The effects of seasonal depression and the nonstop bad news of the world were really getting to me. Whenever I get in these funks, one of my favorite ways to snap out of them is by going on self-designed food tours of different New York neighborhoods. So, I hopped on the 7 train and arrived in Jackson Heights, where I made my first stop at Uruguayan eatery El Chivito D’Oro.
As an Uruguayan steakhouse, El Chivito D’oro is particularly known for their large offerings of sizzling meat platters, promptly known as “parrillada,” which means a variety of barbecued meats, typically consisting of offerings like carne (beef), pollo (chicken), tiras de asado (short ribs), matambre (a thin cut of beef), chorizo (pork sausage), and mollejas (“sweetbread,” or organ meat).
While I am never against a large platter of any type of food, especially meat, I was there early in the day with plans to stop at several restaurants afterward, so I opted for a sandwich.
It’s surprising that I had never had a sandwich here, considering “chivito” — the food for which the restaurant is named — is indeed a sandwich. Considered the national dish of Uruguay, chivito contains sliced churrasco (beef), mozzarella, tomato, olives, ham, mayonnaise and a fried or hard boiled egg, all piled high on a white bun. It would have felt wrong to not order steak here, so I got the “Entraña” sandwich, made of grilled skirt steak (though, I also had my eye on the Milanese and chorizo as well).
As I took a seat, two ramekins of sauce were placed on my table: one bright red salsa, and one bright green chimichurri. The sandwiches here are not served with any sides, so I threw in an order of French fries, because in my experience with “off days,” fried potatoes certainly never hurt.
I was there quite early in the day, sometime around noon, and the restaurant was quiet. By 12:30 or so, a few more people had come in, and I watched families with pitchers of sangria share large platters of grilled meat. That’s the way I had always experienced El Chivito D’Oro since their portions are so massive. My sandwich arrived, and confirmed El Chivito D’Oro doesn’t skimp on size in this department either. Crusty white bread was fully stuffed with grilled meat, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise, making for one simple yet beautiful sandwich.
To get a proper taste, I first bit in without the addition of salsa or chimichurri and juice from the meat dripped down on the plate. When I squeezed the sandwich, I witnessed juices from the meat soaking the bread, which was sturdy enough to withstand getting soggy. The slathering of mayo almost helped create a sauce when mixed with the natural juices of the steak. Yet still, dunking the sandwich in chimichurri sauce, which is garlicky and bright, takes it over the top. But truly, that chimichurri would improve just about any dish. I completely wiped the ramekin clean with a half portion of the sandwich and fries.
My only qualm with the entraña sandwich was that the meat was too chew in some bites, a common issue with skirt steak. For the price, the portion, and the addition of that chimichurri sauce, it was a small complaint
While I’ve always thought of El Chivito D’Oro as a place to dine with friends, company isn’t entirely necessary to enjoy New York’s best hidden dining gems. Should you choose to come here alone, know they also have several grilled meat platters for one, and in their glass case display as you enter the restaurant, they sell chicken and beef empanadas to go.
Another favorite of mine at El Chivito D’Oro is the provolone a la parrilla, which is basically “grilled” provolone that gets crusty on the outside and super gooey and cheesy on the inside. I personally like to take fries and dip it in — with a drizzle of chimichurri, of course.
Though I went out to escape the news, I should note that, while El Chivito D’Oro does many things exceptionally, escaping the news is apparently not one of them. There are TVs all over the restaurant, which makes El Chivito D’Oro a great place to watch sports. But hey, just get lost in the sauce and focus on life’s simple pleasures — like garlicky chimichurri, grilled meaty sandwiches, and the gift of being a New Yorker, where a reset for a bad day is just a MetroCard swipe away.
- Address: 84-02 37th Ave, Jackson Heights, NY 11372, United States
- Phone: 718-424-0600
- Hours: Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
- Prices: Ensaladas $3-$8.50; Sopas $4.50-$8.50; Pollo $7.50-$18; Cocina Italiana $15-$27.50; De La Casa Especialidades $13-$24.50; Carnes $4-$41; Mariscos $15-$45; Sandwiches $6-$18
- Takeout, delivery, and reservations via phone call.
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