The Holy Trinity: Aperitivo, Buon Appetito, Digestivo
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Style: European cuisine with a twist
Budget: ££
Lithuania’s compact capital city of Vilnius may not be the first place to spring to mind when looking for hip, cool eating and drinking establishments. However, you’d be pleasantly surprised by the quality of excellent spots where you can indulge in a huge range of cuisines and discover some of the world’s leading sommeliers and bartenders. One such place in the heart of the old town, offering the opportunity for such an indulgence, is Trinity. Offering two bars as well as a delicious restaurant Trinity is a great spot for a complete evening of gastronomic adventures.
Dining at Trinity
In its home of a former nunnery, with its Roman Catholic neighbour of St Catherine’s Church, Trinity may not be the typical place for an evening of refined debauchery. This delightfully restored building now forms a trio of fabulous venues: an Aperitivo bar (for pre-dinner drinks), an a la carte restaurant and a Digestivo bar (for that post dinner tipple); all in all, the holy “Trinity”!
The Trinity experience starts in the Aperitvo bar. Here the vibe is inspired by the Italian culture of enjoying a drink to whet your appetite before a meal, with a selection of Italian cocktails to match. Expect a list of skilfully blended cocktails, including Trinity’s twist on a classic Negroni, alongside a more traditional selection of vermouths, bubbles and liqueurs. One intriguingly delicious way to kickstart your gastronomic adventure at Trinity is with a “Tokyo Macchiato”, a spin on the classic Gin Sour, with the addition of coffee providing an excellent savoury finish to complement the sharp lemon flavours.
After your thirst is quenched, take the stairs up to the first floor restaurant where white linen draped tables are dotted around the restored stone arches, adorned with pretty foliage and lighting. The three course a la carte menu offers a variety of delicious options, all served alongside a great list of wines.
To start, the beef tartare is a great option, with classic, tender cuts of beef served with innovative accompaniments of red pepper puree, apple and pickled mushroom. The red pepper provides a slight sweetness and a striking colour to the dish and, we’re always a sucker for a good pickled mushroom! Paired alongside an oaked Chilean chardonnay, this is a well executed and delicious start to any meal.
The scallops also proved a worthy dish, served with an assortment of cauliflower, chorizo and parsley, alongside a crisp and typically aromatic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Although not usually a fan of cauliflower, it must be said that this version was fantastic, with different textures of crisp, puree and grilled cauliflower balancing with the scallops superbly. Added to that, the creaminess of the puree together with the crisp Sauvignon Blanc made for a heavenly pairing.
Before you move on to your main courses, you can choose to enjoy an ‘intermezzo’ – an Italian tradition of having an interlude between courses to refresh the palate. This vodka and lemon sorbet drink, gives a zingy and utterly refreshing hit before getting stuck into the next course – something all restaurants should offer!
One of Trinity’s top notch mains, the duck breast is served beautifully medium rare, alongside a duck leg “bon bon” and an assortment of blackberries, potato puree, red cabbage and a silky port sauce. The plate is an explosion of different flavours and textures, with rich duck flavours balancing wonderfully with the sweetness of the blackberries and the red cabbage.
Another richer entree on offer is the beef cheek, slow cooked and served with brussel sprouts, pickled apples, hazelnuts and a red wine sauce. Paired with a full bodied cabernet sauvignon from Chile, this deep dish is the perfect Winter warmer.
Ending on a high note, for your sweet finish there was the choice of two sumptuous desserts. A fruity explosion of fresh berries, raspberry sorbet and raspberry meringue on top of a perfectly baked creme brûlée giving a great balance of sweet and tart flavours, paired alongside a classic Sauternes. At the other end of the dessert spectrum, the chocolate torte with a fresh sorbet and a caramel streak offers a chocoholic’s dream, ideal to enjoy with a tawny port.
After your meal, you can retire back downstairs to the cosy Digestivo bar; a place, in Trinity’s own words, “for pleasant conclusion, conversations and ingenious ideas”. The concept here is simple: there is no menu, simply tell the barman what you like and they can whip it up. Whether you’re after something classic, or would rather try an intriguing take on your favourite cocktail, such as an old fashioned, mixed with barrel aged gin instead of bourbon – you’ll be certain to find the perfect nightcap to conclude a delicious evening.
Key Information about Trinity
How much does Trinity cost?
Trinity’s restaurant operates an a la carte service only, with no fixed menus on offer. Starters are typically priced at around EUR 10 each, whilst mains are around EUR 15-20 each. The wine list is well priced, with plenty of bottles starting at around EUR 30 each, whilst cocktails cost EUR 7 each. All in all, a three course meal for two, with a cocktail and half a bottle of wine each will cost around EUR 60-70 per person.
Where can I stay near Trinity?
Trinity is located in the centre of the beautiful old town of Vilnius, within an old convent alongside the majestic St Catherine’s Church. The old town is fairly compact, making it easy to walk around, with plenty of hotels and B&Bs dotted throughout. For those looking to enjoy a romantic weekend escape, the Grand Hotel Kempinski is a great spot located right next to the city’s impressive cathedral and only a 10 minute walk from Trinity.
Our final thoughts on... Trinity
The concept of “Trinity” that the team have created is fantastic, they’ve built a venue which is designed around a full evening of merriment. For once you don’t have to seek a great bar for drinks before or after dinner, simply walk down stairs from the restaurant space! Service is excellent, the cocktails top notch and the food is divine – if you’re looking for a great evening out in Vilnius, Trinity is an excellent choice.
Find Out More…
Trinity – https://www.trinityvilnius.lt/
Many thanks to Trinity for hosting our meal during our time in Vilnius. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely our own, we wouldn’t recommend something if we didn’t love it!
