This is not such a deserted island (From Swindon Advertiser)

This is not such a deserted island

3:08pm Thursday 6th October 2011 in Reviews By Barrie Hudson

YOU’D be well advised to pre-book your table at Moshan Island Grill, the only Caribbean bar and grill in Swindon.

I suspect that booking is the only way to be sure of getting a table at the time you desire, so popular is this latest addition to the increasingly cosmopolitan range of restaurants in Old Town.

It was certainly full of happy diners on the night we visited, although the spacious interior, elegant glass tables and comfortable but non-bulky seating meant it didn’t feel crowded or stifling. With a freakish heatwave in full blaze outside, this was no mean feat.

Studying the menu over a brace of Red Stripes, my dining companion and I were impressed by its easy navigability and comprehensive descriptions of the dishes.

When the time came to order, we decided on an even split between the familiar and the unfamiliar. My companion’s jerk chicken (£4.95) came on wooden skewers and was thoroughly marinated in a home-made jerk seasoning that was among the best either of us could recall tasting.

My Trinidad Channa Roti (£4.95) was a moist paratha flatbread filled with a deliciously savoury concoction of chickpeas and callaloo, which was served with a selection of sauces.

For her main course, my companion opted for another staple, curried goat (£8.95), although mutton was used as goat was not available that evening – this is explained in the menu. It was rated as delicious, with a sauce whose heat slowly built on the tongue from “playful” to “time for another Red Stripe”.

My chilli crab peppers (£7.95) featured tastily-seasoned, full-flavoured crab meat, generously packed into a trio of pepper halves. My verdict? Beautiful, with a strong but not overwhelming crab flavour. Certainly one for the crustacean connoisseur.

Our only disappointment of the night was that we were a little too full to tackle a dessert – they cost £2.95 apiece and include spiced buns with cheese, ice cream and three choices of cake with ice cream or custard – but there’s always next time.

With two drinks apiece and a pair of sides – seasoned fries and rice n’ peas – our bill came to a little less than a very reasonable £45.

Moshan Island Grill is an excellent addition to the roster of cuisines represented in Swindon, but don’t, as the saying goes, take my word for it. Treat yourself to a superb dining experience.