On the 29th of January, one year after the closure of Tiger Tiger, the Turtle bay Caribbean restaurant and bar has finally opened and has drawn huge amounts of people in with its vibrant colours, stunning ‘island hut’ bar and its special and lovingly created food. The 168-seater restaurant occupies one floor of the Grant’s leisure complex in the town centre and is nearly always packed with new people intrigued by its unique bold interior design.

The restaurant itself has anyone who enters it daydreaming of the Caribbean and having warm evenings on the beach. The stunning ‘island hut’ bar is in the shape of a 50p coin has more than 40 rums to choose from and is the most impressive part of this vibrant restaurant. The walls themselves are decorated with Bob Marely paintings and posters with Caribbean colour schemes and murals that light up the walls. There is also a stunning outside dining and ‘street kitchen’ which gives the restaurant a more Caribbean feel. There are also lots of oil drum lampshades making the interior design even more striking.

Apart from the interior design the range of amazing food is all anyone can talk about. Their menus provide different lovely dishes with their signature dishes being Jerk chicken and goat curry. The food is cooked yards away from you and is cooked on a grill in the case of jerk chicken before being handed over to you. The variety of different food and rum, transports the people of Croydon to the Caribbean with all their spices, flavours and aromas.

After the close of Tiger Tiger many people were devastated as it made the situation about the lack of nightclubs worse. However, the beach-shack inspired restaurant has managed to capture the spirit of celebration with its warm and social atmosphere and has changed many people’s opinions. Also with the nightclub that has opened on the floor above and the huge variety of Caribbean dishes brimming with zesty flavors and spices; many people have embraced and accepted the new addition to Croydon high street.

by Diana Adebimpe, Sutton high School