New York City is home to some of the most unique and fascinating cuisine scenes found across the United States.
Cultures from around the globe dream of bringing their local diet to the Big Apple.
And New Yorkers are ‘pigging out’ on one dish that is taking the internet by storm.
South America catches New Yorkers by surprise with unique dish
New York City has an ability to catch the attention of Americans for a wide variety of reasons.
The Big Apple has been the center of focus, from rats that dine on whole slices of pizza (which has become a viral meme for city-goers) to unique dishes trying to catch mainstream menu slots across the country.
Man Dressed as Giant Rat Drags Pizza Through Subway
Performance artist @jonothonlyons is back again! This time dragging a giant blown up pizza through a NYC subway station.
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— TMX (@useTMX) November 18, 2020
But there is one new item that has caught the attention of many, and it has New Yorkers “pigging out” on the Ecuadorian delicacy – guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs are often found in the bedrooms of children in America as small, easy to care for pet critters, but New York City now features a popular restaurant that offers them over a bed of rice to be enjoyed as a meal.
The restaurant is called La Casa Del Cuy, which literally translates to “the house of the guinea pig,” and it has become a must-stop destination in Corona, Queens, for those who wish to experience a whole-body roasted guinea pig, or “cuy.”
According to the New York Post, “On a recent Monday evening, the house was packed with diners tearing into the 2.5 pound animals, which can measure about 16 inches from snout to the tips of their outstretched toes.”
“Pet-sized guinea pigs are typically smaller but can range from 2 to 3.5 pounds,” reassured the Post.
The manager of the eatery, Lucio Barrera, argued that the cuy is “better than chicken” and “better than rabbit.”
He even told the New York Post that the head was the best part of the mini-pigs.
At about $110 a piece, Lucio claimed the guinea pigs are “selling like hotcakes” which has the restaurant shipping them in from Ecuador in massive quantities.
“I love it,” Barrera bragged. “I eat it every day.”
The owner explained that it was a bit tricky for him to get the cuy to his restaurant, as he buys them from a guinea pig farm in Ecuador, which ultimately requires them to be processed through customs.
“It’s difficult because we use a lot,” explained Berrera.
The story of how Lucio and Marcelo decided to sell the guinea pigs, which are served rotisserie-style, is the only thing more amazing than the success story of the food item states-side.
COVID-19 pandemic introduces multi-cultural cravings for a taste of home
Lucio and Marcelo shared the story of how they used to run a nearby rotisserie chicken shop, which often catered to the local Ecuadorian population.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel was mostly banned, and extremely difficult, at best, when it was possible.
“So all the people drive [to] North Boulevard, they start asking, ‘Why don’t you do cuy instead of chicken?’” Lucio shared, as his regulars craved a taste of home.
“I said, ‘Let’s do something because life is too short,’” he explained.
And that was what led to the creation of La Casa Del Cuy.
The 2.5 pound pigs seem pricey up front, but they are meant to be shared by multiple people, and can satisfy everyone who feasts on the traditional meal.
Cuy is a popular food item in the South American country, and has been a staple of the area for thousands of years.
Their popularity has stood the test of time as they boast a low fat and high protein content.
What makes them even more appealing is that their simplicity and relatively smaller size – compared to cows and hogs – makes them significantly easier to raise.
According to the Berreras, they have to fly the guinea pigs in by the hundreds in order to keep up with demand.
The dish is often popular for special occasions, such as weddings.
In Ecuadorian culture, gifting a pair of mating guinea pigs is a sign of best wishes to the bride’s family.
The cuy are prepared similar to that of a standard pig roast, turned and slow roasted over coals until the mini-pigs turn bronzed and crackling with flavor.
According to Ben Cost at the New York Post, who had to learn what made the eatery so popular, explained that he was shocked by how good the food tasted.
“It was shockingly non-gamey with mild flesh that was more well-marbled than a rabbit and crispy skin like a fun-sized suckling pig,” he wrote in his verdict of the menu item.
“It wasn’t shriveled on the rotisserie, but the rodent was surprisingly roomy, able to feed three fairly large guys, with each bite washed down with Ecuadorian ‘Club’ beer served in a salt-rimmed glass,” he added.
While rodents have normally served as a deterrent for people looking to visit the Big Apple – minus the famous New York Pizza Rat that has earned itself its own social media accounts – Lucio explained that the dish has become popular with “gringos” looking to take on a culinary adventure.
Diners who wish to see the item, but cannot find the bravery to ‘pig out’ on the cultural dish themselves, can still enjoy their classic roasted chicken and other grilled dishes.
