The aromas of Caribbean cuisine wafted through the air as we approached the historic settings of the Coventry Cathedral ruins.

Music bounced around the surrounding walls as the weather gods smiled down on Digbeth Dining Club’s return to the city.

It was the king of street food’s first foray to Coventry since February’s FarGo Village - and we all know so much has changed in the world since then.

The vibe and buoyant atmosphere that only throngs of people when brought together can generate was always going to be a missing ingredient this time around.

And so it proved as the first session of seven across the three-day event which kicked off on the hottest day of 2020 so far.

Some of the sparsity could be attributed to some believing it was £10 per person to enter, as opposed to £10 per table (of up to six) people. But either way, the rows of tables were at best a third to a half full for the 3pm until 6pm session.

This was a welcome sight for us with a young child in tow. Having located a breezy, shaded corner of the wonderful setting, we scouted the food outlets that had little or no queues at this stage.

Packed with flavour

My first port of call was Yardbird and their Dirty Clucker. While it wasn’t huge in size it was packed with flavour and it made a glorious mess as cheese sauce and mayonnaise plunged into the box below. Juicy, crispy chicken is topped with streaky bacon making for a winning combination of meats, toppings and sauces.

Leave It to Esmie’s was my wife’s choice as she went for the vegan mutton-style curry. The wooden try was perfectly split into thirds containing the light, fragrant curry, rice and a fresh salad. The curry was very lightly spiced, perhaps too lightly for my tastes, but the hat-trick of components made for a filling, enjoyable meal.

While queuing for what proved to be an appropriate drink for a warm summer’s day, I clocked a gentleman’s fried chicken and noodle dish from Buddha Belly. It looked delicious. But having had a dose of spice it was all eyes on Dick’s Smokehouse and their baby back ribs.

Meaty ribs

Drizzled in a sweet, sticky sauce were six meaty ribs packed with tender meat and well balanced by a coleslaw and pickles. Like my first main option it was joyfully messy requiring napkins to consume to keep hands and chins clean! Without and further carbohydrates it was a great way to wrap up the savoury part of our journey.

For dessert we headed to the Bournville Waffle Company. My fears of a warm waffle on a boiling hot day were allayed when we were served up the Kinder Bueno variety. To our delight it was a cool combination of Nutella, chocolate mousse, white chocolate shards, Kinder Bueno and chocolate sauce. There was plenty of it too as we shared it between ourselves and our now extremely interested daughter.

We drank from Fizz Fellas, Beaufort Spirit and Bayley Lane taking in a limoncello and elder flower fizz, negroni cocktail and a Pimms respectively. Like the food, the prices pinched a little but it was in ‘write it off as a treat’ category of spending.

The food options varied from £6 to £10 across the stalls. I didn’t feel short changing by what I ate but I am glad I wasn’t there on a drinking mission, my pockets would not have been deep enough!

I compared the spend to what we would normally pay at a decent restaurant for a few courses and drinks, it works out to around about the same. But it’s a totally different experience. There was something for all tastes on offer, although given how hot the day was, getting your hands on water was a drawn out affair.

Given the challenges of putting on events like this during a global pandemic, this was brilliantly executed by the organisers. We didn’t feel crowded at any point and were comfortable with the attitude towards social distancing and hygiene.

For those who have missed being ‘out and about’ and trying something new to eat or drink, and interacting with others, it ticked all of those boxes.

I hope, as has been suggested, it becomes a regular fixture in the city, and in this location which fits the bill perfectly with the times we are living in.

While sales have been strong for today (Saturday) and Sunday, organisers have said that entry is available by arriving on the door. Saturday sessions are 11am-2pm, 3-6pm and 7-10pm) and on Sunday they are 11am-2pm and 3-6pm.