It’s ‘A Trini Thing’

Founded by Trinbagonian national Janelle Guerra, A Trini Thing started off in 2016. Janelle is a mother of an Autistic, blind son and found that cooking became a really useful tool in maintaining her mental health. When she realised how peaceful and healing the power of food could be she decided to turn her passion public. Skip forward a few years and A Trini Thing is a thriving business where Janelle, now in collaboration with her sister, has expanded operations to cater for private and corporate events on top of their Brixton-based restaurant.

The food here celebrates the diverse melting pot of cuisines that characterise Trinbagonian cuisine. You’ll find flavours from all over the world hidden in their classic dishes; doubles, guava glazed wings, chicken pelau, macaroni pie and roti are all popular menu items here and we couldn’t wait to head down to try them out.

Faced with a tempting menu, it was hard to choose just a few things to try but eventually we settled on a spread of five dishes. First up were the doubles. If you’re yet to try this traditional street food then we urge you to give them a go. It’s a fried flatbread which has been stuffed with chickpeas, loads of spices, garlic and chadon beni (a herb similar to coriander). It was warming, perfectly seasoned and a real treat for a winter’s evening. Next was bhaji rice with fried sea bass. The rice would have been good by itself- it was fluffy, and full of flavours we’d not had before. But when paired with the fresh and crispy fish it became a wholesome, filling meal.

We then tried two kinds of chicken. The curried chicken was nicely tangy and came in a roti which helped to soak up all the juices from it. The stewed chicken was a really saucy number and came with pilau rice- another soul warming dish for these chillier days. Our favourite dish was the final one we ordered- the salt fish dumplings were fantastic. These soft, chewy dough balls were properly spiced and the saltiness of the fish combined with the heartiness of the dough was such a satiating bite, especially when dipped in the sweet and sour tamarind chutney that came on the side. Don’t miss out on ordering these ones, you’ll not be disappointed!

We loved our time here. The portion sizes were generous and we especially love that the whole thing has been bought to life by two sisters who have used their home-style cooking and have infused each dish with a heartfelt touch that transforms every meal into a celebration of flavour. Nestled in the heart of Pop Brixton, It’s A Trini Thing stands out as a beacon of Trinnbagoian warmth… and their £6.50 lunch is also a real steal. No reason not to visit too!