Chef Trini's Restaurant

I've eaten here a couple of times now, and I highly recommend it. I actually didn't go there with particularly high expectations, but I was so pleasantly surprised. They have several vegan dishes and everything I tried was delicious. While the ambiance is a bit underwhelming, it is honestly so nice to eat someplace where no one has to shout to be heard. I can't wait to go back again.

SUMMARY: Enjoyed Chef Trini’s very much — but is Wagshal’s managing this establishment well enough? Very, very good, hearty and well-priced Caribbean food, but a number of rough spots cry out for management attention.

DETAIL: Dinner for 2 at Chef Trini’s on a very quiet Sunday night (only 2 tables occupied.)
*Excellent: Mai tai cocktail — beautiful blend of fruits and rum. Salt cod fritter app with spicy mango chutney on the side: light and crisp-coated, savory interior beautifully set off by the fruity chutney which delivered a nice hit of heat. A delicate crème brûlée.
*Very, Very Good: Wines by the glass. Oxtail stew, lamb curry, coconut rice with pigeon peas. The oxtail stew and the lamb curry had excellent ingredients, were generously portioned and were well-priced and well-executed. (We happily took home leftovers.) The dishes were so mildly seasoned, however, that the Caribbean lilt was all but missing. We asked for and eventually received hot sauce, which upped the flavor profile considerably. Would be lovely if Chef Trini’s served hot sauce and/or other condiments with the entrees, so that patrons could add punch if they wished. Alternatively, allow patrons to order their dishes spiced mild, medium or hot. The coconut rice side dish was beautifully seasoned, but the promised pigeon peas were sparse and warranted augmentation.
*Misses: A number of items suggest haphazard management, at least during off-peak hours. The dining area was a bit chilly on a cold Sunday night. The “greens” side dish was actually a medley of mixed green vegetables. Disappointing that the dish was not the promised greens. Is the menu inaccurate or described insufficiently, or did the kitchen run out of actual greens? Iced tea was strong and bracing, but no refill was available. The kitchen, the server said, had run out. Our crème brûlée, while delicious, did not match the menu description, either (no sorrel was discernible, no ginger cookie was served.) Service was well-meaning, but slow. It was the server’s first night on the job, and they appeared to be in need of additional guidance from management.
Conclusions: Chef Trini’s has the potential to be an extremely good restaurant, and is a welcome addition to the Spring Valley dining scene. We enjoyed our meal and the rough spots that we encountered could be easily rectified. We hope that management cares enough to make the necessary adjustments.

Channon is the bomb! This is a hidden gem. Loved the sprinkled flavors of west Indian influenced dishes. We enjoyed the different options. We found that they have just the right amount of different ideas we are looking for and the fried sweet plantains are a beautiful staple. Would come back and soon! Dinner please!