Although I wasn’t sure whether I would like it or not, I always wanted to try some Caribbean food. I don’t have a sweet tooth and the idea of mango sauce on top of a lovely grilled fish fillet did not appeal to me. Well, I have to say that, after trying the ‘real thing‘, I changed my mind.

In the hunt for our next culinary adventure, on his way to church, Robert spotted a little Caribbean restaurant on Wandsworth High Street. At first sight, Aurienna looks like a small understated restaurant – open kitchen, 4-5 tables, clean appearance – perhaps a little anonymous (we later discovered that there is a large dining hall at the back of its premises).

When we arrived at Aurienna on Saturday night, for dinner at 8pm, it was almost empty – we sat by the window (overlooking the bus stop on Wandsworth High Street and an Italian takeaway – it wasn’t perhaps the best view) and we started looking quite curiously at the menu.

The menu is quintessentially Caribbean, with a wide range of meat dishes (notably, jerk chicken, curry mutton and oxtail stew) and few fish ones (shrimps, squid and sea bream), promising an exiting mix of spicy and sweets flavours topped up with sparkling colours.

Sadly, there was no Caribbean wine for us to try, so we opted for a bottle of South African Pinotage (2015) – quite pleasant and not too strong, as I was going to take advantage of the fish dishes on offer. A splash of Pinotage complemented very well my starter, jumbo grilled shrimps, cutting through the chilli and the sharpness of the bed of Caribbean vegetables.

The star of the meal for me was definitely my main course: pan fried sea bream with mango salsa on a bed of okra and mixed vegetables, with polenta cake. When I first read the ingredients, I was not sure they would all work together – how would polenta, which we often associate with warm winter meat stews, complement the mango salsa, the epitome of summer, freshness and lightness?

I have to say that the dish worked just perfectly and the balance of flavours was perfect – not too hot, not too sweet, not too sharp. And the colours on the plate were just sensational. I was very impressed.

Robert was also very happy with his main: a rather large portion of incredibly soft BBQ ribs. We also had some potatoes, sweet potatoes and plantain (a Caribbean speciality) wedges. I found the plantain wedges a little too dry for my taste, but they were very tasty.

For dessert, we had lemon tart and an award-winning mango sorbet. Again, the colours were fantastic and the flavours so refreshing after the main course.

If I could suggest an improvement, I would say that the service was a bit slow, but it is understandable being a small family-run restaurant. We were not in a rush anyway.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience and I discovered so many new flavours – we will definitely go back soon.