Hot, Good, Dirt Cheap Puerto Rican Fare
Fried coochies, whah? Nah, that’s not the translation of cuchifrito, but anyone who has just heard the word for the first time can’t help but chuckle. Cuchifrito is kind of a catch-all word for various fried Puerto Rican concoctions. You can get mofongo, a dish made of mashed plantains and chicharrones and lots of garlic, and and a lot more Puerto Rican fare at La Isla del Cuchifrito on Graham Avenue, just before the WaMu near Broadway and Flushing. I couldn’t find any info online, so I can’t give you the address. We pigged out there recently — sidle up to the counter (yeah, they speak English) and order yourself a tall glass of parcha (passionfruit) or ajonjoli juice and pig out on really chewy alcapurrias and satisfying papas rellenas. The bacalaito frito…not so great. (Mine are better.)
August 29th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Do they have chuletas in gravy with yellow rice and black and red beans? do they have dinners or is it just a bunch of fried snacks?
August 29th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Do they have chuletas!? They deep-fry them to order. They also have mondongo that they pile way too high for the bowl. Yes, you can have a full meal there.
August 29th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I know Mexican food, not Puerto Rican, so I’d be completely clueless as to what to order. We might need a tasting guide when we finally make it over there.
August 30th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Oh I will be trying it then!
August 30th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Making me hungry guys. You know, I’m not so sure there is any real Puerto Rican food available in Bushwick (unless you’re invited to a Boricua home for a meal). Everytime I visit the hood, I notice that almost all of the latino restaurants are Dominican owned. This ain’t a bad thing, considering that their cooking differs little from PR cusine. I highly recommend the Dominican place right next to the Ridgewood theater on Myrtle avenue. Pig out for less than $10. BTW, is the cuchifrito place by Myrtle and Knickerbocker still there? Those guys would fry anything that moved. Great stuff!
August 30th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Actually, Tony, I’m hard-pressed to find anything these days that isn’t Ecuatorian or Mexican. Where the fuck are the cuchifritos in this Puerto Rican neighborhood!
August 30th, 2007 at 2:12 am
Jeremy, I think you’re right about the Mex-Ecuadorian places. Last time I drove down Wyckoff that’s all I saw. But is the cuchifrito place on Myrtle and Knickerbocker gone? And what about the Dominican joint I mentioned earlier by the Ridgewood theater? That should still be there. I’m sure you can still find some cuchis on Graham avenue if you don’t mind the walk. There used to be a hugely popular cuchi joint just off Broadway.