“Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Pat it, roll it and mark it with a “B”,

Put it in the oven for baby and me.^[1]

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Roll it up, roll it up;

And throw it in a pan!

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.^[2][3]

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Roll it up, roll it up;

Put it in a pan;

And toss it in the oven as fast as you can!”

Forget the Baker’s man look out for the baker woman! Here’s a hint! She’s a foxy chef with a flair for creativity and an eye for detail touched by the warmth of humility and massive personalization!  She has done several cakes for me and just like “magic in a box” they surprise me! They leave me with glitter, sparkle and that extra fuzzy vibe every time! Fairy Cakes is a gourmet cupcake service from central Trinidad. They are quite a lifestyle brand since they are never missing from exclusive local celebrity gatherings and the coolest parties on the island. Although they provide more than specialty cup cakes they also specialize in fantasy weddings, birthdays, corporate functions and special occasion cakes and cookies. The chef starts from scratch and her magical hands begin to create and sculpt your dream cake just as you requested!

SPECIALTY CUPCAKE FLAVOURS
(Includes alcohols such as premium rum, vodka, Baileys, and various liquers)
White Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
Baileys Cupcakes
Margarita Cupcakes
Strawberry Daquiri Cupcakes
White Russian Cupcakes
Pina Colada Cupcakes
Rum & Raisin Cupcakes
Black Forest Cupcakes
Butterscotch Cupcakes

GO LOCAL CUPCAKES!

Coconut Lime Cupcakes
Sweet Curry Cupcakes
Ponche de Creme Cupcakes
Simply Barbadine Cupcakes
Soursop Punch Cupcakes
Passionfruit Daiquiri Cupcakes
Mango Daiquiri Cupcakes
Lemon Carambola Cupcakes
Orange Pineapple Cupcakes

HOUSE CUPCAKE FLAVOURS
Chocolate Cupcakes
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Mocha Cupcakes
Coffee Caramel Cupcakes
Coconut Cupcakes
Vanilla Cupcakes
Red-Velvet Cupcakes
Oreo Cookies & Cream Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes
Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

The skill and detail to attention is phenomenal as well as the taste, texture and durability.  I love them because they also fill the gap of attention to durability. This is important because sometimes a cake needs to survive a long distance trek across rocky road Trinidad for a special event in tropical humidity! In addition, it also needs to last a few days if its being dropped off in advance for an event or to allow for those who like to savor the moment and stretch their cake consumption for a bit longer than the event day. (This is usually my predicament)

Bakers are creatives and artisans in their own right. They are trained in their field, they experiment, they learn and they create magic! While business is business the price on creativity is priceless! Innovation, Ideation, Creativity, Imagination the keys to the future of their creative lives are in their hands. We at Let’s Go Trinidad and Tobago would like to recognize Fairy Cakes for their excellent service delivery and their creativity! May they continue to be their best and strive to propel forward!

Check out Fairy Cakes!

#delivery #pickups #magicinabox

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairy-Cakes/384012932320

xoxo

Lets Go Trinidad and Tobago

REPRESENT!

(a photo of Abraham’s Grill Hut courtesy their Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/AbrahamsGrillHut

)

 After months of not being able to take you guys up on your offer I finally made it! As you may have guessed it this is my gratitude post to my darling sweethearts at Abraham’s Grill Hut at Munroe Road near the Fly Over! I am going to jump straight into my review! All I can say is Oh My Word you continue to  astound me with exemplary service and baffle me with your gifts.The shift manager “Sammy” was on point  just as well! Customer service and  knowledge of menu were key mannerisms that did not fail him!

As I saw the sign lighting up behind the counter on the Red Snapper now available like the glitter bag inside me just exploded to say, “Yes I will have that too” and so I did have my red snapper, loaded potato and stuffed ravioli( sweet heaven was so awesome). My friend opted for mashed potatoes and barbequed chicken. We ordered separately cajun chicken pasta for a guest of ours. We were most pleased with the exceptional food; appearance, quality and quantity.

(Red Snapper, Loaded Potato, Stuffed Ravioli)

(Barbecued Chicken and Mashed Potatoes)

(Cajun Chicken Pasta)

 However, we were most captivated by our desserts. Oh my God! These three words pretty much summarize our ecstasy in a box. My friend had chocolate eruption which is actually more mousse than cake and it was so divine (this I know because obviously I had to have a piece of that cake!) I ordered caramel cheesecake! I have not had such premium tasting cheesecake in over three years ( a story for another time about when I was surrounded by some of the world’s best dessert chefs that this hemisphere has to offer). Look Out World Trinidad Chefs Are Taking Over!

(Chocolate Eruption)

(Caramel Cheesecake)

So I have finally convinced myself that the secret recipe of success is…. wait for it…. “love“. Of course not any daytime soap opera love duh! Rumour has it that some of the best culinary dishes taste better because it is made by the hands of love. Abraham’s owners love what they are doing and it should not be a secret that this love for their food and people is so overwhelming that it will always guide them to find the right staff (who feel the same way)! Undeniably, this love energy is so darn strong that it is transferred to the food and to the customers.

Rest assured many of you can relate to this. You can see and feel what I describe when you walk into Abraham’s. There is love amongst the staff working together as a team. But it does not stop there. Look around and you will see families, friends, couples and all their endless love.

So fellow restauranteurs and potential start ups while business models, sound management principles and the best education and skilled staff in the universe may help you make some waves in the food industry there is one thing that stands the test of time in any successful business….(I am going to borrow somebody’s tag line here but it is so fitting I can’t help it) ….please remember “love is all you need”.

So from the team at Let’s Go Trinidad and Tobago

We would like to say

Thank you for hosting us!

We continue to look out for better things to come!

A culinary haven can sum up foodie destination Trinidad and Tobago. We are famous for our local cuisine and our love affair with food. Creative entrepreneurs have dived into this food niche. They saw the space for opportunity in this thriving food culture business such as developing an ode to Mexican food.  Similarly the consumers; tourists, visiting diaspora and locals in the domestic market reply to this growth when they literally clear their calendar for a food date!

 My only advice to those of you skeptical about getting your heart broken from trying new foods is to just  “do it” because you only learn from experience duh!

My first local Mexican experience was Senor Jalapeños on Ariapitha Avenue. It happened  after a CLD fashion show and I was just…. hungry? Actually, I am always enthused to try out these new hot spots. I was super excited to see what they’ve done and how they captured the authenticity of Mexican culture. What a damper on my mood though as the only thing Mexican was the Jalapeño in the window and at after 9pm the food did not look as appealing and the employees seemed to be having some trouble expressing warm happy hospitality. I liked the lay out of the different condiments and dressings. The staff was informative and the general area was clean. There was no fish at that hour. The energy and vibe was dismal and I  retired for the night with a bag of  colourful salty chips and Pico de Gallo. Lesson for the staff if you do not believe in your product or service you cannot expect the customer to believe it either.

Next, I decided to try again at the other Mexican joint Senor Tacos on that hip strip near Grand Bazaar. Please forgive me but my travel, hospitality and tourism orientation forces me to subconsciously evaluate service organizations especially food with international standards . Hence,  I am immediately spun into a tailspin of utter disappointment if low standards prevail. Anyways,  back to the story. So obviously the employees didn’t seem very Latin. Next, I noticed, that there were a few sauce pots brewing. They appeared to be some sort of meat or something cooking in the back.  However,  I just find it unbelievable that taco shells were prepackaged in containers and boxes. Imagine my further despair when I saw that the fish was really ready made fish sticks from a bag in the refrigerator. Then my toppings that were all inclusive were regular. So I had to pay extra for a “Mexican” experience that included pickles and jalapenos taken from a jar and guacamole ready made from prepackaged container. (My Miss Piggy grunt!) Seriously! Furthermore,  my pain was enhanced when they wrapped it up and put it on a warming bed. Umm no… $40TT dollars for two depressing, whole wheat tacos with extra paid for specialty toppings.

On to stop numero tres,  Mr. Rango’s Cook House and Bar at Price Plaza Chaguanas. One word amazing ! Mr. Rango offers Tex Mex cuisine; a fusion of Texan and Mexican food. Hell, most of the staff speak Spanish  and they have a good command of English language! Amazeballs! The branding is everywhere from floor to ceiling. table mats to their signature Rango movie character in the bathroom. Of course their slogan “food, friends and life” is captured in all their branding of menus, table mats and pepper sauce bottles. The service is attentive and quick. The dessert shelves were well stocked with decadent cakes. You can dine in or outside or take away your food. The decor, lighting, seating for take away service, bar and dining is very tastefully done. I even spotted cactus plant. Television screens surround the bar area but  you can choose a more intimate setting if you want. How could I forget ! The music was pure latino vibes! Hallelujah! My friends ordered honey BBQ chicken, coconut shrimp and fries and lamb and mashed potatoes with vegetables. The presentation looked as yummy as it tasted ! On leaving, we even got a brief history of Tex Mex food and the unique fusion served at Mr. Rango’s. Talk about turning up the night a notch ♥. While  the menu was a bit pricey my friends didn’t mind the trade off since great food, service and ambiance were worth the cost.

So  my sour face from my choices was quite temporary.You have to do to experience and most times learn from experience . Now let me back up a bit here. I understand the three Mexican type food concessions are family(Senor Jalapenos), street (Senor Tacos) and  upwardly mobile chic restaurant (Mr. Rango’s). Yet, my evaluation was based on the context of quality of food, cleanliness, taste,quality of  service, aesthetics, vibes and any wow factors that left “soon come back” lasting impression. So, I’m terribly ecstatic about my new favorite Mexican food spot in Trinidad so go check it out! I hope you have as fabulous a time as I did at Mr. Rango’s

#foodloversdreamcometrue

Thank you Mr. Rango’s for truly sharing your culture not just the celebration of  food, friends and life!