I’ve been hearing about this place for months and seeing their social posts, so I was super excited. As Louisiana AF, it’s amazing to see a taste of home open up in restaurant form here as a resident of the area.
I was able to secure a reservation for me and my wife on their opening night to the public on August 6th, which I thought was amazing. I was super pumped. I had viewed their menu online and it had all the hits: boudin, étouffée, red beans, along with some dishes I’d like to try in the future like BBQ shrimp and duck cassoulet.
When I walked in, I was warmly and promptly greeted at the door. My first impressions were great. I love the way they transformed the space from the previous restaurant to have that New Orleans restaurant vibe. They even had the music going, and the decorations on the walls were old Mardi Gras parade ball posters like Rex, which I thought was a nice touch.
Our waitress was amazing. One of the first questions she asked was confirming an allergy I noted on the reservation. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve experienced wait staff actually reading the notes on the reservation. She was super nice and friendly, and once we got to talking, she let us know that she was actually from Louisiana as well and confirmed that the food was good. That got me excited.
After munching on the wonderful bread and herb butter they serve upon seating, we started with their Boudin Meat Pies, which were fried in a fluffier crust than I normally expect from fried boudin. I thought the flavor of the boudin was spot on, although the crust held on to a little too much oil from the fryer. But overall, they were good. The remoulade served with it was also great.
Next, I moved on to a side of Red Beans and Rice. This was really good, even considering I was eating them at a restaurant in Chattanooga. There is nowhere else in town I know I can get red beans and rice besides Popeyes, and weirdly enough, the chain restaurant Cheddar’s. But the red beans at The Trinity were of course leaps and bounds better than the other two I mentioned.
Were they as good as red beans back home? Maybe. They can compete. I loved seeing the chunks of ham in the beans, along with the smoked sausage. You can tell they really did let these beans cook down with a ham hock in them. The flavor tells that story. I wish they had a main entree of red beans with a choice of protein like blackened chicken, smoked andouille, or something like that. Maybe that’ll be a thing someday.
My wife ordered the gumbo as a starter, and I tried a little bit. My initial impressions were the dark roux and the thickness of it. I know roux preference is a very personal and subjective thing, so I’m not going to knock it by any means. The flavor was there and aligned with what I expect from a dark roux. I personally wish it was a little lighter because I find dark roux can have too strong of a flavor profile. I’d get it again, especially on a cold day to warm up.
For the entree, I chose Crawfish Étouffée. This is something that I’ve enjoyed from world-class Louisiana restaurants all the way to backwoods, middle-of-nowhere gas station hot boxes. But there’s a special place in my heart for my now-passed grandma’s Crawfish Etouffee. Nothing tops that. I haven’t found a place that does. Some come close, though.
Unfortunately for The Trinity, this was the main disappointment of the night. Just by looking at it, I could tell this wasn’t going to be good, as the color of it shouldn’t be this dark. Even smelling it, I could tell that the roux for this etouffee was definitely overcooked. I took a bite, and I could tell that we were almost there with this dish, but my suspicions from my eyes and nose were confirmed. The base of the dish was overcooked. If that is not great, there’s no saving it and you start over. I know this from cooking étouffée myself.
I was rooting for this dish, and I am still rooting for the restaurant. The etouffee was okay, and I ate the whole thing. I really just want The Trinity to be great for Chattanooga, as this place could be the best representation of Louisiana food in the city.
Now, it was opening night, and I know things were bound to happen. Overall, I had a really good experience. I saw a number of other dishes being served to other patrons, and the quality looked great, from the cocktails to the apps and starters. I just wish the etouffee could have been better.
Overall, this was better than my experience at Blue Orleans down the street. I do want to come back and try a poboy, or even come back for dinner and sample some other entrees. Maybe I’ll even attempt the etouffee again. I’ll definitely be back, as this place is LouisianaAF.
Want to check out their menu or learn more about this place? Visit their website at https://www.thetrinitychatt.com.
Location and other Google reviews: https://maps.app.goo.gl/N9eK8q9VutdDaXnd6
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