Goat-to place for Caribbean taste

The soul food/Caribbean restaurant serves up some of the most delicious food in town with a laid-back ease, appropriate bearing in mind its Jamaican background.

And the combination of distinctive food and down-to-earth venue – painted in the colours of the Jamaican flag and adorned with portraits of Bob Marley – is a rare and winning combination.

It’s a formula that has seen Coco’s, in Friargate, consistently voted one of Preston’s finest restaurants on Trip Advisor.

And I have to report all the compliments paid online are true. The meal I had was a feast for the soul – or something like that.

The menu is pretty extensive – with Caribbean, cajun, some Mexican dishes, and a selection of salads and side dishes.

Rather like a refectory you order your meal at the counter– but the food you receive is wholesome and freshly cooked. The portions are reassuringly large.

I’ve eaten quite a few meats in my time but goat is a new one for me. And the Jamaican Curried Goat was a delight.

It was more of richly flavoured slightly spicy casserole than a curry and unlike an oily curry it was a delight to eat to the end.

At £7 with salad and either rice or chips it’s a great bargain too.

The barbecue half chicken my wife gave me was another hit. Nicely darkened on the outside and well presented with sprinkled paprika (as all the dishes were).

Another bargain at £5.

My elder daughter had the grilled king prawns (£10). They were served in a delicious Caribbean sauce with a spicy dip and tasty dark, but soft, chips.

The cajun corn on the cob side order was marvellous.

Another plus is that this isn’t a chicken nugget children’s menu type of place and our other junior diner selected the mixed grill (£10).

The chicken skewer was wonderfully marinated – as were the chicken wings.

The price with four cans of soft drinks (each one 80p) came to a pleasing £38.20. (Just bring the cash as they don’t take card).