Turtle Bay Newcastle - Menu Review

My mum babysits for us once a month and we usually really struggle with where to visit for food - there is sooooo much choice in Newcastle these days! This month however there was only one place I wanted to take Steve and that was Turtle Bay. After an impressive launch night, I knew he would love it so I promptly booked us a table online.

We started our evening at Motel One where we were spending the night. I would recommend popping into their gorgeous lobby bar for a few cocktails if you get the chance - some of the friendliest staff I have encountered in a while. Motel One is located on High Bridge Street so just a few minutes walk away from the Gate and Turtle Bay. 

Turtle Bay Cocktails

Our reservation was for 6pm on a Thursday night and the place already had a queue out of the door - always a good sign! The bar area was busy too with plenty of people making the most of the buy one get one free cocktails that are available from 11:30am - 7pm daily and then again after 10pm. 

Expect a mix of reggae music from Bob Marley to Shaggy which all adds to the relaxed vibe of Turtle Bay. We were sitting right next to the open grill where the chefs were flaming some chicken and if I slightly closed my eyes I could almost imagine I was sitting in Oistins Fish Fry in Barbados. We made the most of the buy one get one free cocktails and sampled a few from the menu - if it is your first time visiting I recommend the Reggae Rum Punch to begin with. I liked that the dining area had their own bar so although the main bar was busy, we never had to wait long for our drinks.

Turtle Bay Restaurant

I set the ground rules with Steve early in the evening - we were going to share everything! We decided on Jerk Chicken Wings and Spicy Squid to start.

The Jerk Chicken Wings were AMAZING - pretty much the best we've ever tried. Just the right amount of sauce, super crispy skin and sweet, succulent meat that fell from the bone. I am craving them again as I type this and they will definitely be our go-to starter from now on. The squid was good with a nice amount of spice but the chicken wings were out of this world. I know, I know, there is more to Caribbean Cuisine than Jerk Chicken but you really must try these wings!

I had tried the One Pot Goat Curry on launch night and loved it so was keen to try this again. Steve decided to go for the Jerk Belly Pork.

The goat curry definitely had a lot less spice than last time and was less saucy however they goat was just as beautifully cooked. The portion was HUGE though and we couldn't finish it between us.

The Belly Pork was the winning main, I don't have a pic as it was covered in sauce and just not very photogenic - sometimes the best meals aren't though. The pork had been marinated with a spicy rub and was absolutely delicious. Along with a side of sweet potato fries and homemade coleslaw the dish was again a huge portion.

You can add some extra spice to your dish should you need it with a selection of table sauces and I would take your server up on their offer of bringing you a jug of water for your table in case things do get a little too spicy (yes I was a little bit too liberal with the Hot Pepper Sauce).

Onto dessert, grilled pineapple is Steve's favourite so he was always going to order that and I decided to indulge in a spiced chocolate pot with coconut ice cream. 

The desserts were brilliant and I would recommend trying to leave some space if you can. My chocolate pot had a lovely warming spice running through it which was perfect with the coconut ice cream that actually tasted of real coconut. It was very rich though and I think that perhaps this may be a good option to share.

I need to give a special shout out to the staff who are wonderful. They are all bursting with energy, life and you might even catch them breaking into song or dance when their favourite tune comes on. They are just so happy and it shows. Our server was attentive, friendly, full of personality and happy to chat and recommend dishes which I always like.

Our final bill was £68 in total. This covered a 3 course meal for two people and 8 cocktails between us so was a very good deal.

www.turtlebay.co.uk/locations/newcastle