New economic giant rises in the East

Over the last three years, HCL has been strategically and meticulously filling up the vacant lands surrounding the Trincity Shopping Mall, which it owns, and has been spending millions of dollars to develop its Trinicity Millenium Vision. In the simplest of terms, the Trincity Millenium Vision will see the construction of a modern, international town centre that will combine the elements of commerce, housing and entertainment that will radically transform the landscape of East Trinidad.

Already, several major elements of this vision have been realised, including the construction of new residential areas and educational facilities in the East. The expansion of Trincity Mall’s western wing is continuing apace and the construction of a new Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Centre is currently underway as part of the Millenium Vision. HCL describes this projects as a “burgeoning investment opportunity in Trinidad” that is poised to take off and yield profitable returns for investors due to its close proximity to Piarco International Airport, and its strategic location to several major transportation arteries. Trincity Millennium Vision, HCL boasts, will be a totally integrated urban community in one of the most vibrant areas in the country.

However the jewel in the HCL crown that is being built in the east seems to be the Millennium Lakes Golf and Country Club which opened for business earlier this year. Operating in tandem with the Professional Golfers Associa-tion (PGA) approved golf course in Trincity is the newly-established Muscovado Restaurant which is attracting persons who would normally have gone to the plethora of restaurants in Port-of-Spain and its western environs for a night of fine cusine.

When construction began in the Trincity area, this large scale development plan had been described as a rival to the capital city Port-of-Spain. However at that time, HCL’s managing Director Anthony Fifi said the developments in East Trinidad were not designed to rival Port-of-Spain but were “a growth centre in keeping with the national urban development plan.” He also said it was part of a “decentralisation process” that would see radical changes to several districts along the East-West corridor and indeed the entire area of western Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. In addition to attracting new businesses, established firms in the west and Port-of-Spain would want to take advantage of the new eastern “growth centre”.

Consequently, traffic patterns are expected to change. Instead of trekking to Port-of-Spain and wasting valuable hours in traffic congestion to and from the city, many workers would be able to base their workday closer to home.

As HCL’s Fifi said when first divulging information on the development of the modern town centre, “A lot of attention is now being paid to congestion in Port-of-Spain and on the roads leading to the city at peak times.” This, therefore had a major role in the consideration of the Trincity landscape for the planning of urban development. Efforts last week to get an update from Fifi on the state of HCL’s developments in Trincity were unsuccessful.

However one person who is giving two thumbs up to moves to spread business development from Port-of-Spain to East Trinidad, is the executive chef and food and beverage manager of the Muscovado Restaurant, Silbert DaShong. He viewed the establishment of business in the east as a welcomed change for persons living there who have to venture into established business centres in Port-of-Spain and environs.

Born in Jamaica, DaShong was exposed to the restaurant business at an early age through the restaurant which his grandparents operated in Kingston. He left for the United States as a child and as an adult studied to work in television. He said after working as a cameraman for the New York Yankees baseball team and at the United Nations headquarters, he returned to school and studied to fulfill his lifelong dream to become a chef because the restaurant business was in his blood.

He earned his stripes in the kitchen through training at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a member of the internationally-renowned Hilton chain of hotels in New York. DaShong returned for another brief stint in the media but reverted once again to his career in the food industry by opening a restaurant in the Soho district in New York and another in South Carolina. He also managed a restaurant in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands before coming to Trinidad to manage Muscovado.

DaShong explained the new golf course and club and Muscavado were a winning combination which augured well for further expansion of the business arena in the east. “This(golf course and country club) is like the catalyst for business coming this way (east),” he said.

DaShong pointed out, “there are approximately 220,000 persons living in the east and when they want to have the option of a great outdoor dining experience they sometimes have to venture as far as Chaguaramas.” These persons, he added, are grateful for the close proximity of what he describes as a future four-star restaurant.

He also said the construction of the new Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Centre, within walking distance of the restaurant, would also bring in further business, this time from international business and leisure travelers. DaShong believes that if business continues to expand in East Trinidad, it is only a matter of time before the area is transformed into “a traveler’s dream” with the Holiday Inn for accommodation, the mall for shopping and the Golf and Country Club for entertainment. The self-containment of the area would be recommended to its residents and visitors as they would not have to travel to far from one of the island’s main international transportation hub. DaShong said it has not been hard to develop a clientele at Muscavado because membership at the golf course is growing and persons from Arima to Valsayn have been hearing about the establishment.

He said people have been drawn to the mellow Caribbean accents of the restaurant’s interior and the backdrop of the golf course on the exterior creates a tranquility similar to that of popular sea-side locations.

DaShong said visitors to Trinidad can also access the Country Club because the establishment is a mere five minutes away from the Piarco International Airport. He said businessmen and women who want to relax for the afternoon visit the country club subsequently venture into the restaurant.

The restaurant, which began operating five months ago, is described by its executive chef and food and beverage manager as the best kept secret that side of Valsayn. It was opened because it was the norm around the world to have a restaurant close to PGA golf courses.

DaShong said the “elegantly-casual” family restaurant has not officially opened as management were still fine tuning aspects of the business. However he said once things go as planned, the grand opening would be in two months at which time they would also debut their sport’s bar “Sand Baggers” located below the restaurant.

Advertising has been kept at a minimum but when the official opening occurs, electronic and print media resources would be tapped to promote the establishment.

The official opening also means an increase in jobs for persons involved in the food and beverage industry. DaShong said the restaurant and sports bar would provide employment for 35 to 40 people when it is fully operational. Also, he expressed hope that a work study programme could be developed between the restaurant and the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute and any other school involved in the industry so that additional employment opportunities can be created.

The restaurant, DaShong said, has extended business hours by as much as three hours on weekends because of healthy customer response although it has only been in operation for five months.

The business has been opened for breakfast and lunch. However, because of the later opening hours, the lunch menu has been extended for late customers. DaShong explained the lunch menu was being upgraded at the time an a new dinner menu would be included at the restaurant. Once this happens, the opening hours would change and on weekdays, the restaurant would only be available for corporate breakfast functions during the morning hours. On Saturday there would be breakfast and brunch would be served on Sunday to accommodate early golfers.

Describing the menu as “creative Caribbean fusion”, he said the menu would be international but with Caribbean influences especially herbs and spices indigenous to Trinidad.

He said the staff would be exposed to his international experience but would add their own Caribbean experience to create the fusion expected in the cooking and atmosphere of the restaurant.

In addition to these attractions, DaShong boasted of the restaurant extensive wine collection which is sure to impress any wine connoisseur.

All in all, DaShong believed that Muscavado is poised for success regardless of competition which may arise with any HCL major development plans which include other internationally renowned restaurants setting up shop in the east.