'Our menu is bigger' - Jamaican favourite swaps stall for restaurant
Conroy and Sarah Robinson opened a Carribean takeaway on Great Yarmouth Market in 2017. Credit: George Ryan - Credit: Archant
A Jamaican restaurant which built a following of fans as a market stall is gearing up to open its new permanent home to seated customers for the first time.
Coral Bay, on Baker Street in Gorleston, began trading last month with takeaway and delivery orders and since then has been building up a solid base of customers.
The business is run by Conroy and Sarah Robinson, 43 and 39, who opened the first Coral Bay takeaway in Great Yarmouth's outdoor market in 2017.
The restaurant is in the former St John's ambulance training building on Baker Street in Gorleston. - Credit: Archant
Last year, they decided to close the stall and open the larger premises instead, in the former St John ambulance training building, where they hope to bring some spice to the coast.
Ms Robinson said: "The stall wasn't feasible. It was too small. The kitchen was quite little and it was difficult to do more than four or five dishes.
"Our menu in Gorleston is a lot bigger than it had been in Yarmouth."
Sarah Robinson owns Coral Bay restaurant in Gorleston and the stall in Norwich market with her husband Conroy. - Credit: Archant
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They make oxtail, brown stew chicken and vegetable curry, among other dishes.
"We're looking for staff at the moment, we're looking for a good team in the kitchen and for waiting staff. I need a well-trained barman, too," Ms Robinson said.
Coral Bay food includes jerk chicken and curried goat Credit: Coral Bay - Credit: Archant
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Her husband Mr Robinson is originally from Jamaica and learned how to cook from his mother.
At the age of 24, he moved to the UK and met Sarah in 2007.
Whenever the couple cooked for friends and family, they were told they should open a restaurant.
"Then we saw the market stall in Yarmouth for sale," said Ms Robinson.
They opened the takeaway in 2017 and two years later a stall in Norwich market.
"It's just grown ever since really," said Ms Robinson.
Under the current government plan, restaurants and other indoor hospitality venues will be able to open again on May 17.
From that date, if all goes according to schedule, Coral Bay will be serving food and drink from 8.30am to 10pm Monday to Friday and until 11pm on Saturdays.
