Hi there,
Welcome to my first post for Access to All Areas.
So it was mine and my husband Daniel’s 3rd wedding anniversary last month (7th of November). We have had a hard year with my health so we wanted to celebrate in style, but we decided to stay relatively local.
We decided to try the West Indian restaurant Turtle Bay for lunch as we both love West Indian food. We had been there before for dinner with my friend Honda who had persuaded us to go. I had been reluctant as my parents are West Indian and have taught me a lot of recipes which I am teaching Daniel as I am unable to cook any longer due to my hands. I wrongly assumed that as Turtle Bay is a chain restaurant the food would not be authentic but I was pleasantly surprised, the food was great and true to its roots.
Turtle Bay is on Castle Street in Swansea and though the restaurant is always busy (especially on weekends so try and book in advance), this was a Tuesday afternoon and we were able to get a table.
I was able with the help of Daniel holding the door open, to drive in Scootie (my mobility scooter (see the about page and the link below) did get caught on the lip of the floor and wheel-spun for a few seconds and it may be a bit narrow for a wheelchair, however once inside space was not an issue. Although the restaurant is all on one floor there is a section in the restaurant that has a step up to it. However there is plenty of room so you may wish to notify staff when you book a table. There is a disabled toilet at the back which is quite large and has disability rails. It is through doors which could be a mobility issue but they were relatively easy for me to push open.
As I find some chairs difficult to sit on, the staff were happy to swap my chair for that of another table so that I could sit more comfortably.
We were greeted by a really welcoming staff member Keith who it turns out is from Dublin, Ireland and my husband Daniel is from Cork in the south of Ireland so for a couple of minutes they were lost in Banterville of which I was not a citizen!
Now to the cocktails! We first tried the cocktail ‘One Love’ recommended by Keith as an anniversary tipple. It is a flaming cocktail, which you can just about see in the picture, with Passoa and rum among other ingredients. It was stunning! Sweet but not overpowering with a kick at the end from the rum. Daniel also ordered us “Jamaican Mules” made of dark rum, lime, ginger beer and bitters. Another hit for us!
I should add that Turtle Bay specialises in rum and rum cocktails. I thought I was a self proclaimed rum expert until I went there! They list rums according to “Good, Better” and “Best” and the rums I know only came under “Better” so I’m doing alright but I need to improve.
We were being served by a lovely woman named Laura, and ordered the 4 dishes for £18 (see link at the bottom of the page). We asked for the Beef Patty, Crispy Chilli Squid, Jerk Glazed Pit Ribs and the Sweetcorn fritters. Daniel wanted to try the Jerk ribs due to the fact that it is not something I used to cook with as Jerk seasoning is from Jamaica and Dad is from Barbados. I usually find Jerk too peppery but these ribs were amazing! The taste was just right and the meat fell off the bone, which is perfect as I usually have trouble with meat due to being unable to cut it. The calamari was a nice twist on what I was used to with the added spice, complimented by “mango mole” and the lime and jerk mayo. Everything was full of flavour and the portions were large so it was great for lunch……
However! (building expectations here) the last time we were at Turtle Bay I ordered the Bajan Beef Cheeks which is something my family cooks and was able to say it was almost as good as my dad’s (I said almost Dad!). The menu has changed since our first visit and due to lack of demand for that dish as people can be squeamish due the fact it is literally beef cheek, it has been removed. I was gutted at that but fortunately they had a few left so of course we just had to order it and it was as good as I remembered! It is flavoursome and spicy without burning your mouth and comes with Okra (otherwise known as “Ladies Fingers” and rice and beans. I hope it makes a return one day as I think people are missing out!
For dessert, (always room for dessert!) We shared a Caymans Upside Down Rum Cake between us and that felt like it was made at home for me. It was covered in rum caramel and came with ice-cream. Real comfort food.
We love this restaurant. The staff are so friendly and accommodating. They are very knowledgable about their menu and the chef was kind enough to come and talk to me about the Beef Cheeks. I had to tell him I would miss them!
Turtle Bay doesn’t feel like a chain and it has a great atmosphere. When you walk (or scoot in my case) in the door you would be mistaken for thinking you had walked into a bar somewhere tropical and warm with the decor bright, funky and effortlessly cool and the reggae and other Caribbean music styles playing in the background. It’s a wonderful place to lunch and a cool, enjoyable night out.
Mobility Pros
- The staff are lovely and are willing to help
- All on one floor
- Access to a disabled toilet
- The location is central to Swansea
- Free Disabled parking across the street (with Blue Badge)
Mobility Cons
- Lip in doorway you could get caught on
- Step into one area
- Not all chairs are disabled friendly
Scootie Rating out of 5: 
Links
Turtle Bay: www.turtlebay.co.uk/swansea
Scootie: https://movinglife.com/
Access to All Areas 