Destination menu on the cards – Aioli gives more after 10 years

Ten years in the restaurant business is no small feat, and Aioli is celebrating that accomplishment with a range of new dining options for its patrons.

Aioli executive chef John Aboud said, “When we started in 2014 it was such a rush I never even thought about a milestone like this one! I am really pleased for Aioli to have survived and thrived through some interesting times. It’s been challenging at times, but as a team we have learned and grown so much."

One of the restaurant’s biggest hurdles, as it was for the entire hospitality industry, was the covid19 pandemic. But it so happened Aioli Marketplace, on the ground floor below the restaurant at Ellerslie Plaza, Maraval, had recently opened, and it became an essential part of life for its customers.

“For Aioli, covid did lead to major changes in the restaurant. When in-house dining was unavailable, we made use of the space differently, and we’ve definitely had a few layout changes while maintaining the essence of Aioli. We were extremely fortunate to have the marketplace, which, while new, became the flagship.”

Aioli's Kathrine Aboud explained since then the marketplace had become a go-to for anyone seeking quality, already-prepared meals, including sushi, house-made pastas and sauces, salmon, desserts and the occasional “Trini Saturday spread.”

She said the advantage of the set-up was that each customer could see and select their customised meal, made fresh in a trusted environment.

Business development consultant Leslie Ann St John said, “It’s been a joy for me to be involved with Aioli, especially as I was a part of the original team charting the brand and the customer experience.

"It is great to see the evolution of the brand and to know that the restaurant is now a culinary institution in Trinidad. When I have visitors it’s usually one of the requested restaurants because of the reputation for visually stunning world-class meals.

"There is (such) a consistency to the brand that even when the layout and décor changes you still get the welcome feeling at the top of the stairs.”

With a decade of successfully dealing with various challenges under its belt, the Aioli team was ready for something different and exciting.

The first offering is Aioli Destinations, an eight-course tasting menu specially curated by the executive chef. Each month for dinner, from Thursday-Saturday, Aboud will allow Aioli’s clients to sample delicacies of another country without leaving home.

Aboud said, “At heart, I am a food lover, so I am always exploring cuisines and techniques and that’s where the idea for Aioli Destinations comes from.

"A tasting menu is a great entrance to a cuisine and by offering a different destination monthly, our guests will always have something to look forward to.

“We’ve always had a Mediterranean bias, so Italy seemed like a great start. This month’s destinations menu takes guests on a journey through antipasto, antipasto skewer, insalata, bruchetta, frito, pizette, pasta and dolce, with exciting choices at every turn!”

There was also a new prix fixe lunch menu available, with starters of soup or salad, vegetarian, fish, poultry, beef or fish entrees, and desserts to make the mouth water.

St John said many people no longer went out for dinner because they preferred not to be out late. She said the new prix fixe option was just right for similar-minded people, as it allowed them to have a high-quality meal and sophisticated dining experience, as expected from Aioli, and still get home at a time they felt safe.

"It's a great option for business people and those thinking about lunch events.”

In addition, Aioli restaurant will begin opening on Sundays from 11 am-7 pm from June 2. On Sundays guests can choose from its full lunch menu, its pizza and pasta menu, the new
prix fixe lunch menu or specials inspired by some customer favourites.

Kathrine Aboud said, “Customers have wanted this for some time and we are going to answer the call. Sunday is where we expect our upstairs customers and downstairs customers to meet. We are really excited to make this come to life."