One of the best things about eta Creative Arts Foundation is its proximity to one of the liveliest streets on the South Side. Want to grab dinner before a show? You’ll have your pick of pizza, soul food and, interestingly, Trinidad Caribbean food.
Cafe Trinidad, 557 E. 75th St.; 773-846-8081, www.cafetrinidad.com. This cafe serves its spicy menu on a cheerful street corner. The place is small–about a dozen tables and booths crowd the storefront restaurant–and casual. No need for jackets and ties here. Just bring a hearty appetite. The menu features, as Cafe Trinidad puts it, “Trinidad Caribbean food with a touch of soul.” Dishes come from some of the island nation’s many cultures, from Creole to Chinese to Indian. That means rich stews, spicy curries and meats wrapped in a flat bread called a roti. Most everything has a little, or a lot, of kick to it. We loved the moist and tender jerk stew chicken ($6.25 for a lunch portion, $8.95 for dinner) piled atop brown rice and peas so good we’d order them solo as a meal. We also loved the sweet beef pelau ($6.25 for lunch, $8.50 for dinner), a stew that came with rice and peas and was packed with flavor. Rotis, warm, mega-burrito-size wraps with meat, potatoes and chickpeas inside, come with a choice of beef, chicken, jerk chicken, vegetables, cabbage and greens, shrimp or goat (prices range from $5.95 to $7.25). We tried the jerk chicken and loved its warm spiciness, especially the curried potatoes and chickpeas inside. The delicious potatoes and chickpeas can also be ordered as a separate side dish ($2.50). Speaking of side dishes, don’t miss the cucumber chow ($2), a refreshing cold cucumber salad tossed with a spicy vinaigrette. Also offered are plantains ($1.50), sweet potatoes ($2.50) and collard greens ($2.50) among other dishes. A rare miss on the menu was the callaloo ($2.50), a combination of spinach and okra we found a bit slimy and bland. One note: Beware of bones in your food. Most every meat dish is bone-in, and contains little pieces of bone. So chew well, and enjoy.
If you’re not in the mood to chew carefully, or for a spicy Caribbean dinner, head to one of East 75th Street’s other eateries, all a short drive from eta. There’s B & B Pizza King, 122 E. 75th St., 773-846-5464; soul food restaurants Army & Lou’s, 422 E. 75th St., 773-483-3100; and Soul Vegetarian East Restaurant, 205 E. 75th St., 773-224-0104; plus a make-your-own stir fry joint, Black Wok, at 405 E. 75th St. 773-874-4965.