A taste of Trinidad in Long Island: How Tiffani Sahai’s Food Truck is filling a Caribbean flavor gap
Tiffani Sahai has always had a passion for food. Growing up around her father’s famous Roti shop, Trini Delight, in Queens, she’s no stranger to Trinidadian cuisine. But in May of this year, Sahai took the plunge and opened her food truck, Trini Street Food, alongside her family.
At just 28 years old, Sahai’s journey into the food industry is a personal dream and a family affair. “I grew up in the Roti shop business with my dad. I’ve always been interested in food and knew I wanted to stay in the business,” she says. Her father’s restaurant has been a fixture in Queens, and Sahai worked there since she was 14. Over the years, she honed her kitchen and front-of-house operations skills. But it wasn’t until she shared her dream of opening a food truck with her fiancé and sister that her vision began to take shape.
Trini Street Food is famous for its flavorful doubles.
Photo by Trini Food Truck
“It’s always been my dream to start a food truck,” Sahai revealed. “I started presenting the idea to everyone around me, and they supported me. My fiancé is great with customer service, and my sister is one of our main chefs and I’m good with everything else so it works perfectly, we all have our roles, and we’re a family business.”
Despite the challenges of launching a new venture, the family is off to a promising start. Sahai notes the overwhelming support from the Long Island community, particularly its large Caribbean population. “There are a lot of Jamaican and Guyanese restaurants here, but not enough Trinidadian food,” Sahai said. “We wanted to provide a place for people who crave authentic Trini dishes.”
Among their offerings, including doubles, bake and shark, curry, and corn soup, their most popular dish is doubles — flatbreads filled with curried chickpeas. Sahai is proud of her diverse menu, featuring iconic dishes like aloo pie, roti, and various savory snacks.
While the truck is still relatively new, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “People love it. They’re excited to see us here,” she said. “We’re just really grateful to be welcomed into the community.”
Trini Street Food Truck is located at 2034 Green Acres Rd. W, Valley Stream, Long Island. Photo by Trini Food Truck
Trini Street Food Truck is located at 2034 Green Acres Rd. W, Valley Stream, Long Island, is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. While Sahai is still working on expanding their reach, she envisions growing the business over time. “We’re still so new, but we hope to keep going strong with the food truck. Maybe in the future, we’ll expand to a brick-and-mortar location if things go well,” Sahai added.
The bake and shark is a customer favorite.Photo by Trini Food Truck
For now, the focus remains on delivering the best possible experience to their customers. “Seeing people enjoy the food, getting positive reactions—it’s so rewarding,” Sahai reflected. “We’re just happy to be able to bring a little piece of Trinidad to a place where it wasn’t easy to find before.”
Trini Street Food is also available through Uber Eats, and Sahai encourages fans to use their social media platforms to get updates on the food truck’s whereabouts. “We’re still working on getting a phone number, but for now, Instagram is the best way to contact us,” Sahai said.
With a thriving family business and a growing customer base, Sahai’s dream is just beginning to take flight. And as the truck continues to roll through Long Island’s streets, there’s no doubt that Trini Street Food will soon become a staple for anyone craving a taste of Trinidadian cuisine.
