Guatemalan Food In NY

[Simon Majumdar]

After a sensational Guatemalan meal in Chicago recently, I have a hankering to try and fine the same when I am in NY at the end of the month.

Any thoughts anyone?

[Steve Plotnicki]

Simon - Xelaju in Queens is the only one I know of. I've never gone but it was the darling of the Chowhound crowd for a while but that was a few years ago. I'm not sure how it is these days. It's a bit of a ratty place too. How about El Salvador? There are a few of those around. Have you had a good Papusa lately?

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 8:15 am on Jan. 8, 2002)

[Fat Guy]

Simon, I'd be interested in hearing more about the specifics of your meal in Chicago. It might be possible to find a number of the dishes you ate at other Central and South American restaurants. Or not.

[Simon Majumdar]

The place in chicago was, I believe called El Rinjon.  They have a few.  One serving cuban, one mexican and one Gutemalan.  I couldn't tell you where it was as I was driven there by my host

Stand out dishes included

Radish  Salads including an exceptional one with crispy pork rinds

Black Tamales

Stuffed Cornmeal dumplings

Chicken with Pineapple

Beef in a tomato and pepper sauce

None of these seem so exciting in b/w but the taste were so fresh and the spicing, spot on.  Memorable.

I know next to nothing about Latin food, so any help finding these dishes or similar would be appreciated by both me and my guest while in NY

S

[Thomas Secor]

Pretty sure the place is called El Rincon.  Pretty good food (having visited Guatemala a number of times), very cheap prices, and I, like Simon cannot recall the area.

[Pan]

Simon - Xelaju in Queens is the only one I know of. I've never gone but it was the darling of the Chowhound crowd for a while but that was a few years ago. I'm not sure how it is these days

I posted about this, but the post was eaten by the site renovation. Anyway, I've eaten at La Xelaju several times. The last couple of times, I perceived a fall-off in quality. For example, the fish in the sopa de pescado last time (a few months ago) had a distinctly fishy taste. But you have to like the family atmosphere: The mother is the cook, her daughters help out, and the grandmother hangs out at times. They're very nice. Basically, I still think La Xelaju is worth going to if you're in the area and want some Guatemalan food, but I don't think it's worth going out of your way for. YMMV.

[Rachel Perlow]

Shouldn't part of this discussion be moved to the Chicago board? Wait, I checked, we don't have one yet. What about The Heartland?