El Gran Castillo De Jagua

madamefoo55 · August 2006

i love gran castillo, but i am wondering why their bacon has changed color. it's like this light brownish color now. what's up with that?

pitu · August 2007

madamefoo55 wrote: i love gran castillo, but i am wondering why their bacon has changed color. it's like this light brownish color now. what's up with that?

o my.
does that mean they've changed to non-sulfite bacon?
where's carnivore? talk to me...

carnivore · August 2007

Wasn't that last post from a year ago?

Pitu, have you been hanging out with armchair warrior again?

alafairnadia · August 2007

no. we just had a lot of chatter about bacon last night.

sevenoneeighty · July 2008

Looks like the health department shut them down .
Nothing new posted online yet...

http://tinyurl.com/6z2faf

I was so looking forward to a rotisserie chicken last night too...
But then again...maybe not.

Any updates?

carnivore · July 2008

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MENDOZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sneakyonstmarks · July 2008

El Castillo was the first Restaurant my parents took us to when we first moved to Prospect Heights in 1984, love that place, we would down those Morir Sonando like no tomorrow. There used to be an Indian Restaurant next to Geido and they had this amazing Tea Ice Cream or the Thai restaurant next Plaza Video with its amazing Fish Tanks, best Thai food i have ever had and of course been going to Geido since they opened! But love el Castillo for their chicken, Bistec Encebollado and most of all their toasted bread with butter!

siren · July 2008

Subject: I love them- hope they open again soon

Oh no!! I dont think I've ever seen them closed down.

I was just recommending them on another post.

They are my favourite restaurant ever, for almost 2 decades. Esp their pepper steak. They are always super-nice, and sometimes give you extras too.

I hope they open again soon!

-------------------
See my apt clearance sale ad (Ikea/Pier 1 great furniture for cheap):
http://newyork.gumtree.com/newyork/92/24884292.html
--------------------

alafairnadia · July 2008

wait. really? WAH! what is happening? my ballfields aren't open and my almost-cuban restaurant is closed? wtf? yo quiero pollo!

bill c · July 2008

[There used to be an Indian Restaurant next to Geido and they had this amazing Tea Ice Cream or the Thai restaurant next Plaza Video with its amazing Fish Tanks, best Thai food i have ever had quote]

was that place called the thai lagoon?

drummachines · July 2008

Nooo....

I thought they just closed for the 4th of July weekend....

Anyone know when they will open again???

raw · July 2008

sarahb wrote: i don't know how/why you waited 2 hours to call. i would have been mad hungry by then.

Yeah, right. I would have ate the phone by then.

raw · July 2008

Carnivore wrote: [quote=djuoh]I have been in this hood for over 6 years and have learned to have patience, but I lost it with this one. I wouldn't have complained otherwise.

When I order delivery, I'm generally on the phone if they're not there within the hour (except the Islands, but you kind of know it's going to be like that there before you order).

You all are saints. I'm kicking, cursing, and screaming after 20 minutes.

I subconsciously stopped ordering take-out from places that kept me waiting over 30 minutes. Reliving the trauma of waiting while ravenous makes that frozen pizza look good.

medusa · July 2008

bill c wrote: [There used to be an Indian Restaurant next to Geido and they had this amazing Tea Ice Cream or the Thai restaurant next Plaza Video with its amazing Fish Tanks, best Thai food i have ever had quote]

was that place called the thai lagoon?

Thai Lagoon!

One of my friends from high school (who was Thai) used to work there and we used to go there all the time so that we could hang out with him. Their food was delicious. They also always gave us free drinks. It was down by where High Stakes Cheese Steaks was.
I think the last time I went to Thai Lagoon was 1987. Yumm.

jgregorie · July 2008

i walked past there today on my way to the gym and there is a sign on the door saying it was closed by the board of health. i think they are going to take the oportunity to do some much needed renovations. or it going to become a bank branch.

siren · July 2008

Subject: El Castillo, Thai Lagoon, & fake limbs

I should add, re El Castillo, that I've never had to wait more than 45 min for them-- and they've always been pretty good about telling me how long it would be. I would definitely get on the phone if its late. They are usually really busy, but really nice.

Re Thai Lagoon, is that the place that many years ago used to be a prosthetic limb shop? Near Pintchik's? My memory is foggy.

So does anyone know for sure if El Castillo is temporarily closed?

-------------------
See my apt clearance sale ad (Ikea/Pier 1 great furniture for cheap):
http://newyork.gumtree.com/newyork/92/24884292.html
--------------------

sweet tea · July 2008

the prosthesis place was still there last time i thought to look, whereas it sounds like thai lagoon is from back in the day.

drummachines · July 2008

If it's a dept. of health thing I don't see why it would be a permanent closure. They are probably just getting their shit together in the kitchen, changing equipment, cleaning the space....etc. It happened to Japanese Bakery Panya in the East Village like a month ago and they are already open......

old time brooklyn · July 2008

Yummy yummy mouse-tails.

old time brooklyn · July 2008

I've never had a meal at this joint.

carnivore · July 2008

Old Time Brooklyn wrote: I've never had a meal at this joint.

That is truly a tragedy. I hope they reopen soon and you can correct your folly.

bkchickie · July 2008

I had never eaten there either, but I look at this place while I'm across the street at the gym. The stream of traffic in and out is entertaining while I'm sweating away on the elliptical. FWIW: As of last night it was still closed, with no noticeable activity.

idlewild · July 2008

I saw about seven construction workers inside yesterday morning along with 7 to 10 scooters and motorcycles parked in front.

old time brooklyn · July 2008

It's a tragedy I never ate mouse crap? Nah.

sneakyonstmarks · July 2008

OTB is sounding more like Old Dirty Bastard! You call yourself OTB and never ate at gran Castillo ?
Weird!

alafairnadia · July 2008

ODB had better lyrics.

carneviento's pork chop sandwich ... or their fried shrimp sandwich ... or that seafood soup is my favorite thing ever. and part of my grand unemployment plan involved their roast chicken meals! (er, for eating many meals for cheap, not reselling or something kinky)

j0518 · July 2008

Of the places I stare at while on the Arc Trainer at Crunch every day, I've never been inside Mooney's, and have never had anything from the Wing Wagon. I've tried the others, though none anywhere near regularly.

I've lived within a half block of El Castillo for seven years. Nothing draws me to it. Maybe its my Cuban blood knowing better. They'll make you a decent chicken sandwich for about $4, but I will always find Caribbean Latin food not made by my people to be pretty bland.

sweet tea · July 2008

you live that close and you never went to mooney's with a pork sandwich and tostones from el carneviento viejo?

and jesus wept.

alafairnadia · July 2008

J0518 wrote:
I've lived within a half block of El Castillo for seven years. Nothing draws me to it. Maybe its my Cuban blood knowing better. They'll make you a decent chicken sandwich for about $4, but I will always find Caribbean Latin food not made by my people to be pretty bland.

fellow cuban that also lived in miami:

don't think of it as latin food. my strategy was to do terrible things to their sandwiches that I'd NEVER do to anything cuban. cover them in hot sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. I mean, my favorite sandwich evar is a pan con bistec. you can't get that shit in nyc. you just ... can't. so stop thinking about it. and come on ... you walk in and the pretty glass dessert case is full of ... cakes??? what shit is that? I want pastelitos! carne, guava, guava y queso, queso ... I could go on. and none of these joints have materva, iron beer or jupina. so. pretend they're something totally different from what you think they should be. for chrissakes, they serve yellow rice! that would not work at all on flagler!

carneviento: pork chop or fried shrimp sandwiches require tons of mayo and hot sauce and vegetables that do not occur naturally in any sandwich in the cuban repetoire. the seafood soup? tobasco. oh yes. that's how you get by with that joint.

this year (well, next) I'm really thinking I'm going to do a new year's day ajiaco party. if I do, you're invited. the sad part is that the ingredients are all available for good cuban food ... dominicans just can't cook it. (oh snap)

j0518 · July 2008

alafarnadia wrote: don't think of it as latin food. my strategy was to do terrible things to their sandwiches that I'd NEVER do to anything cuban. cover them in hot sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. I mean, my favorite sandwich evar is a pan con bistec. you can't get that shit in nyc. you just ... can't. so stop thinking about it. and come on ... you walk in and the pretty glass dessert case is full of ... cakes??? what shit is that? I want pastelitos! carne, guava, guava y queso, queso ... I could go on. and none of these joints have materva, iron beer or jupina. so. pretend they're something totally different from what you think they should be. for chrissakes, they serve yellow rice! that would not work at all on flagler!

ohymygod.....you have me in stitches right now.

This "don't think of it as Latin food" thing may work for me. You're right, though: no one does a good pan con bistec around here. I found out from someone that one of favorite Union City places when I was a little kid, Los Dos Amigos, still exists. They used to shave the beef into thin slices AND put homemade french fries in it. I wonder if it's still as good...

I was born in Jersey. don't know how often you get out there, but the occasional pilgrimage to Bergenline Ave. is very good for the Cuban soul.....and you'll find your Materva, Ironbeer, and Jupina in spades.

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten pissed off at a supposed "Cuban" place for giving me yellow rice with my black beans. Cuba Cafe in Chelsea and Havana Central are the worst culprits.

anyways, we should PM. i need more Cubans in my life.

El Gran Castillo De Jagua

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories