Barbs, which describes itself as Britain’s first Bajan fast-casual restaurant, has started a weekly Friday night fish fry at the Queen of Hoxton on Curtain Road in Shoreditch.
The night, called Rum Stop Fry-Day, runs every Friday from 5pm on the venue’s refitted ground floor. It is modelled on the Friday fish fry at Oistins, the fishing town on the south coast of Barbados where crowds gather each week for fried fish, rum and music.
“Oistins on a Friday night is one of the best experiences you can have in Barbados,” said Nicc Wright, Barbs’ co-founder. “We want people to come straight from work, eat proper Bajan food, enjoy a few rum punches and stay for the music.”
What is on the Friday menu
According to the launch announcement, the Friday menu is led by steamed yellowtail snapper with pumpkin, okra, rice and peas and Bajan pepper sauce, at £27. Fried red bream comes with rice and peas, gravy and hot pepper, or with seasoned fries and the restaurant’s Fancy Sauce, at £18.
The BFF, a fried red bream burger with soused cucumber and crispy onions, returns on Fridays only at £15. Other specials include a shrimp curry roti (£14), five jumbo fried prawns (£13) and garlic pepper butter prawns (£14). The regular menu of fishcakes, wings and fried chicken tenders is also served.
The rum punch offer
Diners who order a main can add 90 minutes of bottomless rum punch, made with Mount Gay rum from Barbados, for £20 a head. Barbs puts food and the bottomless deal together from £33 per person. The offer is bookable through the restaurant’s OpenTable page.
The bar also serves Bajan-inspired cocktails at £12 to £13, among them a Mauby Old Fashioned made with mauby syrup, and the Sweet Girl, made with guava jelly, rum and ginger ale and named after Mr Wright’s grandmother’s childhood nickname.
DJ Leigh of the Carnival Angels plays carnival music from 5pm, followed by house and party records from 9.30pm.
About Barbs
Barbs was founded by Mr Wright and is based on his grandmother’s cooking from Bridgetown. Its head chef is Amanda Powell. Its website says it operates from both the restaurant and the rooftop at the Queen of Hoxton, and also caters for events.
The essentials
- What: Rum Stop Fry-Day, a weekly Bajan fish fry with DJs
- Where: Barbs, Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3JX
- When: every Friday from 5pm
- Bottomless rum punch: £20 for 90 minutes with any main
- Friday mains: £15-£27
- Bookings: Barbs on OpenTable