Things get tropical at Cottons in
Notting Hill Gate
Words Elizabeth Hutton
When you want to escape London’s dreary streets, Cottons is the place to go. Here, inside the sky blue building, you’ll find a tropical haven complete with its own tiki bar and exotic wall mural.
Stocking over 300 rums, my friend Phil and I immediately ordered the smoking hot cocktail which was a dark rum, Bourbon, demerara and blackberry syrup mix with tarragon, orange and angostura bitters. The reason for the name? It came to us literally smoking. Strong and delicious, it was a punchy start to the evening.To follow, we ordered scallop ceviche and monk cheek accra. The latter was a deep fried chunk of monkfish served with cucumber raita and coconut coriander chutney. Really tasty, the delicate sweet fish was complemented by the salty batter and coconut sauce – Phil didn’t want to share. Meanwhile my scallop ceviche was refreshing with green mango, scotch bonnet and tiger’s milk for a fruity, spicy flavour. The seafood platter that followed included huge juicy prawns, lobster, scallops and squid. All chargrilled, the outside of the meat was smokey while the inside was soft. We polished off the entire thing.Finishing up with a creamy Cottons pina colada, made with three year-old Havana, Koko Kanu coconut rum, cream and pineapple juice, we returned to the grey streets of Notting Hill feeling as though we’d been on a brief, but thoroughly delicious, trip to the Caribbean.Cottons Caribbean
157-159 Notting Hill Gate, W11;
cottons-restaurant.co.uk
