REVIEW: Cotton’s Rhum Shack, Notting Hill
Despite its vibrant Caribbean community, London’s choice of good quality saltfish, ackee, jerk meats and plantain has been all too low until recent years.
The Rum Kitchen and Camden’s Ma Petite Jamaica were already on our radar when in need of strong rum cocktails and fresh seafood (a recent trip to Jamaica meaning that was pretty much every day), so the search for excellent food hailing from tropical islands continued.
^^^ Seriously, take us back ^^^
A recommendation from a friend brought us to Cotton’s Rhum Shack, its latest branch in Notting Hill following successful openings in Shoreditch and Camden.
With a starters menu boasting Barbeque-Glazed Pork Belly with rum and molasses, plus Scallop Ceviche with Scotch Bonnet, we were already sold. We sampled both on our trip there, the Scotch Bonnet delightfully hot but not too insanely spicy – while the pork belly was unctuous in the most perfect way.
For mains, we sampled the creamy Spiced Coconut Bouillabaise, a beautiful dish of earthy, warm flavours and fresh seafood. We had to try the Cottons Signature Meat Platter, too – piled high with – you guessed it- jerk everything.
Pork ribs, chicken, lamb chop and herb-crusted salt beef was served up with plantain and a side dish – we opted for curly kale, walnuts and pumpkin seeds that was almost as exciting as the main affair.
All while bopping to a bevy of classic 90s R ‘n’ B, we should add – whoever’s in charge of the playlist at this place deserves a raise.
Too full to consider dessert, we enjoyed plentiful cocktails and wine instead. We’d started with two ‘red’ mojitos (muddled with a beetroot reduction – brilliant) and swiftly moved on to a bottle of Kleindal Sauvignon Blanc , a peppery, almost grassy white that perfectly offset the sharp, salty jerk.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place, and will we be returning? Ya man.
Amy @ Fashionbite xx
Website: Cottons-restaurant.co.uk
