Restaurants

Despite the name, Caribbean Scene is savvy enough to avoid hackneyed tropical references. The understated decor (smart leather seating, serene views over Royal Victoria Dock and an open kitchen fringed with palms) creates a comfortable but slick space more uptown Kingston than Montego Bay. Both lunch and dinner menus feature classic fare from the region alongside more experimental dishes prepared to varying degrees of success. A starter of succulent king prawns, grilled and served with a fresh and zesty mango salsa, was innovative and successful; plantain drops sounded more intriguing than the reality of deep-fried mashed plantain balls served with an abrasive barbecue dip. Mains were consistently good, the restaurants expertise most evident in its well-crafted versions of traditional dishes. Jerk chicken was marinated in a pleasantly peppery sauce that managed to be both sweet and tangy; a brown fish stew was full of flavour, the stew a richly reduced sauce laced with scotch bonnet pepper and garlic. First-class presentation and attentive service give CS personality aplenty. Even on a rainy Monday evening, the restaurant managed to draw a crowd that included laid-back diners and business folk, far outstretching its corporate Docklands surrounds.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008