Chaud Cafe & Wine Bar

My first impression of Chaud Cafe was “this does not feel like Trinidad & Tobago,” and the realization that I was standing in a manifestation of a step in our culinary evolution thrilled me.

"Order up!" Inside Chaud Cafe

Like most developing countries we mimic the trends of the first world, usually the big commercial ideas (and our versions are poor imitations at best), but every now and again we see the learnings of the good stuff; international standards, professional skills and intelligence applied to art and service.

Chaud Cafe another child of Chef Khalid Mohammed (one of three in the capital), is a restaurant/bar with big, bold ambitions well suited to a young developing city. It is a true Cafe, small in size, serving light meals , wine and  cocktails along with European style preparations of coffee.

Seafood Penne Pasta

Their fabulous Nicsoise Salad [love the anchovies]

The atmosphere is one of informal urbanity, while the menu remains fresh and metropolitan with something for everyone. Sandwiches on artisan breads, sweet and rich vegetable marmalades, caviars and tapenades to compliment the herb infused and encrusted with hints of Creole complexity mixed in with clean [feed the hungry man] simplicity.  There are choice selections of fish or meat and ripe crisp vegetables - nothing seems stale, everything has balance.

A Cafe Wagyu Burger [Wagyu Beef is prized and top class]

Affordable lunch specials of the day like Seafood Penne and Soup of the Day from scratch, an 8 ounce Wagyu Burger with Smoked Cheddar Cheese [which by the way is truly Awesome], Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels with Applewood Bacon and Beer are all available to dine in or take away.

We’ve tried just about everything with stand outs being the Wild Mushroom Salad on Toast with Spinach, Manchego Cheese and Aged Balsamic Vinegar, their crisp French Fries with Arugula Mayo and oh that Wagyu Burger. All others seem to vie for favorite (we are such suckers for good food).

Wild Mushroom Toast

With proposed changes to the menu to take effect this September, we hope this little Cafe that apparently could, continues to move our taste-buds and appetites for good food and good service in one place forward.

Open-air Dining in the Plaza which houses Chaud Cafe

Chaud Cafe is located at Woodbrook Plaza, 189 Tragariete Road, Port of Spain. Phone: 1(868) 628 9845.

See our Chaud Cafe samplings on Foodspotting and follow our pursuit for the Best Food in T&T on Facebook - it’s all good.