A rich Caribbean influence weaves through nearby St Pauls and Easton, and Rice & Things sits on the outskirts as a bastion of West Indian cuisine. So, when Jamie Oliver came to town, he chose Rice & Things as an insight into Bristol's Caribbean culinary offering. And it is easy to see why.
The lunch menu is served between noon and 5pm and has a simple pricing system of £7 takeaway or a tenner to eat in (and service is always great here). It includes classics such as curry goat, brown stew chicken and oxtail with butter bean. The latter is a stewed, rich, creamy dish of wonder.
After 5pm, there's an à la carte menu available. The fish in particular is fantastic – especially the Rosegrey coconut shrimp (£14) and the island escovitch (£15), both of which are cooked expertly to order. If your budget is a little leaner, go with a set menu (£15 a head for a minimum of three people) of curry goat, ackee and saltfish and crisp, spicy fried chicken.
There will always be arguments over the best jerk in town, or whose rub is richest, but Rice & Things has the right ambience, and the right mixture of budget and high-end options. Plus an all-you-can-eat option on Fridays (£12 for a two-hour slot) with DJs bringing the beats means you can pack in the calories to a background of soca or ragga.