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Before I left for this trip, a friend of mine asked me to describe how the spices and aromas here are different than in the United States. One whiff in front of El Brasero would answer his question. There is nothing more inviting than the aroma of chicken on the barbecue infused with garlic. These barbecue places are fairly common here, but this one smelled best. These folks don't need contact cards- they can just fire up the grills. I had great service here on a frustrating day when I was in downtown Quito. Not only was it fast, but when the steamed potatoes that come with the chicken were presented with a mayonnaise sauce (not mentioned on the menu) the waiter gladly took it back in favour of an unadorned steamed potato.
Disgruntled with the other events of the day, I wasn't terribly hungry. So, I had the quarter chicken served with a consomé, steamed potato, rice, and salad. Of course there was ají on the side, which was spicier than usual. So, it was a good thing two pieces of bread came with it. The consomé is a hot, clear soup served with huge chunks of chicken liver. It's the type of soup that would feel good going down on a cold fall day. The chicken tastes as good as it smells from down the street. The rice, potato, and salad (with the help of the ají) were good accompaniments to the chicken. All of this came to $3.45! Leave a Comment Theme: BarbecuePrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: less expensive than averageAddress: 433 Avda. Colón
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I had never had ceviche before. All I knew was it was raw fish or seafood that was "cooked" in lime juice. I was keen on trying it, so we went to this fast-food type cebicheria in downtown Quito. My one complaint I have with this restaurant is the confusing system of keeping track of the white, yellow, and pink colours of the receipts to get your order to you. The service was very fast.
They always serve a basket of popcorn with roasted kernels together with banana crisps as something to snack on before your meal gets here. Sometimes they serve fried yucca sticks which are okay- they taste like the American tater tot. The ceviche arrives together with ají and a lime. First, I had the large shrimp ceviche. I loved it with the ají and the lime juice. It tasted even better putting the banana crisps in, serving as crackers or croutons. Next, I had a smaller portion of the fish ceviche, again adding the ají, lime juice, and banana crisps. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: least expensiveAddress: Avda. 12 de Octubre y Colón
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This was my first go of Colombian cooking. A friend of Sergio's recommended this restaurant for fine food at a reasonable price. So, I treated Sergio for lunch. The restaurant had quite a lot of atmosphere and they were showing news from Colombia on TV in the background. The service was very attentive and fast.
With every meal, they serve one empanada per person as an appetiser and some ají on the side. The empanada seemed to be of potatoes. Sergio recommended the ajiaco (a typical Colombian soup made with chicken, three types of potatoes and corn) and the bendeja paisa (a plate that includes blood sausage, a more traditional garlic sausage, ground beef, yuca, and a green banana. All that is served with a corn cake called arepa. Believe it or not, folks, these were half-sized portions. I would have had to buy a second seat on the flight back if I had gone whole hog. There is a certain way to eat ajiaco. They present it with a plate of rice (garnished with avocado) and a cream sauce with capers. A little bit at the time, add the rice, cream sauce, and capers to the soup. The rice gives it more texture, the cream sauce gives it more body, and the capers give it more flavour. I asked Sergio if there was a special way to eat the bandeja paisa. He said, "With a knife and fork." I washed all that down with a typical Colombian soft drink called Postodon (apple flavour). The drink wasn't bad, but I've had better. Over all, it was a great first experience with Colombian food. Sadly, as of November, 2007, there aren't any Colombian restaurants in the Richmond area. In terms of bang for the buck, this has to be the best in town. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: Whimper 358 y OrellanaPhone: 2 555 398
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When Sergio dropped me off early the last full day of my trip, he recommended the Magic Bean. This restaurant is on the calle Mariscal Foch and Juan Leon Mera. I figured on taking Mark "acemj" there, but he wasn't feeling too swift that day. So, my friend Esteban Cordero had business in that part of town and he ended up taking me to lunch here. They decorated this place with bold colours and eyecatching designs. Our waiter was real nice. He took a picture of Esteban and me together. The service was very fast too and the portions were big.
I had the chicken rosemary which is just what it seems- a chicken breast served with rosemary. It came with fried potatoes and salad. The chicken was tender and delicious. The potatoes were a wee bit on the dry side and, thankfully, the salad was dressed with something besides a mayonnaise-based dressing. It was some kind of mango dressing. Esteban had the steak cooked to his taste with a similar medley of vegetables. Overall, it was a very nice restaurant and the food was great. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: US$11-20 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: calle Mariscal Foch y Juan Leon Mera
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Motes de Magdalena is probably the best mall food I've had in the 6 years since I had bife de chorizo at the Galeria Pacifico in Buenos Aires. I'm sure this is a national chain appearing in similar upmarket shopping malls and maybe even freestanding locations in town. There is no ambiance at a mall food court, but what it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in flavour. (I used a picture of one of the freestanding locations, not because I was intimidated by the rent-a-cop at the mall- I took that one before we had our little confrontation- but simply because I got a better shot of this one.)
I had the fritada which consists of pieces of fried pork. It came with ample helpings of corn, big beand called habas, and bigger pieces of pork served on the bone. Everything came with a side order of ají which accented the flavour of bland corn and beans. To wash all that down, I ordered a local drink called chicha. All that food and the drink came to less than $5. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: least expensiveAddress: Condado Mall, other malls, freestanding locations
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I was a bit afraid that Café Modelo would be a tourist trap. Lonely Planet raved about it as a great local institution and it was very convenient to all tourist sights. It was indeed both of those things but though we went there many repeatedly during our stay in Quito we were the only gringos to be found. It was always packed and full of locals enjoying reasonably priced Quito specialties. It is very a small and bustling place so don’t go expecting a quiet getaway. But do expect to experience what locals have been for over 50 years: great food, quick service and a genuinely authentic Quito restaurant.
It's one of the few places in the city to get a decent coffee and certainly the best place for an authentic Quito breakfast. Huevos ala Copa (50 cents)are basically soft boiled eggs served in a little glass cup that locals seem to like with a grilled cheese sandwich. Go for the combo specials ( as they are better value from $1.10) and even though this is not the cheapest place for breakfast and by no means is it fancy, this place packs them in with their quality. Other options include humitas (a corn meal salty pastry wrapped in a corn husk for 65 cents), guimbolitos (a sweeter cousin to the humita for 65 cents), and empanadas. Their beer is well priced ($1.10 for a big bottle) but also look for punch (90 cents), an eggnog-like hot drink perfect for chilly nights as well as an assortment of freshly squeezed juices. The local Pilsner brand band is certainly serviceable enough and refreshing though it could use with a bit more hops considering its name. Leave a Comment Theme: LocalPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: Sucre and Garcia MorenoDirections: Nearly across from the "gold" church in the old town.
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In Northern Ecuador, you find a unique sort of ice cream, Helado de Paila. Here's a short documentary on Youtube (not mine) where you can see how it's made. Basically, instead of being churned, the ice cream is prepared in a wide wok-like pan which the ice cream maker spins on a bed of ice. The helado is very compact and very rich, with little or no cream, like a punchy, intense sorbet. You must try the Mora (berry) flavor.
There is magnificent ice cream everywhere in Ecuador, but Helado de Paila is truly something. I had it many times, and it was always great.
Operating since 1858, Heladeria San Augustin feels completely European: an elegant "petit salon de thé" that could be in Paris. Except that in Paris, they wouldn't offer shrimp ceviche to the "vieilles dames." As in old fashioned French establishments, you pay your bill with a severe cashier. Leave a Comment Theme: Ice CreamPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: Guayaquil 1053Directions: Between the Teatro Sucre and the Plaza Grande Trole stops
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La Vaca Negra (the black cow, for those in Roxboro) is one of those locally-owned small restaurants on the corner. This one is on the corner of Amazonas and Foch.
Per Richie's recommendation, I tried the quimbolito. Being from the Southern United States (and familiar with cornbread) it didn't really taste like anything new. The service was extraordinary and I had fun laughing and joking with the lady who runs the place. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: least expensiveAddress: Amazonas y Foch 2498
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Hansel & Gretel is a chain of bakeries, which, like Motes la Magdalena, is at a mall in Ecuador near you. Sergio highly recommended this place for dessert.
I had the tres leches which is a very rich dessert. It tasted rather like soft ice cream and was topped with whipped cream and a raspberry. Leave a Comment
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Sergio and I were searching for a place where I could have a snack in the late afternoon my last night there. I thought ceviche would be light enough and taste good, but the thing was, the Plaza Foch caters more to international rather than local tastes. So, we settled on this chocolate bar in the Plaza. Originally, I was going to settle for some pastries and another coffee, but I saw they had more substantive items on their menu and not just chocolate. It is a typical cafe in the Plaza Foch. I imagine it is swinging at night and there was a pretty good crowd here at sundown.
I sure hope their chocolate is better than their mushroom omelets. This one was so overdone I could have used it as a frisbee, but it would have probably wounded a pigeon. The bread that came with it was as dry as British humour and as hard as Chinese arithmetic. Its only saving grace was the parsley flakes that garnished it. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: Plaza Foch
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- Hotel Rio Amazonas Internacional
Cordero 1342 y Amazonas esq., Quito - Embassy Hotel
President Wilson E8-22 & Avenida 6 De Diciembre, Quito - Oro Verde Swissotel Quito
Av 12 de Octubre 1820 y Luis Cordero Casilla 17-21-565, Quito - Republica Hotel (Calle Azuay Quito Ecuador)
Calle Azuay y Avenida Republica, Quito - Cafe Cultura (Robles 513 y Reina Victoria.)
Robles 513 y Reina Victoria, Quito - Hotel San Sebastian
Calle Almagro 822, Quito - Best Western Plaza Caicedo
Shyris 1757 Y Naciones Unidas, Quito - Rio Amazonas Intl Hotel
Cordero 1342 y Amazonas esq., Quito - Four Points by Sheraton Quito
Avenida Naciones Unidas y Republica de el Salvador, Quito - Radisson Royal Quito Hotel
12 de Octubre Ave. and Cordero 444 St, Quito - Chalet Suisse
Reina Victoria N24-191 y Calama, Quito - Dann Carlton Hotel Quito
Av. RepĂşblica de El Salvador No. 513 e Irlanda San Francisco de Quito, Quito - Los Alpes
Tamayo 233 y Jorge Washington, Quito - HOTEL PLAZA GRANDE
GarcĂa Moreno N5-16 y Chile, Quito - Jw Marriott Quito
Av. Orellana 1172 y Amazonas, Quito
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on November 18, 2007
on November 9, 2007
on September 6, 2007
