New Orleans' Trinity Restaurant Brings Modern Creole Cuisine To The French Quarter
The New Orleans French Quarter has a history steeped in culture and stewed in architecture. The sleek, modern lines of Decatur Street's Trinity Restaurant may seem out of place in New Orleans' oldest neighborhood, but the contemporary Creole restaurant is proof that the collision of new and old can bring out the best of both worlds.
Trinity, led by chef Michael Isolani (previously of Bouligny Tavern), opened in May 2016 after a million-dollar renovation to the building, which was previously occupied by Maximo's Italian Grill. Developed by Hugh Uhalt, the beautiful interior features a crisp gray and white palate, a sprawling marble bar, gray banquettes, and an upstairs dining area that includes a balcony. The contemporary feel of the restaurant is especially apparent after walking along the neighborhood's centuries-old cobblestone streets.
While the interior may take you to a different time and place, the dinner menu will certainly bring you back to south Louisiana. The menu focuses on elevated Creole cuisine that features a lovely variety of both seafood and meat. Options are broken into three categories — Fingers, Forks, and Knives — with a fourth section dedicated solely to oysters, which can be cooked to order five different ways. The "Fingers" section includes items that can be shared and eaten by hand (obviously!), such as grilled octopus and chickpea dip with toast, crawfish and fontina beignets, and pommes frites with buttermilk aïoli. Under "Forks" you will find salads and other small plates, including fluffy ricotta gnudi with muscadine wine and mushrooms, fennel salad with almonds, mint, and apples, and broiled beef marrow and blue crab. The "Knives" division showcases a variety of large plates including frutti di mare made with squid ink farfalle, shrimp, lobster, mussels, and snow peas; blackened lamb chops with cauliflower, cabbage, and toasted walnuts; and seared scallops with smoked corn puree, roasted mirliton, and pine nuts.
Trinity recently introduced a weekend brunch, with a menu that is sure to draw in visitors and locals alike. Start with one of several soup or salad options (the San Marzano tomato soup with wagyu meatballs is a must, in my opinion). Order the French toast a la mode if you're in the sharing mood, or pick one of the sandwich or entrée dishes such as the lobster roll and chips. The restaurant dedicated an entire section to egg dishes, which includes savory pork hash and grits and duck egg with caviar. Brunch would not be the same without a specialty cocktail like the Cosmic Maria — the tequila version of the Bloody Mary — or a mimosa. Grab a seat on the second-floor balcony and savor the day (and the cuisine)!
Since the elongated, marble bar is the focal point when entering the restaurant, it is no wonder that the establishment boasts a stellar cocktail menu put together by Jimmy Syock. The menu highlights Trinity's original cocktails, classic cocktails, sake, draft and bottled beer, and a variety of wine. The bar celebrates happy hour Sunday through Friday from 4:30 until 7:00 p.m. as well as a reverse happy hour on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 p.m. until midnight and features $10 and under snacks, $5 draft beer, $7 wine, and $2 off well cocktails.
Visit Trinity (1117 Decatur Street) for dinner Sunday through Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 6 to 11:00 p.m. Brunch is served Friday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.