The Rum Kitchen

Shanika Says: I think I may have found a new regular haunt...
Last week, after attending a particularly testosterone heavy event with the boy we were driving home and thinking of places to go and get some food. Cottons in Camden was brought up but we were in West London and didn't fancy making the trek over there, when I remembered The Rum Kitchen over on All Saints Road in Notting Hill, which I'd seen a bit of fuss about when it opened earlier this year.

We pulled up and there was a bouncer outside who told us we probably wouldn't get a table as there is a 2-3 week wait for tables on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights....damn....but we went in anyway to see what we could do. Luckily the lovely ladies told us to hang tight and they would see what they could do...and they managed to squeeze us in, seating us at a table in the little corner between the bar and the window, which is away from the rest of the diners and a bit more intimate. The Rum Kitchen is a beach shack inspired restaurant and if only there had been some sand I really could've thought I was in the Caribbean! The music was so on point, all the hip hop stuff I'd listen to anyway mixed with some bashment and reggae. There were dancing bar-tenders and sayings on the wood panelled walls (my favourite was 'Walk Good' a Caribbean expression for 'Take Care' that was over the door as you left) and the tables were repurposed wooden benches that I'm convinced came from local schools...mainly due to the fact that the we found the boy and his high school girlfriend's name on our one!

The lights are low and candles are in little red glass holders so its dim and warm in there a bit like this...

The menu looks so good, and there was so much for a no-meat-but-yes-please-to-fish-eater like myself. I have starters and mains planned for my next five visits already but this time round I went for escovitch red mullet with sweet potato mash and spinach and the boy had oxtail and rice. I also HAD to have some rum at The Rum Kitchen...obviously...I like my cocktails sweet so was recommended the Strange Fruit, which is a light Cuban rum with fresh lime, pineapple and Canadian maple syrup. Yum! I had two. Wish I'd got more photos before my battery died.

I'm pretty sure I'll be back.