LAReview
Trini Style Cuisine
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There are only a handful of foods we’d travel across town for in Friday afternoon traffic and until we tried Trini Style Cuisine in Inglewood, we didn’t know a fried shark sandwich was one of them.
The Trinidadian takeout counter/outdoor restaurant, located in a strip mall down the street from Dulan’s, serves bake ‘n’ shark on Fridays and we're still replaying that first bite in our head: sitting under an umbrella inhaling a glorious sandwich of puffy fried bread and crispy chunks of shark, all smeared with avocado, tamarind sauce, and mango chutney. A little context: Trinidad is home to a large Indo-Caribbean community, which means you'll often taste a spice-rich Indian influence in many of the island country's classic dishes, whether that's garlicky goat curry, juicy chicken roti wraps, or chana-stuffed doubles swaddled in turmeric-colored flatbread—all of which you'll find chef-owner Merlin Clovis cooking up at Trini Style.
The restaurant is only open Friday through Sunday, and the chalkboard menu next to the counter will look different depending on which day you visit. The good news is you will eat very well no matter when you show up. Fridays are reserved for street food, including doubles and that fantastic bake 'n' shark sandwich. Saturdays are dedicated to roti and curry plates, while Sundays feature Trinidad-style brunch platters involving macaroni pie, braised callaloo greens, and your choice of stewed chicken or oxtail.
Their shaded, open-air patio is a great place for a relaxed lunch or early dinner before an event at SoFi Stadium, and there's usually a steady stream of regulars picking up to-go orders. Make sure you grab one of their housemade drinks too, like the tart-refreshing sorrel tea or pineapple-ginger juice. We love that Trini Style might be the only restaurant in LA serving Trinidadian cuisine at the moment, but even if that weren't the case, it still would be one of our favorite weekend lunch options in town.