In Spanish, the word parrillada literally translates as “grilled.” But in some Latin American countries, it’s also used as a synonym for “barbecue” – a feast of various meats, seafood and vegetables that have been marinated in savory potions and then roasted over an open grill. This style of regional cooking is said to have originated in Argentina, but its popularity has spread across the continent, up through Central America and into Mexico. Now, you can enjoy it in downtown Rosendale, where Parrillada Family Meals opened its doors on April 8.
What makes this eatery special is its founders’ commitment to supplying a healthy, flavorful alternative to the greasy fast food that is so ubiquitous in modern US culture. “Here, everything is grilled,” explains co-owner MaryLu Chub. “Our kids are getting so overweight because everything is fried. We wanted to make it easy to get healthy meals instead.”
Known to many as MaryLu Ciardiello, her surname from her first marriage, the ebullient local entrepreneur is a familiar face in New Paltz, where she opened Sunny (formerly SUNY) Tanning in 2000, at the tender age of 18. “I was still in high school,” she admits. Born in San Francisco to Salvadoran parents, she returned to live with her family El Salvador from the age of 3 to 12 and moved to New Paltz in 1997.
MaryLu’s career so far is an inspiring and occasionally hair-raising tale. She married young, to a much older man with old-school ideas about the roles and rights of women, and had a daughter, Carmela. MaryLu created the tanning salon with financial help from her family of origin and built it up by her own sweat equity, but her first husband’s name was on all the incorporation papers, so he was technically the owner. When she decided she needed a divorce, he fought her every step of the way and insisted that she buy out his interest in the business, to the tune of $70,000.
It wasn’t an easy transition, but MaryLu persevered and moved on; though many in her situation would be less generous, today she speaks without rancor of the father of her now-grown elder daughter. In the process of emancipating herself, she became adept at filling out forms and untangling legal snarls, and went on to “volunteer at the courthouse as a translator.”
In 2016, around the time the divorce was being finalized, she became acquainted with Ramón “Junior” Chub, whose family had recently emigrated from Guatemala. “He played soccer with my nephew. He was very young, but I noticed that he was very handy in everything he did,” she recalls. “I fell in love with his family, and I helped them start a company.” By this point in life, MaryLu planned never to marry again, but Junior was smitten with her, and took a second job so he could help her recoup her losses from having to buy back Sunny Tanning. Over time, to her surprise, their business partnership evolved into a more mutual attraction. MaryLu and Junior eventually got married; their daughter Angelica is now 3.
The Chub clan, aided by MaryLu’s hard-earned expertise in navigating the channels of business law, quickly created a local empire of five small businesses. “Each of us manages one,” says MaryLu. Junior founded JMC Lawn Care and Property Maintenance by buying a single push-mower; the company now owns a fleet of 15 trucks, does home construction and maintains Airbnbs. The family opened their first restaurant, Tikal México, in Fishkill in October 2023, serving authentic Guatemalan cuisine. Besides Junior and MaryLu, the partnership includes his brothers Marciál and Tomás and sister-in-law Claudia Turcio Chub, who is the manager of Parrillada Family Meals.
The chefs at Parrillada are two Chub cousins, Melvin and Douglas, but the food here isn’t Guatemalan-style. “The dishes are mostly Italian and Turkish – nothing to do with our background,” MaryLu says. Over the years, she learned Italian cooking from her first husband’s mother and from the owners of “our favorite place in Fishkill, El Figlio.” Recipes for the Middle Eastern items on the Parrillada menu were a gift from the owners of Anatolia, a popular Turkish restaurant in New Paltz that went out of business during the COVID pandemic.
The result of this cross-cultural mix of inspirations is a diverse array of healthful, sprightly tastes, all expertly prepared. The presentation, especially of the various grilled vegetable dishes, is colorful and enticing. Most menu items aren’t drenched with sauces, and what isn’t grilled or roasted is very lightly sautéed in minimal quantities of olive oil.
When HV1 visited, we shared an appetizer – roasted eggplant with cherry tomatoes and garlic – and tried two of the entrées: chicken kebab with rice, hummus, pita triangles and cucumber salad, and fettucine with grilled veggies in a wine sauce. Everything is light, fresh and flavorful; the portions are enormous; and the prices are very reasonable, especially considering that you’ll have ample leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. We’ll definitely be going back.
Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty to choose from at Parrillada. Dishes that lean toward the spicy side can be ordered in a milder version. They don’t have a liquor license as yet, but that’s simply an excuse to check out their healthy smoothies, which are made from nothing but frozen fruit, ice and water. We tried the blueberry, and it was incredible.
The restaurant is located at 378 Main Street in downtown Rosendale, in the storefront that used to house Carl Cox’s photography studio. There’s a small parking lot on the west side of the building, and on-street parking is usually available as well. At present, the Town is only allowing the Chubs to set up dinner seating for four inside, citing inadequate parking for more, but MaryLu is preparing to tackle the Zoning Board of Appeals on this issue. “We need more tables and chairs,” she says. “We have a lot of clients who walk here.” Meanwhile, if you come at a busy time, you can get takeout; you can even preorder online. If it’s a nice day, the picnic tables in Willow Kiln Park are a short walk away.
Parrillada Family Meals is closed on Mondays and open from 2 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, including the full menu, visit www.parrilladafamilymeals.com, or check out the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555681806739.
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