Mullins Brasserie

Mullins works best when Caribbean cooking is front and centre, but the dark dining room and MasterChef plating can make the overall experience a little stuffy rather than special. Which is a shame because some of the food is worth celebrating. A nicely spiced jerk rub on crispy chicken skin and fried plantain turned sweet and jammy after soaking up the chicken’s juices are a highlight. But some of the sides, like the rice and peas and gravy, are less memorable. This Margate spot describes itself as ‘modern European with a hint of Caribbean’—but like you dropping hints about your birthday last year, it would benefit from being a bit more overt. If you’re after a friendly spot, with the kind of fancy restaurant plating that’ll impress your parents and subtle nods to Caribbean flavours, come by for an ital stew and leave perfectly content.