Street Food has long been a part of Trinidadian culture. Anyone who has lived in Trinidad or visited Trinidad would be familiar with the ubiquitous doubles vendors that can be seen on almost every street corner providing that blend of fried dough and chick peas (bara and channa) or pies filled with potato and chick peas( aloo pies). Originally found only during the early morning hours these vendors have extended their hours to almost 24 hours. When on a late night run for munchies the choice for street food was almost only a roadside roti vendor or a corn soup vendor. But now the choice of outdoor night time eating has expanded to include a range of foods. However not only has the range expanded but certain locations throughout Trinidad have developed where there is a conglomeration of food vendors creating a street food strip giving you the advantage of choice within easy walking distance.

In what will be a multi-part video series we explore several of these street food outdoor eating areas where roadside eating takes place. We also look at how the delivery of food has grown from simple food stalls to upscale food trucks.

Episode 1 - San Fernando Food Strip at The Cross

The first video in the series takes us to San Fernando in the south of Trinidad and more specifically to the area alongside the Rienzi-Kirton Highway, opposite Skinner Park to taste the street food there.

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Episode 2 - Eddie Hart Street Food

n the second episode of this series we travel to the east of Trinidad  to sample the street food at the Eddie Hart Ground in Tacarigua.

Episode 3 - Grand Bazaar Food Strip

In the third episode of this series we explore the Grand Bazaar Street Food Strip.

Episode 4 - Barakah Grounds Food Court

In the fourth episode we head to central Trinidad on the outskirts of Chaguanas to visit the Barakah Ground Food Court.

Episode Five - Queen's Park Savannah Street Food

The street food scene at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain differs in two aspects from other street food strips in Trinidad. While there is an emphasis on the food, people come here to hang out and lime. So all along the paved area you will see people sitting in the tray of their pickup trucks or arranging chairs next to their vehicles and it is not just adults but entire families. It is entirely understandable, with the cool breeze flowing from the Laventille Hills and the view of the mountains of the Northern Range it is a lovely location, especially on a night with a full moon.

The other difference is that the street food at the Queen's Park Savannah is mainly local cuisine. While other food strips in Trinidad are heavily influenced by North American and Italian style fast food at the Savannah the food is much more local.

Episode Six - Diamond Vale Street Food

In almost every neighborhood in Trinidad there is someone at the corner selling some type of street food, usually bar-b-que or hamburgers. However one person selling does not constitute a food hub or food strip. You need several food vendors for an area to be a food hub. But throughout Trinidad there are areas where street food hubs exist as we have featured in this video series. Not all these street food strips are as large as the ones earlier in this series such as San Fernando, Eddie Hart Grounds and the Queen's Park Savannah. Some of the street food hubs are much smaller and in episode six of this video series we look at Diamond Vale in Diego Martin.

Episode Seven - Outside Price Plaza

In Episode Seven we explore outdoor eating in Chaguanas in Central Trinidad and sample street food along the strip outside Price Plaza where the menus all have South American dishes.

Episode Eight - Manzanilla Roast Fish

Creating the separation between the regions of Manzanilla and Mayaro is the Ortoire River. On the banks of Ortoire at the point where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean is the village of Ortoire. Long famed for the fresh fish that is caught daily by the fishermen of this village and sold to travelers as they drive by, Ortoire village is slowly becoming famous for another endeavor linked to the products of the sea.

Starting with one outlet and now grown to several the village is becoming known for roast fish and lobster. While some call it roast fish and others call it smoked fish, the process is the same. Using the fresh fish caught daily the fish is placed on a steel plate over a wood fire and covered by banana leaves. Sold as a meal with okra, cassava, breadfruit, yam, potato, it is delicious.

Expanding beyond Ortoire village there is now a rustic restaurant on the banks of the Nariva River in Manzanilla that also provides roast fish and freshly shucked oysters.

Episode Nine - St James Street Food

Some areas in Trinidad and Tobago become known for specializing in certain types of Street Food and the St James specialty is East Indian fare. More specifically doubles in the morning and roti at night. There are other types of street food available at night such as Venezuelan favorites of arepas and empanadas, hamburgers, soups but roti predominates. St James offers true Trinidad street food with most of the food prepared and served directly on the pavement, so it is real Trinidad style roadside outdoor eating.

Episode Ten - Mayaro Sea Food

In this episode we revisit the village of Ortoire, Mayaro to taste some more of the seafood prepared by the chefs of this village.

Episode 11 - Flavorama

In this episode we visit Flavorama in Federation Park, Port of Spain for Spanish themed meals. This venue has since closed.

Episode 12 - Rootsyard Dub Market

The Rootsyard Dub Market is an artisan craft market with artisan food, in St Clair Port of Spain. Operating only on Saturday nights, the Rootsyard Market has a range of locally made craft items ranging from skin care products to local jewelry. The food has an emphasis on vegan meals but there are meals that include meat. A highlight of a visit to the Rootsyard Market are the breads and pizzas made in the dirt oven

Bodow

Nestled on the banks of the Nariva River in Manzanilla is a rustic eating place called Bodow's. They specialize in roast fish with local ingredients. Unlike the other places in the area that offer roast fish, Bodow's has dining facilities in a cool setting with an ambiance. The ambiance at Bodow's is created not only by the layout of the place but the view of the Nariva River and the Atlantic ocean. Similar to the other roast fish establishments, at Bodow's you get to see your fish being roasted by the heat of a wood fire.

Ocean Grill Mayaro

Mayaro Trinidad is known for fish and while Manzanilla and Ortoire Village have developed a reputation for food, particularly roast fish, Mayaro has not gotten the same food reputation. Well, that has changed with the advent of the Ocean Grill food truck that serves some fancy street food. Located on the Mayaro Guyaguyare Road in the car park of S & S Persad Supermarket, the Ocean Grill Food Truck will delight you with their artful food presentations.

To learn more about this Mayaro food truck, see the video below.

Guyama Seafood

Just after the village of Rampanalgas and just before Cumana Village Toco lies Guyama Beach. It is a dramatic beachfront, dangerous for swimming but lovely for relaxing and admiring the view. On Sundays you will see a small white tent on the beachfront and here you can order delicious seafood cooked while you wait. There are no meat dishes, only seafood. The seafood choices usually range between lobster, crab, barracuda, kingfish, salmon and snapper. Once you have received your meal you can take it away or if you have brought chairs sit, eat and enjoy the view.

Carenage Fish Fry

Located on the Western Main Road in Carenage between the Carenage Fishing Facility and the former Alcoa Bauxite Transhipment port the Carenage Fish Fry provides a place to experience Trinidad food in an outdoor setting. The dishes on offer at the Carenage Fish Fry go beyond fried fish and include other favorite Trinidad foods.

Vista Dorado Estate Moruga

For this pre-Christmas lunch we went to Moruga to experience a Trinidad Christmas meal with a difference. Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago is a time for large, varied meals and there are certain food items that appear on the menu on almost every Trinidad Christmas lunch. However, this meal was different. This was a meal using Amerindian style cooking of fireside cooking and dirt oven baking with local food and local herbs featuring Moruga Hill Rice and Warao (also known as Warrahoun) meat additives.

139 Woodbrook Yard

139 Woodbrook Yard is a street food lover's heaven. A gathering of several street food vendors, all in one place, under one roof. Located on Tragarete Road Port of Spain Trinidad opposite the Queen's Park Oval this conglomeration of street food providers has created a real food hub in north Trinidad. As this is street food it is ideal for outdoor eating but for those who do not want to travel far before consuming there are benches and tables within this street food strip. There is a mix of street food available ranging from Jerk Chicken, burgers, Wontons, roast pork, black pudding, Asian street food, tacos, blue food, and other dishes.

Tastee Tobago

Tobago food in Port of Spain Trinidad is now available seven days per week. Whenever you mention Tobago food certain Tobago staples come to people's mind, such as, Curry Crab and Dumplings, blue food, food cooked on a wood fire, bread baked in an outdoor dirt oven. All those types of Tobago cuisine plus more are now available every day in Trinidad with the added benefit of a restaurant setting with outdoor seating. Welcome to Tastee Tobago on the Lady Young Road overlooking Port of Spain Trinidad.

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