The Rum Kitchen (Bar, Restaurant)

Top 10 things we learnt about The Rum Kitchen restaurant.

1) Hidden in Kingly Court (a bit of a hidden gem in itself) and tucked off Carnaby Street, The Rum Kitchen in Soho is a lively Caribbean beach shack-esque restaurant, in the same vein as its Notting Hill sister venue.

2) This is the place to head if you love a restaurant with a good buzz. It’s quite literally a hive of activity and you’ll be cozied up on a long shared table discussing the meaning of life with your fellow diners before you know it.

3) You’ll be hanging out with a young-ish, well-heeled, working crowd looking to let their hair down, so be prepared.

4) The friendly staff flit around from table to table at an incredible, quirky and fun pace, although the place is so busy, it does mean drinks take some time to get to your table.

5) When they finally arrive, though, the cocktails are more than worth the wait. Beautifully presented and, unsurprisingly, laced with rum, they will have you going back for more, like bees to honey.

6) The head bartender, ‘Dr Elliott Elliott’ AKA Imogen Elliott has created a full menu of cocktails to suit any taste, and, if you can’t find anything you like, she’ll whip you up a drink of your choosing. She’s so cool, you might just wish you could ‘bee’ her.

7) The traditional Caribbean food, sometimes with a modern twist, will have you foaming at the mouth and, without wanting to sound like I’m honey-coating it, it is without a shadow of a doubt some of the best seafood I’ve tasted in London.

8) The crab burger came recommended and rightly so. Fresh, succulent, and perfectly cooked, it hit the spot, although for a more healthy option, the spicy but tender, seared tuna salad is a perfectly delicious choice that doesn’t make you feel like you’re missing out.

9) If you’re still in need of your sweet honey fix, try the banana cake for dessert (that counts as one of your five a day, right?). It’s a real winner, although be warned if you’re already a bit full; it’s heavy and gooey, just as it should be.

10) Have fun. We didn’t stay that late, but a couple more of those rum cocktails and our Thursday night may have had quite a different ending. Luckily, we ‘bee’haved ourselves....read more