises that music is a big part of Caribbean life, represented by a wall clad with speakers.

If only the Union would do this…

With a free bar until 9pm and food tasters being whisked around the restaurant the launch was a huge hit … and that’s without mentioning the entertainment.

More-hijtos … Guests couldn’t get enough of them!

Guests were treated to a Caribbean band, who set the mood with their reggae sounds, providing the perfect backing for people to enjoy their food and drink throughout the night. Whilst they played a variety of reggae hits, we couldn’t help but feel the guests and the band most enjoyed their rendition of ‘Feeling Hot Hot Hot’.

Caribbean Rhythms

There was even a Samuel L. Jackson lookalike amongst the band members, we were pretty convinced but see what you think!

If you’re looking to try something different then Turtle Bay is surely for you, if you’re in town then why not head down there. If you’re not going to be around in the very near future then keep a look our for our review, we’ll be heading down in the next few weeks to give you our verdict so keep your eyes peeled!

If you want to see the menu, it can be found here.