EAT MY WORDS: A taste of the Caribbean in Highlands is 'bang on'
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When I arranged to meet up with friends on a weekday evening, there were a few ideas thrown about as to what we were going to do. Ultimately one trumped them all: get food.
I suggested we hit up Kool Runnings, a) because of its central location in Inverness b) for its outstanding food, and c) well…I needed to write a food review. So, with one ulterior motive, and three friends in tow we all made our way to the wee slice of the Caribbean in the middle of the Highlands.
Having been a permanent fixture of Church Street for over 10 years, the restaurant serves up Jamaican-style food, seven days a week.
With bold colour choices, and reggae-style beats pumping out onto the street, it's hard not to be drawn into the sheer joy of the place.
It tends to be a bit quieter during the winter months, but in the height of the tourist season, it was packed out.
We were greeted by a friendly member of the small team, who quickly issued us all out the expansive menu and took some drinks orders.
With options such as a wagyu beef burger, curried goat and jackfruit stir fry there are many delicious options to choose from.
I decided to go for the combo meat platter – a healthy serving of marinated chicken and pork ribs, with sides of salad and sweet potato.
One of my pals, Charis, went for the seafood jambalaya; and Skaai and Martina both went for the coconut curry chicken.With pictures of faraway beaches on the walls, and paper lanterns everywhere,we all felt that we had been transported thousands of miles away from the Highlands.
It was easy to believe that we were on holiday, rather than in the middle of the city centre, as the chilled atmosphere of the restaurant quickly relaxed all that were in there.
Our food came out promptly – but not too quickly that I felt it had been rushed – and it was mostly large portions.
The seafood jambalaya was seen as a bit too small for the price tag that was on it, but praise for the taste of it was given.
The coconut curry chicken was described as ‘bang on’ and certainly was a colourful, hefty plate of food,with sweet and savoury flavours displayed throughout.
My meat combo was incredible: the flavours were a delightful mix of Caribbean flavours with perfectly cooked meat.
It was a massive portion and lived up to my expectations of other meals I've had at Kool Runnings in the past.
We were all pretty full after our main meals, so decided to forgo the dessert options – but I definitely want to go back for those as they look as tasty and exotic as the main dishes are.
So if you are looking for a meal with a twist in the city centre, I highly recommend a visit to Kool Runnings.
You will leave with a happy tummy and a feeling that you have just jumped on a flight for a few hours, away from the hustle and grind of reality.
I’ll definitely be back to visit again!
