Cummin Up

I’ve never been too keen on Cummin-​up before, as I thought it’s too simple — rice and some cabbage curry is pretty much the main and only vegetarian/​vegan option you can get there. Plus, as mentioned by others, service might seem to be suspicious. I am not even talking about the smile, but seems, like I always get the wrong change (e.g. £5 instead of £5.5, £3 instead of £3.2, etc.). I doesn’t make too much difference, just a bit strange, how do the prices work there.
After spending some time in South America, I realized, that I actually love this place. The environment is kind of shabby, reminding South American seaside restaurants, where you have a choice from only several dishes; food served in vintage plates, with non matching cutleries. Apart from that, there is a shelf offering to get some less common drinks (e.g. ginger beer, aloe vera drink, cocounut water, rather than bottled water, coke or orange juice), and some cakes, paties. Also, seasonally, or just unexpectadly they might offer some BBQ chicken, or jelly nuts. So even if most of the time there is the same stuff offered on the menu outside, but there is also something to discover.
As you have a choice only from several dishes, it guarantees food freshness. It I actually tastes like Carribean food. As I mentioned, food is pretty simple, but thats what I miss mostly — simplicity in food, such as rice with beans, without flavourings, colourings, taste enhancers, glutamates, etc.
So there is a lot of authentic mentality in that place. Personally, the feeling of being a bit uninvited is probably the only disadvantage. But if you become a regular customer, who also turns up for a chat, rather than just take away, you might start loving it. It’s not all about the food.

Really excited when I heard about this and got the number for a delivery asap.
Couldn’t have been more disappointing.
I ordered the jerk chicken rice and pea and a load more stuff to munch and taste.
It took over 2 hours to arrive (we’d tried ringing to see where it was but they were engaged.) they’d given us one jerk chick, when we’d ordered two And nothing else we had actually asked for. Instead it looked as is they had tried to compensate for the lack of our requests with a disgusting sugary drink and an old bun.
Unfortunately we only realised this after we had paid the delivery man and he had gone. Nice. £25 worth of shit we didn’t want. The ONE jerk chicken was dry and tasteless anyway.
Believe it or not when I tried ringing again (to lose the plot this time) it was engaged entirely for the rest of the night or they didn’t pick up.
In my opinion the best caribbean food you can get in Brighton is Georgie’s who used to work for the cornerstone. BANGING. She does little pop up evenings on the seafront occasionally where she cooks and plays lovely music, only been two or three though — she needs her own restaurant!

We are not spoilt for choice when it comes to Caribbean food in Brighton, so when Cummin Up opened on the London round I couldn’t wait to try it. Its clearly a family business and a number of the younger staff members are obviously still being trained, but given this place has only been open a couple of weeks I can forgive them this. Plus, the laid back Caribbean lifestyle and quick service don’t really go hand in hand, no probs I can chill out and wait for my food!
The menu is huge and they offer catering and take out as well. However, a couple of the dishes we wanted to try weren’t available. It would perhaps be worthwhile for them to reduce the menu and concentrate on doing a few dishes well.
I went for the traditional curried goat with rice and beans, plus a beef patty on the side. Not because I really needed it, the portions were huge, I just wanted to try it! The patty was good but the pastry was a bit soft as it was warmed up in the microwave before it was given to me. The curried goat was tasty, not overly spicy, but good flavours. The quality of the meat was generally good but there were a few fatty lumps which were a bit off-​putting. The overall standard of the food was good but it didn’t blow me away.
They also have a good selection of unusual drinks and juices, puddings, plus regularly changing specials. There’s reggae music on the stereo, Caribbean memorabilia for sale and a happy vibe here.
Albeit the strange name I quite like this place. I’m confident that the food and service will only improve with time and I’ll definitely be back to try the jerk chicken and other interesting items on the menu.