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Guayanilla.- Edward “Pochy” Caraballo-Irizarry worked secretly for a whole year as he built a themed restaurant in La Playa sector of Guayanilla. It was to surprise his daughter Alondra, a Harry Potter fan, for her quinceañera.

The business owner separated a dining room from his main business, Upa-Upa, where he began to pan out the details of Portal 17. It is a unique concept on the Island that is characterized by its magical atmosphere, from the impeccable decoration to the tasty dishes.

“It’s a story of a father’s love for his daughter and the gift he gives her. You can imagine the excitement she felt when she saw it all, because she never knew why her dad was getting so many packages a day. She never could’ve known until she saw this. It was a very exciting day,” General Manager Roxana Muriel Rodríguez said.

“(The restaurant) wasn’t made with the intention of generating income, but with the aim of pleasing his daughter and giving her a gift that was 100% handmade. Edward worked for a whole year without Alondra knowing as he worked on this concept; the chairs, tables, walls, kitchen, he set everything up himself,” explained the young woman.

“When you enter, the front is made up in a full Gothic style, simulating wood. That’s when you see the sign. The doors can’t be seen; they mimic brick walls so (clients) have the experience of entering a magical world,” said Caraballo-Irizarry, a father of six.

Among the built-in elements, a series of “flying” candles stand out as they hang from the ceiling, along with floating books, magic keys held “in the air,” chandeliers, magic wands, and other objects that intensify the wonder of its visitors.

“The idea of windows that are actually televisions was done so that people feel the experience of being inside a magical dining room; they see out and only see what we display to create that environment. Everything you see here, I did it all,” he said.

Another curious aspect is that the hosts are dressed in their respective wizarding uniforms.

“The tables move depending on the size of the group of visitors; they are separated into family groups of a maximum of five to six people per table. When larger groups come, they are seated in a way so that the experience is held for the entire group as a whole,” said Caraballo-Irizarry, of Barrio Consejo Alto in Guayanilla.

“We host up to 24 people inside the premises, to be able to give you the right service and experience. We have an open kitchen, and the bar serves magic beer, with or without alcohol,” he said.

Portal 17 has two separate menus that begin with a brunch of approximately 14 courses, including sandwiches, wraps and classic breakfasts.

This offering is available on Fridays and Saturdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

However, “during dinnertime is where the real magic happens,” available Friday through Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

According to the manager, it is “a course menu, an innovative concept in Guayanilla. And it was created by Chef Elvis Sepúlveda.”

The dining experience begins with mandrake bread. “It’s a spice bread, completely made in the firewood oven we own here.”

Then there are the appetizers that have six options, “including tempura shrimp, bacalaítos with spicy crab, ropa vieja, potato mofonguito stuffed with steak, (and) chicken skewer,” among others.

The third course consists of onion or plantain soup that “represent a gift to the palate.” He highlights that, “at the end we have two options: traditional green salad with berry and walnuts, and bean salad.”

Main courses “start with fish like cod loin, salmon, squid stuffed with shellfish mamposteao, octopus tentacle and shrimp wrapped in bacon.”

As for poultry, they have chicken breast and chicken pie available. For those who love red meat, there is pork chop stuffed with cassava in apple sauce, lamb chops, ribeye, among others.

While the children’s menu is not a course menu, they do have a selection of grilled or breaded chicken breast, mac & cheese, which is made in the firewood oven, and a personal cheese or pepperoni pizza.

Among the desserts they have a selection of cheesecake and pies, the mandrake or chocolate mousse, as well as the magic beer cheesecake.