Popularity of Roasted Guinea Pig Dish in the US
Low-Fat High-Protein Food
Also Popular Among Chinese Tourists
A restaurant in New York, USA, has attracted attention for selling roasted guinea pig dishes. While guinea pigs are often kept as pets in the United States, some people have praised the dish highly and shown great interest.
According to the New York Post on the 12th (local time), 'La Casa Del Cuy' restaurant in the Corona area of Queens, New York, is gaining attention for offering roasted guinea pig, a traditional Ecuadorian dish. The restaurant prepares the dish by seasoning frozen guinea pigs with garlic and various spices, skewering them, and then roasting them. The finished dish is served with potatoes, corn, and peanut sauce.
A restaurant in New York, USA, has attracted attention by introducing a menu featuring guinea pig as the main ingredient. Photo by New York Post
Lucio Barrera, the manager of the restaurant, introduced the dish by saying, "It tastes better than chicken or rabbit," and added, "The head part is especially the most delicious." The price of the dish is about $110 (approximately 140,000 KRW), and the restaurant stated that they need to secure a large quantity of guinea pigs to meet demand.
Lucio, originally from Ecuador, runs the restaurant with her husband Marcelo Barrera. Initially, the store mainly sold rotisserie chicken, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they started selling guinea pig dishes at the request of the Ecuadorian community. Lucio said, "Passersby asked, 'Why not serve cuy (guinea pig) instead of chicken?'" and added, "Life is short, so we decided to give it a try."
Guinea pig has been a traditional ingredient in Ecuador for a long time. It is low in fat and high in protein, and compared to cattle or pigs, it requires less space for breeding, making it a sustainable alternative food source. In particular, in Ecuador, guinea pigs are commonly enjoyed at special events such as weddings, and there is also a tradition of gifting a pair of guinea pigs to the bride's family.
Marcelo Barrera, working at a restaurant in New York, USA, is grilling a guinea pig. Photo by New York Post
The restaurant is popular not only among Ecuadorian expatriates but also among adventurous locals and Chinese tourists. Lucio said, "They often eat a whole guinea pig by themselves."
Meanwhile, guinea pig dishes are popular not only in Ecuador but also in Peru. In Peru, guinea pig is considered a delicacy and an important source of protein for many people.
In January, British show host and actress Helen Skelton (40) revealed that she ate guinea pig while doing relief work in Peru. She said, "The guinea pig, which I thought was cute, was coated in batter and fried," and added, "They proudly served it as a delicacy, with the claws still intact, accompanied by coleslaw." Skelton described the experience, saying she ate the dish after the interpreter told her, 'Eating this food is really important to them.'
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