Tortugas – Fruity cocktails and affordable delicious food bring a taste of the Caribbean to Worcester

Tortugas, 19-21 Friar St, Worcester, WR1 2NA (01905 27673). Starters £5-£8, mains £8.50-£21, desserts £6-£7, cocktails from £7.50.

Among the restaurants in Worcester, Tortugas is the relative ‘new kid on the block’ and honestly feels like a breath of fresh air blowing away the cobwebs in the fusty old city whilst boasting a favourable spot on arguably Worcester’s oldest and most interesting street.

Worcester has no shortage of restaurants – however, especially in the city itself it can often feel repetitive and all very similar with the endless supply of chain restaurants. It is therefore a very rare occasion when a new independent restaurant opens its doors with a smorgasbord of new and exciting different dishes to feast upon.

First impressions of this quirky little place are simply joyous - the minute you arrive outside, before even stepping through the door you are greeted by an explosion of colours and smiling friendly faces. Being guided through the restaurant to your table it becomes clear that the Caribbean theme is anything but subtle – and nor should it be! It brings a certain element of fun to your dining experience and when paired with the relaxed energy for the staff, it immediately makes you feel comfortable in your surroundings.

Waiting to kickstart our meal we went straight in for the cocktails with a ‘Shroudbreaker’ and ‘Hurricane’, the beautifully presented fruity punch of flavour set the tone for the meal and certainly built-up excitement for the upcoming food courses.

We didn’t have long to wait as our starters were fast approaching our own corner of the Caribbean. Elegantly presented, the food reiterates the point that through all the fun and laid-back energy, this place is one to be taken seriously!

We started with ‘tiger prawns – accompanied by garlic and thyme butter and served with a salad with honey and lime dressing.’ As well as a ‘baked callaloo & cheese soufflé – served with a tomato and red onion salsa.’

The soufflé was simply delicious! Rich and indulgent, whilst remaining light and airy, a real savoury treat! The salsa provides a nice, sweet tang to counter the natural saltiness of the cheese, the only thing missing perhaps was another form of texture to the dish, something to give a slight bite or crunch.
The tiger prawns were simple but effective, cooked to perfection and paired perfectly with the butter, they were a real hit. With this dish it wasn’t that it was missing another element, it was that it was missing more of the same. The portions were just a little small with a total of two prawns, it meant that as much as the starter was enjoyed, it was also over very quickly. Just a couple more tier prawns would have made it a more well-balanced start to a meal.

After a laugh and a joke with the waiting staff the main courses were waiting in the wings, ready to take centre stage and delight our stomachs. We confidently decided upon the ‘jerk chicken burger – served in a toasted brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle and coleslaw along with a side of fries for an additional £4.’ As well as the ‘red snapper fillet – served with pan-fries, yam and sweet potato gratin and Pak-choy.’

The burger went down very well indeed, as did the cocktails to which we were now onto our second round of ‘Hurricanes’! The brioche bun is always a winner with a burger, and it is surprising just how many restaurants decide not to offer them, but of course Tortugas did, and the sweetness of the toasted bun perfectly counteracted the punchy jerk spices of the chicken. The creamy coleslaw was the perfect combination with the burger as was the generous portion of triple cooked chips! It could have done without the pickle but that is purely down to personal opinion and taste and I’m sure there would be many people who heavily disagree with me.

The red snapper fillet was the real star of the show! The presentation was nothing short of stunning and incredibly enticing. The fish itself was cooked to perfection and well-seasoned offering a tasty saltiness every now and then, the yam and sweet potato gratin was also a real winner. Something extremely different but successfully satisfying, offering a world of flavours in just a bite. The Pak-choy I took slight issue with, it was definitely essential to the dish and added a much-needed greenness to the plate, I am an enormous fan of it however, when nit-picking, with it resting at the bottom of the plate underneath the gratin and fish it went just a bit too soggy and slimy. That being said every single morsel of this dish was eaten and enjoyed thoroughly.

The dining experience (with two rounds of cocktails) came to a sum of £67.50.

The whole experience was an absolute joy, helped by the friendly service! This is a place completely unique and offers you something you just cannot get anywhere else in Worcester. The Caribbean experience will sweep you away and even leave you ready to exit wearing a grotesque Hawaiian shirt and a mini umbrella tucked behind your ear, or perhaps that was the cocktails influence?

Taking everything into consideration, Tortugas proves itself to be one of the best places to eat in Worcester, standing out proudly as a heavyweight of the city’s independent restaurants alongside heavy hitters such as ‘The Olive Branch’. Tortugas is a step in the right direction and definitely something the city needs more of.