Trinity

Trinity is all the smarter following its recent refurbishment. The high quality of food, excellent service and reasonable prices are, however, unchanged. Have been many times and have never had anything to complain about. We went on this occassion to celebrate our wedding anniversary and were both surprised and delighted to receive a card signed by the entire restaraunt team!

Excellent makeover - beautiful restaurant more in keeping with the excellent food and service. Tip Top

Having not eaten here for some time (maybe 18 months) and the last time being notably expensive, we decided to come back on Saturday night and see how it compared in today's crowded restaurant scene. The good news is that the food is still of a very high standard, with real skill and precision being shown by the kitchen, Adam Byatt has certainly not been resting on his laurels. We were offered an amuse bouche of cheese filled pastry puffs and two radishes in a smoked (fish if I recall correctly) dip. The dip was amazing but needed some more bread or similar to make the most of it and the puffs were somewhat forgettable The meal proper then started. I had chosen the pigs trotter which had been re-worked from our previous visit and is now even better than it originally was, full of unctuous piggy flavour with a very intense sauce all wrapped up in a deep fried croquet with a fried quails egg and a shard of super crisp cracking, delicious! My wife's seared tuna was also superb, with two generous slices of top grade fish seared and coated in coriander and a lime relish to accompany, which cut through the richness of the fish perfectly. A great way to start the meal. Our mains were not what we would wish to have ordered, we had both been impressed by the sound of the Dexter Sirloin, but were told that it had sold out. This is somewhat disappointing for a restaurant at this level, particularly as there was not much else to choose from if you didn't want to eat fish. The roast chicken, was originally stated to be for two people only was offered as an individual potion if we wanted, or there was pot roasted veal. I am never a fan of roasted chicken in a restaurant, I prefer to eat something that I would struggle to achieve at home and roast chicken, whilst a great dish when cooked properly, is something we have at home. This left the pot roasted veal. Thankfully I asked our helpful waiter if the venison from the tasting menu could be ordered. He duly asked the kitchen and confirmed that it could and a potion of each was ordered. The venison itself was beautifully cooked and full of flavour, really top notch cooking and accompanied by a wonderful madeira sauce. There was a smear of chervil root (why we have to endure smears I really do not know, if you want to include it give me a proper portion of it or not at all!) which was good but the plate lacked any real carbs, some pomme pure would have been perfect with this. I also felt that three small, if perfectly cooked, slices of venison and a couple of dates was a little on the small side for a full main course. I know it was part of the tasting menu and I think an extra slice was put on, but even still I would have liked a little more, especially as it was so good. My wife's veal was also very good, but significantly larger in size with many slices of thin veal, perfectly cooked. This was accompanied by truffled macaroni cheese, which was superb, the addition of the truffle really elevating the pasta but not overpowering it. This was much more like the portion size that the venison should have been. We then contemplated the dessert menu but were told that the Pear Tart Tatin had also sold out, which again was somewhat disappointing given that it was the stand out dessert and something we would have chosen. It was not even as if our table was particularly late, we sat down at just before 9.00pm, with a number of diners arriving well after us. Whilst I understand it is never easy to predict how popular a dish will be this does strike me as poor planning by the kitchen, which should be used to gauging how popular such dishes will be. Not really taking a fancy to any of the other desserts we decided to share a plate of cheese. What arrived were three small slices of cheese, two of which were not really to my taste, even my wife who normally hoovers up all types of cheese with gusto, was not impressed with the blue one, which she described as having a musty taste. For £12 I thought this was a little on the expensive side for what we got, particularly given that the restaurant is not a prime West End location with a Star where perhaps such a price would be more in keeping with expectations. I would really like to see Trinity offer a proper cheese board and give this often overlooked course some real emphasis, but I fear this would be difficult given the size constraints of the dinning room, but if possible would really make a difference. Overall we had a very enjoyable meal and the standard of cooking is in no doubt, it also felt more reasonably priced than the last time we went, which is welcome to see. If I am going to be charged full on West End Michelin prices, then I am more likely to go to the West End and get the real thing, rather than to what is essentially a local restaurant, albeit a very good one. That was the feeling we had last time we visited, but this time I think the pricing was pitched at more or less the right sort of level, cheese and a few starters notwithstanding. If the couple of minor issues had not occurred I think this would have been a solid 4 1/2 to 5 star review but we will certainly be back and sooner than 18 months!

December 2013 I just happened to look at my old reviews and realised I'd written a fairly scathing review of my experience at Trinity in April 2010, having had better times previously. I must tell you that I've been to Trinity on many occasions since, and probably half a dozen times in the last year. During that time the kitchen has turned out unfailingly delicious food, always attractively presented, and the service has been consistently delightful. Everything taken into account, including value for money, this is probably my favourite restaurant in London – do not hesitate to go. Just wanted to set the current record straight… April 2010 I've been to Trinity a number of times and have always had great meals, but hadn't been for some time. I went for dinner on a Friday evening a couple of weeks ago. As we walked in I saw that the reception desk was stacked with copies of the book that the chef/proprietor has written, but it didn't occur to me at the time that this might be relevant to what was to follow. On the way out, however, I pondered whether the point at which the chef writes a book is the point at which you should stop going to the restaurant. I won't go through all the food, but the sweetbread dish I had for main was particularly disappointing, bland and definitely not caremelised; at £28 it was the most expensive dish, and that was just too much. The chocolate hot pot was odd, not quite sure what it was trying to be and lacking chocolatey depth of flavour, and the pistachio ice cream it came with didn't really taste of much. The food overall just seemed like it had gone down a step compared to my previous visits. We had a lovely evening, the atmosphere is still great and the service remains very friendly, welcoming and efficient, and I will go back for those reasons – and in the hope that when I walk in the only thing on the reception desk is the table plan… December 2008 When we arrived, at about 8pm, all the other tables for two (which are positioned around the perimeter of the room) were already occupied, whereas the larger tables in the middle were empty. The larger tables filled in due course, deservedly so. So, I wonder if it is a booking policy to get all the tables of two in first, or is it just that romantic couples are dining earlier so as to be early home for a cup of tea? Or something. Answers on a postcard… Starters (braised oxtail and mackerel) and mains (Lancashire hotpot and venison) were all excellent, combining smart, thoughtful presentation with good flavour and decent portion sizes. We only had one dessert – banoffee cheesecake with candied walnuts – and sadly this was a disappointment. It had too little banana and toffee sauce, and was served in something resembling a small goldfish-bowl which made it difficult to eat, so not only was it disappointing but the disappointment lasted longer than otherwise it would have done. And we couldn't find any candied walnuts. Or any goldfish. Overall the food was very good indeed (the dessert was but a small blip) and other dishes that we saw on adjacent tables looked equally good. Given the quality of both the cooking and the ingredients the prices are very reasonable. The service was pretty good and, although it was somewhat slow at times, everyone was lovely and made us feel really welcome. They also spent a lot of time smiling and appearing to enjoy what they were doing – invariably a good sign. There is a decent selection of wines and many are well-priced, although the mark-ups are inconsistent and so it might pay to spend 10 minutes with wine-searcher.com before pitching up (I am, possibly, too anal on this subject…). This is a high-quality, professional and friendly operation, and I have already been telling my friends all about it. And they know how much I normally moan.

I love Trinity. I live up the road and it's my special occasion place. I go there 4 to 6 times a year and have done since it opened. The service is always excellent and the wine list has some real gems – wines you don't see any where else. And the food can be sublime. And this is the reason I keep going despite the fact it's inconsistent. I've had a couple of shockers. Just last week four of us went and two of us had the braised beef for main. It arrived, we both took a mouthful and simultaneously turned to each other in shock. It was as dry as cream cracker and completely without flavour. It's a £28 dish and it was awful. I have to say I was astounded that it had ever left the kitchen. The staff did their best to rectify the situation and were generous in their response, but the damage was done, it totally disrupted the enjoyment of our evening. This is such as shame, as, like I've said, 90% of the time this place is spot on, it's just that the other 10% really clouds my view. I feel like I'm playing the lottery each time I book a table and I get nervous when bringing people here for the first time. So Adam, sort the kitchen out mate, it needs to be consistently brilliant, not occasionally.

Saturday lunch – what a complete waste of money! And it's not just the ridiculous miniscule portions (for the prices one would imagine more substantial courses) but it's the actual taste that disappointed me beyond words: fancy names and even fancier presentation for the “Stone bass” and a banana cake that in the end were..hm… quite honestly bland! Will not EVER go there again.

We had a delightful meal with some very special added touches by the staff here, we felt we received first class service and delicious, generous dishes. A superb place tucked away in the Old town, we shall return here for sure. Thank you again.

I ate here recently and was very impressed. On arrival I liked the look of the menu – although I am not sure my vegetarian friends would agree – but having made an initial choice over a glass of Riesling at the bar was told there was a special of roast partridge with wild mushrooms. I could write quite a lot, but it is probably sufficient to say that the partridge was possibly one of the most memorable meals I have had in the last few years. The flavours were all fantastic and complimented each other superbly. I have not scored the Food & Drink as 10 because the dishes that book-ended the main were good, but not of the standard of the game. I shall return.

We went for Saturday lunch, arriving at 1.25pm. Overall the food was very good with a few minor exceptions – the other reviews are spot on. We had a slight issue with the service as we were seated in the corner next to the toilets because the more pleasant (and empty) window tables were ‘reserved’. It was disappointing to see those nicer tables sitting empty throughout our lunch. I would also suggest that they put up a mirror so that dinners in the corner facing the wall can enjoy some of the atmosphere. The service was friendly and professional, although they did forget to bring our wine so we had to have our starters with no wine, which is a little irritating. We had to make do with our blackcurrant champagne royal which did not match the food! My wife asked if it was possible to order one of the mains from the set menu but the kitchen refused to allow this as they were concerned about availability for the evening. I would expect a top restaurant to ‘go the extra mile’ in this regard and I was a surprised that they couldn't accommodate this request. My chocolate dessert was unfortunately overcooked so it was hard spongecake rather than yummy runny chocolate. To be fair this was the only mistake with the food. I did mention the ‘table’ issue when we left only to be told gruffly ‘Sorry the tables were reserved. Many of our diners request particular tables’. The grumpy attitude of the staff, in this regard, meant we left on a sour note. What a shame.

Just off the rather picturesque Polygon Square in Clapham's gentrified Old Town, Trinity is far enough from the Ozzie bars and general high street chicanery to feel a little bit out of London. Looking out of the large plate windows at the summer green of the Common, watching the yummy mummy brigade pile past in their SUVs, you really could have been in any well-heeled provincial town in Southern England. Inside is the same, the decor is well enough thought out, by someone who's obviously spent a fair amount of time around fine dining restaurants, but it's not a feature. Shades of Farrow and Ball with anonymous arty black and white prints – classy restaurant 101, I'm starting to hope there's a little more imagination behind the pass. The crowd is a well heeled local mix of retirees, professional couples on ‘special’ dates and what's obviously grandfather's birthday party, nothing arch about that, it's a local restaurant and perfectly sums up the community that live in the grand Victorian terraces along the tree-filled local avenues (well, the ones who can afford to eat here anyway). Service is very friendly and in the most part efficient, a shared plate of sweet fresh radishes and freshly picked pea pods arrived promptly and were a lovely start to the meal, though we were left waiting for breads and water for a good 10 minutes after that. The tasting menu kicked off trumpeting the finest of British summer, a flavoursome if slightly too cold pea and mint soup ‘presented’ at the table in an old fashioned milk bottle and poured over lemon purée and ricotta, a knowing smirk at finer dining outfits.The wine pairing for the course emphasised the national theme with a Chapel Down Primrose Hill, not my cup of tea (nor glass of wine), but a pleasant enough accompaniment. The Gruner Veltliner that came with the second course was much more on the money for me, a complex spicy white with notes of white pepper and the perfect foil to a small but perfectly formed disc of seared tuna served with wilted baby pak choi and a tiny salsa of indeterminate but tasty orange colour. Accomplished cooking with great ingredients, it was good, bordering on very good but didn't quite hit the heights somehow. My remembrance of the third course is hazy, it could be the wine, a sweet aromatic slap of muscat was heavenly, enough to convert one to a difficult grape. Looking at the menu I vaguely remember it as a scallop dish, with a white gazpacho and a fizzy yet funny pickled grape. The solo bivalve was plump and fresh but well, a little bland, in a forgettable gazpacho sea. Single scallops need to be make an effort, they've got to draw your attention to them, like a solo guest at a party, and this one was sat in the corner looking at the DVD collection. We ended with the best, for me at any rate, a genuinely sensational duck dish. Plump cuts of breast served with an exquisite pastile of dark duck leg. Rich, salty and thoroughly tasty, earthy girolles melted into the juice and the whole thing balanced by sweet spinach. It brought the meal alive and really showed what the kitchen was capable of. Pudding got the requisite oohs and aahs. Thick and sticky Valrhona chocolate cream with honeycomb and almond didn't show a great imagination, but delivered perfectly what it set out to do. I had an eye on three huge cloches behind us containing a quantity of rich and oozing cheese, sadly on my own in this, I had to settle for a more sociable coffee. In hindsight, I'm probably being overly critical. I had a wonderful meal, though the quality of the company guaranteed that, with some great wines at a restaurant I'd eat at regularly if it was on the doorstep. There are flashes of brilliance from the kitchen, and the staff are close enough to where they need to be. But only one dish out of five will trouble my best of the year list, and that's just not enough for the price.