Its all about rum, reggae and jerk this summer in Manchester The Carnival has commenced!
Turtle Bay celebrated its opening last night with a VIP bash that captured all the passion and vibrancy of the Caribbean.
The citys revelers got very much into the groove as a thronging restaurant sang along to music from reggae bands Troy Ellis and Hail Jamaica, as well as Laid Blak.
A whole lot of the 40 rums on sale at the restaurant was drunk, and a host of VIPs and celebrities got in on the act including Coronation Streets Hayley Tamaddon who hosted a girls night out with Sue Cleaver, Krissi Bohn and Lisa George. Meanwhile, X Factors Shayne Ward brought along all 3 of his sisters!
Turtle Bay is the citys first Caribbean restaurant, bringing a brand new, loud, proud Caribbean dining and drinking experience to the city.
The restaurant and bar celebrates the lively, colourful, soulful and, above all, delicious experiences that the Caribbean has to offer - from explosive flavours to laid back liming. Their mission? To capture the spirit of celebration that the Caribbean is famed for around the globe - making customers happy by delivering a hedonistic combination of joyous food, delightful drinks and a fun, laidback atmosphere.
Turtle Bay is a democratic destination CEOs are as welcome as students. Its accessible, its casual and its real, authentic Caribbean food.
The £1m, 8000 square foot Manchester development is located on Oxford Street in the site previously occupied by Alibi Bar. The operation has created 70 jobs and features a 250 cover restaurant space, large central island bar and indoor veranda style drinking spaces.
The venue is designed to encourage long, lazy lunches, as well as high octane parties with plenty of space for everything in between!
An eclectic, unique fit out is very much in keeping with the restaurants new
home in the birthplace of industry, and includes a seating area inside a huge, original shipping container, reclaimed bus seats and lanterns made from oil drums.
Authentic, delicious food
Food is at the heart of the Turtle Bay experience just like its central to the heart and soul of Caribbean culture. An eclectic cuisine that is influenced by a rich tapestry of ethnicities, the food at Turtle Bay offers a vast choice of bold flavours and rustic authentic dishes, all inspired by the laid back, social outlook of the Caribbean.
The menu is brimming with zesty flavours and spicy hues theres plenty to share or dig into alone.
The offering includes Cutters (inspired by Beach Shacks and Street Hawkers of the Caribbean Islands - perfect for sharing over cocktails); the Jerk BBQ Pit (which is exactly as fiery as it sounds); One Pots (rich, slowly simmered and uniquely Caribbean) and Lunch and Light (a briefer encounter with the Caribbean). Signature dishes include Jerk Pit ribs, Turtle Bay Patties, Trini Doubles and Blue Mountain Curry Goat.
This is fuss-free soul food for individuals that love, and live, to eat!
Cool, Creative Cocktails
Inspired by a culture that brought us Bob Marley, the cocktail list at Turtle Bay is as cool and credible as youd expect. Naturally, rum is at the heart of the cocktail list (with 40 to choose from including Blackwell Rum by Chris Blackwell of Island Records fame).
Classic cocktails are given a Turtle Bay twist (The Marley Mojito - incorporating ginger beer and water melon), whilst signature cocktails include the infamous Reggae Rum Punch (Wray & nephew, strawberry liqueur, fresh lime, orange & pineapple).
Good Vibes
The Turtle Bay service is friendly, fun and uncomplicated.
The team has been selected after a rigorous audition process from psychometric tests to limbo dancing! The Turtle Bay ethos is that the people must be as passionate about the product as its creators - customers can expect a warm welcome from a team who love what they do.