Cuy...Guinea Pig...Ecuadorian Delicacy

[MellieGal]

Does anyone know of an Ecuadorian restaurant that prepares this delicacy? I'd love to surprise my Ecuadorian brother-in-law for his birthday to a trip to a restaurant that serves this dish. He loves cuy and it reminds him of home.

[ow77]

This thread is a few month old but for future searchers this bit of info might come in handy. I took this picture Last August In Peekskill, in an event that seemed like a smaller more authentic version of the red hook ballfields without the football. They had lots of guinea pigs cooked over charcoal fire there. I didn't get to try it but the corn husk tamale I had was pretty good. It might have been a special gathering for labor day weekend, I don't know. No one spoke English.
It was in the park next to the Peekskill train station right on the Hudson river.

[Joey Deckle]

I had some great cuy for Mother's Day at this place
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2008/0...

Best to call in advance as it takes some time to roast.

Keep on smokin',
Joey Deckle

[Laddie Din]

There is a place in the South Slope, I think, or used to be, that serves cuy. There is a very amusing account of the experience of eating it in a recent book called The Shameless Carnivore, written by I believe a Brooklynite. Perhaps he is out there somewhere and will weigh in. He eats pretty much everything in the book, but it was cuy that sparked my interest. (He said it was served with the head and everything else and it looked PISSED.)

[Sam Fujisaka]

Often head and little hands!

[Peter Cherches]

I think they closed recently, if you're thinking of the place on Fifth Ave. near 11th or 12th Street.

http://petercherches.blogspot.com

[doughreme]

I read this too! Its a great story included in Best Food Writing 2008. It was written by Scott Gold. The website is shamelesscarnivore.com. Even if you don't go to this restaurant, the article is worth reading.

[Jeffsayyes]

Hornado Ecuatoriano on Roosevelt ave in jackson heights.
You have to order at least a few days in advance. I would order a week in advance if it was for a special occasion.

[MellieGal]

Would you recommend Hornado Ecuatoriano in general for Ecuadorian food since most of us will not be partaking in the cuy adventure!

[david sprague]

the roast pork at hornado ecuatoriano is some of the best in town, so if that works for you.....

enjoy!

[Sam Fujisaka]

Why would you not have the cuy? It is delicious if they start with large, fat cuy.

[E Eto]

Cuy usually start off frozen (imported probably) here in the US. I don't think there are any Cuy butchers around here.

[chadew]

i know of at least two viveros en newark nj where you can choose your cuy and have it butchered. unless there is a city ordinance against viveros in nyc, there should be several around jackson heights that have it.

i do not know if the restaurants in queens use frozen or fresh cuy but your best bet is to go on a sunday (less so on saturday). any other day is pointless unless it is a holiday.

[fredid]

Chadew - That's very helpful info, both about Queens and Newark. Would you post the Newark info (addresses? Names of viveros?) on the Tristate board, or click on my screenname to sendme the answer and I'll post it? Thanks so much!

[chadew]

mmmmm. i should check this site more. i dont know the names sorry. but i can tell you how to arrive at one. it is on union st between ferry and lafayette in the ironbound dist. they did a very good job with rabbit and guinea pig. i had it in a cooler on the subway back to nyc. dont tell anyone. let me ask and ill post the names of the two i know in newark. they are both in the ironbound because of the large ecuadorian population.

[fredid]

Thanks, chadew!

[chadew]

ok here are the two i know of. i prefer the second one. at both you can get anything butchered guinea pig, pigeon, rabbit, turkey...birds i have no idea what they are. just choose a live one in a cage and wait an hour. around holidays its a mad house and to a lesser extent sundays. the people that work the front should speak some english if you dont speak spanish.

union poultry - 105 union st - newark - 973-589-2435
shortys poultry - 52 madison st - newark - 973-344-6764

[Woodside Al]

Viveros are pretty limited in what they are allowed to butcher in NYC. The whole cuy thing has been a bit of a problem with the NYC DOH.

[NYJewboy]

Yes, it is a RODENT after all....

[Sam Fujisaka]

So I guess you can't get capybara in NYC either. Too bad.

[c oliver]

Is rabbit a rodent?

[NYJewboy]

A rabbit is a Lagomorph.

[ROBERTBURGOS]

its a small pig !!!!! helloooooo

[JohnnyCT]

In case anybody is interested another poultry place in the nyc metro where you can get cuy is Live Poultry Inc. in Bridgeport CT.

[c oliver]

Cuy isn't much of an adventure. My first snail was a scarier propostion by far :)

[ROBERTBURGOS]

this is the best and nicest food spot in queens for ecuadorian food ,bakery goods ,and sweets from ecuador and next door they also have a music store with all types of clothing and souveniors from ecuador

-----
Cafe Con Leche
102-03 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11368

[el jefe]

But they don't serve cuy which, btw, is totally unrelated to cochino, cochinillo, cerdo, puerco, and pigs.

[phishphood]

They make it in several restaurants in Sunset Park. There are also several bakeries that make it here.

[EricMM]

Does it taste any different from rabbit?

[c oliver]

A *bakery" that serves guinea pig??? I wonder why?

[david sprague]

many bakeries in brooklyn and queens -- particulaly those that serve the central and south american communities -- also serve prepared foods.

[c oliver]

Ah, thanks. We'll be in NY next summer. I'll be checking THAT out. Don't care for sweets so now I can go in those places :)

[c oliver]

It's also a Peruvian dish if that broadens your choices.