Chef reinvents longtime Patchogue pub as Ecuadorian-American restaurant, Tiesto's

In the cross-global sweep of fried rice, the Ecuadoran spin is particularly epic: Stock-drenched short-grained rice dense with bits of charred sausage, chicken, shrimp, eggs, peas, onions, peppers, tomato….

"I ate it almost every week growing up," said Ivonne Castro of chaulafan rice, which her dad, chef Luis Marin, would cook for her. Marin, who spent 27 years as the head chef at Painters Restaurant in Brookhaven, plated American-slash-continental dishes at work — burgers, steaks, pasta — while at home, he cooked the Ecuadorian fare he’d learned from his family.

Both cuisines, American and Ecuadorian — are woven together at Tiesto’s Restaurant in Patchogue, which Marin, Castro and her sister Jessica Marin opened earlier this fall in the space that formerly held the Blue Goose. "He’s always had this dream," Castro said of her father opening his own place.

Castro started bussing at Painters as a teenager, and has spent her career in the restaurant industry. Now she and her sister work multiple front-of-house roles at Tiesto’s, where the menu represents a fusion of gastropub fare with Mexican, Spanish and Ecuadoran dishes. Marin is in the kitchen, turning out heaping plates of chaulafan rice — as well as empanadas, shrimp ceviche, arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) and Ecuadorian-style churrasco steak — are served alongside more traditional American fare.

The family first saw the East Main Street space before the arrival of COVID, which delayed their plans; they didn’t close on the deal until earlier this year. "The Ecuadoran community here is pretty big," said Castro, explaining their desire to open in Patchogue.

The space still holds the looks of its former occupant, with rustic-nautical blue-grey wood and the same curved bar and taps. A lengthy cocktail roster goes from a bracing Tiesto’s house margarita (made with agave syrup and tequila infused with multiple berries) to another with a tajin rim, as well as spins on mojitos, frozen drinks, martinis and Paloma made with mezcal and gin. There's also shareable 100-ounce sangrias and rum punch.

Daily brunch (until 3 p.m. each day, from $14 to $20 per dish) ushers in omelettes, eggs Benedict, huevos rancheros, chicken over waffles and a flatbread breakfast pizza. Later in the day, starters ($8 to $16) go from French onion soup to wings, skirt-steak-topped nachos, shrimp ceviche with tostones (mashed, fried green plantains) and French fries that can be "loaded" with crispy housemade chicharron, or fried pork belly.

In addition to regular beef, chicken and veggie burgers, the Tiesto’s burger ($15) is topped with jalapeños, pico de gallo and queso fresco. Sandwiches ($10 to $16) such as Cubans and a BLT have a side of yucca fries as an option. Besides the Ecuadorian steaks and rice dishes, pizza, pasta (mostly $16) such as pumpkin ravioli and entrees ($16 to $35) like paella, wine-braised short ribs, salmon a la plancha and buttermilk fried chicken appear on the larger plate list.

Fans of churros and tres leches cake are in luck, and there is also warm salted caramel cake, blueberry-cheesecake tacos and dessert chimichangas (all $8) on the sweets menu.

Tiesto’s Restaurant opens at 11 a.m. daily at 411 W. Main St., Patchogue; 631-730-8602, tiestosrestaurant.com