Nella Guagenti enjoys a taste of the Caribbean right in the heart of Battersea
A new bar serving Jamaican-inspired food and drinks, including cocktails has opened right on my doorstep on Battersea Rise. An evening showcasing the new summer menu had me rubbing shoulders with entrepreneur and former Apprentice candidate April Jackson, whose idea it was to celebrate the culture and music of her home country of Jamaica. Her sociable manner and the fact that in no time at all I was chatting to locals from her Brixton venue who had come to support her turned this into a special evening.
Super-friendly bar staff talked us through the cocktail offerings, the wide selection of specialist rums and the exotic list of beers imported directly from Jamaica. The house punch seemed the funky choice to start with – a spicy, pomegranate-based cocktail boosted with rum and more rum, although our favourite that night was the Mamas and Papas which had a complex, bitter-sweet flavour created by the use of marmalade in the white frothy topping. So moorish. A lighter cocktail called So Fresh and So Green was herby and sharp for a summer’s evening. In fact all the cocktails sounded enticing and looked amazing. We’ll come again for these!
The selection of food on offer was all cooked to perfection. Spicy chicken kebabs were wonderfully complimented with cubes of watermelon. Traditional examples of Caribbean veg were included: tasty sweetcorn with spicy avocado sauce and callaloo balls – a type of spinach from Jamaica – which were soft centred with the perfect crunch on the outside. Our favourite dish was the little fried fishes in escabeche dressing – a tangy-sweet mix of red onion, crunchy vegetables and vinegar. This is typical Carribbean food and here it was made just right. Apart from the odd goat curry, Jamaican food is a new concept for me and I enjoyed the combinations of fruit with spice and the exotic colours of each dish.
The décor isn’t distinctive enough. It needs to include more Jamaican influences as it felt just like any other bar on this stretch of Clapham when, in fact it does have something special to offer. But the atmosphere is laid back and ever so friendly. There is no rush for you to get moving on and the cocktails will keep you lingering till closing time.
Booking: threelittlebirdsja.com
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