Rum & Sugar Review

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Best for: Fantastic food; people-watching; relaxed dining.

Great: Rums and cocktails; chilled out vibe; Docklands location.

It's never easy being a new kid on the block, and that rings true whether you're actually new to a place or a part of the '90s pop group.

I have experienced this honour – and hated it – many times. First when I was the only kid from my elementary (to the Brits, “school”) to go to my chosen high school (ie: “college”). It didn't help four years later, when I traipsed to the other side of Canada for university, or four years after that when I emigrated to London. Always the new kid, always a large portion of life spent with queasiness in my tummy.

So, when I headed for Rum & Sugar Bar I felt that tumbling worry once more; after four years in London, I've still never ventured to Docklands, having been a North Londoner since I landed at Gatwick and headed above the Thames on the same day.

But I wasn't the only one trying to settle into new shoes. My restaurant choice was also a nervous new kid on the block, trying to big itself up beside chain giants La Tasca, Strada and Browns. This both pleased and worried me, first with the idea of “Hurrah I'm not alone” and secondly with the question: “Will it be any good?”

Luckily, any fears were quashed faster than a fresher falls pray to booze in the first week of university.

Rum & Sugar Bar has been around since June and prides itself on trying to stand out from its neighbours: first, it's one of a kind; second, it's got more rums on offer than a Caribbean pirate; and finally, all of its dishes ascribe to the “local” food movement, as in, everything comes from a nearby radius, and when that thing is out of season, it is no longer allowed on the menu. No siree!

Manager Paul Williams is proud of this fact and the history surrounding the Grade 1-listed building, which has seen rum and sugar brought to its warehouse doors since 1802. Now, 209 years later, it entices less sailors, and more salesmen; wealthy, 20- and 30-somethings, fresh from the doors of their posh Docklands offices, desiring a taste of one of the 40 rums to help forget a day of trading and “fixing” the world's economy type salesmen.

When we arrive around 7:30pm on a bustling Friday night, there are still lights on in most of those offices as many poor buggers work to keep up appearances. As we sit back on the dimly lit, rammed cobblestone patio, we try to not feel too badly for them; they do obviously get paid a lot of money.

While we sip fresh mango and orange mojitos, Williams tells us the most important thing for him is to get the bar's name into the public domain as a great place to eat because he sees many people walk down the strip of restaurants on West India Quay, only to turn back, skip out on Rum & Sugar, and head straight to La Tasca or Strada. “People like to go for what they know,” he says.

I'm hoping those passersby catch on soon. During a dinner which includes a crispy, fatty pork belly slice, a tender, spicy salmon tartare and the poshest curried chicken wings I've ever seen, I want to lure the people eating on the other side of the barrier at La Tasca over to our table to see what they're missing. It is sublime but then again, they do have a Michelin-starred chef at their helm. These are local, hearty dishes that redefine what we can do with British produce. And all this for the same price as what the chain restaurants charge.

As the night wears on and the outdoor patio area fills with the after-work crowd, I only worry that people will be put off noticing the amazing food at this venue by the DJ pumping out tunes and the girls stumbling by in far-too tall heels. I can imagine that, over lunch, this place would be in its prime: right beside the water, surrounded by fantastic architecture and a relaxed vibe.

It's a far cry from its neighbours and I can only hope this new kid on the block finds its feet and gets in guests who know the value of a class meal.
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Rum & Sugar Description

At the Museum of London Docklands, Rum & Sugar Bar and Kitchen showcases delicious British cuisine alongside premium rums, mojitos and bottled beers from Central America.

In a Grade I listed historical rum warehouse at Canary Wharf, Rum and Sugar presents seasonal menus, sharing platters and exotic cocktails in a perfect West India Quay setting.

Rum & Sugar Opening Hours

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: British
• Average Price: £19.50
• Dress Code: Casual
• Group: Ampersand Venues