Grand dining entry

The highly anticipated Gran Castor – run by the Curt Catallo and wife Ann Stevenson restaurant development company Union Joints – has opened for dinner with a unique flair, and in a unique location. Home to a former Hooters restaurant at 2950 Rochester Road in Troy, Stevenson, who also served as the restaurant’s designer, described their latest project as Latin street food set in “the funkiest rec room ever.” After already having success with their Clarkston restaurant Honcho, where they also do Latin street food, the company decided to bring that flavor to Gran Castro. While Stevenson is partial to their avocado salad – a mix of grilled avocado, spiced nuts, spring mix, and queso fresco, tossed with a mole vinaigrette – and the soon to be added stuffed trout – which they’ll cook in their pizza oven – the menu also has items like jackfruit tacos, curried oxtail, pizzas, and dessert, along with a full bar and a cafe with coffee roasted at Honcho. The name gran castro means “big beaver” in Spanish – an ode to being located at the intersection of Big Beaver Road.