For most of our drive to El Carajo International, D thought we were going to a place called Gas Station. I guess I confused him when I said that the place where we were meeting our friends on Friday night was at a gas station. When we pulled into the Citgo on the dark corner of US1 and 17th Ave. — after first driving past it in search for a sign — the reaction was, “are you kidding me?”
I wasn’t.
Call me a late bloomer, but this was my first time at this much-talked-about tapas and wine bar. We got the last parking spot available, conveniently (on that rainy night) located in front of the Citgo’s convenience store entrance. We then made our way past the rows of packaged snacks, bottled drinks and other supplies toward the back of the store where a few arches, painted in yellow and red, mark the end of the store and the beginning of the bar.
I assume my car scenario isn’t unusual for first-timers. When our friends arrived, one told me when I said the place was at a gas station, she didn’t think I meant an operational gas station. Her boyfriend urged her to call me as they pulled into the Citgo because they had to be at the wrong place. Location definitely adds appeal in this instance and it makes for great conversation.
“Where’d you have dinner last night?”
“At a gas station.”
Called El Carajo no less. (In short, carajo is an expletive in Spanish, varying in gravity depending on where you’re from and used in many many ways, one of which means something is out of this world — that would be, del carajo.)
El Carajo’s menu has an ample selection of tapas that includes gambas al ajillo, pulpo a la gallega, tortilla espanola, as well as soups, salads and a selection of entrees and tablas (platters). Add to that an impressive collection of wines (they claim around 2,000) that you can pick from the shelves to take home or drink with your meal ($10 corkage fee), and you’ve got a winning combination.
We ordered seafood empanadas, the cheese and cold cut plate, the filetillos encebollados (steak filet bits with onions) and the tostones con mariscos (green fried plantains with seafood salad). For dessert, guava cheesecake and chocolate cake topped with ice cream. Let’s just say we were all pleasantly surprised by the food.
Paella is also part of El Carajo’s menu but it comes with a disclaimer that basically boils down to: if you’re not adventurous, don’t try it — at least not without asking what’s in it that day. That could be said for El Carajo, at the very least for your first visit, which like ours may be speckled with skepticism. Ultimately what matters, however, is a good dining experience, and on Friday, El Carajo did a fine job at delivering that.
El Carajo International Tapas & Wine Bar
2465 SW 17th Ave.
305.856.2424
Neighbor! El carajo is such a natural!
“Carajo” actually referred to the crow’s nest on a ship. The highest point on the ship, and therefore the place which rocks the most with the movement of the seas, it is where misbehaven sailors were banished to as punishment. Hence, the phrase “Vete al carajo!”…
Glad you discovered this little place. There’s a second one where the old Steak n’ Egg used to be on SW 57th Avenue.
Is this any relation to the El Carajo on 57th Avenue? Food there is always really good although service is usually pretty slow.
SGG - From what I read, it’s another location of the 57th Ave. El Carajo — same owners.
Ok, i found this review about a spaniard tapas bar… since also i’m spanish -my parents are gallegos- i will give it a try and i will let you know if they are “del carajo” o “pal carajo”…
By the way, that “nonee moose” said something totally wrong: carajo is d**k in spanish… so, if you put “del” (de el) before carajo, it means that it is as big and good as a… that. And if you put “pal” (para el) before carajo, it means that it is going to that private area…
Paola, you need to get real latin-hispanic friends, not those ones that b.s. what Rachael Ray told them it is “latinou”…