Food file: Quito

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This was published 12 years ago

Food file: Quito

Simple to special ... ceviche -  a popular raw seafood dish.

Simple to special ... ceviche - a popular raw seafood dish.Credit: istock

Don't stop at lunch — fine Andean dining now stretches into the night, writes Ute Junker.

Favourite flavours

Ecuadoreans are soup addicts. Every meal starts with soup and the country's cooks churn out an incredible array, from locro, a mouth-watering blend of cheese, avocado and potato, to caldo de pata, made with boiled cow hooves.

Locals dine out at night.

Locals dine out at night.Credit: AFP

The local drop

For centuries, the Andean intoxicant of choice has been the eye-watering chicha, made with fermented corn, rice or yucca. Be aware that, traditionally, the chicha maker chews the ingredients, then spits them back in the pot to brew. Looking for something less lethal? Try canelazo, a warming brew of water, sugar cane alcohol, citrus, sugar and cinnamon.

Top tables

An ice-cream vendor.

An ice-cream vendor.Credit: istock

If Ecuador has a national dish, it's ceviche: raw seafood cured in citrus. One of the best places to try it is the airy Segundo Muelle (Quicentro shopping mall, Avenida Naciones Unidas at Avenida 6 de Diciembre, +593 2 224 8796, segundo -muelle.com). In addition to ceviche, there's a wide array of seafood options, from crab wontons to octopus in olive sauce.

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Astrid Y Gaston is one of the most famous restaurants in South America. It's a success story so spectacular it's been exported from its Lima home all over the continent. The Quito branch (Avenida Coruna N32-302 at Avenida Gonzalez, +593 2 2233 061, astridygaston.com) doesn't disappoint, with chic interiors and excellent food. Try the swordfish with yellow chilli sauce and spearmint.

One of the best places to appreciate Quito's spectacular location - nestled high in an Andean valley, surrounded by peaks - is at Cafe Mosaico (Manuel Samaniego N8-95 at Antepara, +593 2 254 2871). Perched high on a hill overlooking the Old Town, this is a great place to wind up the night with dessert and coffee while admiring the impressive view. You can even do some romantic stargazing through the restaurant's telescope.

Budget bite

If you're saving pennies, head to a bakery for a cheap lunch. Options include empanadas filled with meat or cheese, and llapingachos (potato and cheese pancakes).

Special night

Ecuador might be the land of the long lunch but it's only recently that the locals have started discovering the delights of dining out at night. With restaurants such as Zazu (Mariano Aguilera 331 at La Pradera, +593 2 254 3559; zazuquito.com) coaxing them out of the house, that's no surprise.

The backlit bar and Latin chillout soundtrack create a sophisticated vibe, while the internationally influenced menu delivers one delicious dish after another, from artichoke and brie tortellini in tangerine and pink peppercorn sauce to sashimi-style tuna encrusted in smoked chilli powder.

Locals love

Talk about a sweet tooth: in Quito, you'll see people buying cones of Chantilly cream from wandering vendors. If that doesn't tempt your taste buds, head to the Heladeria San Agustin (Guayaquil 1053 at Avenida Mejia, +593 2 228 5082) for the best ice-cream in town. In business since 1858, they've had time to get it right.

Don't leave without

Visiting La Choza (Avenida 12 de Octubre N24-551 at Cordero, +593 2 223 0839, lachozaec.com) for a crash course in Ecuadorian cuisine. La Choza's menu ranges all over the country, from a ceviche de palmito (palm hearts marinated with onions in tomato, orange and lemon juice, served with popcorn and roasted corn) to patito de chancho emborrajada (pig's feet cooked with some traditional Andean spices).

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