It’s hard to believe nearly a year has passed since we got thoroughly drunk on the heady atmosphere of The Rum Kitchen, a subterranean drinking hole in Notting Hill with a smugglers’ cove meets gentleman’s club vibe going on and plenty of Caribbean spice to the menu. The Hillfolk lapped it up, and the four chaps behind Rum Group – Alex Potter, Jonny Boud, Stevie Thomas and Fraser Shipsides – have now opened the doors of a second venue in Soho.
This time around, Rum Group is not hiding its light under a bushel, or a pavement. The Rum Kitchen Carnaby is a street-level beach shack style establishment with a delightfully extrovert interior from 44th Hill, with the visual volume to grab the attention from a considerable distance. If there is a wall, it is decked out in multicoloured reclaimed boards. Every sign, and there are a lot, delivers its message with verve. The steel drums arranged in a ceiling installation resonate island rhythms, and the vintage patina throughout creates a relaxed and welcoming ambience. Add to the mix all day dining, live DJs, and everyt’ing irie…
