In Bizarre Foods Quito, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Quito’s food scene.
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DISH – Fritada de Chancho and Llapingachos
WHAT IS IT?
Fritada de chancho and llapingachos is a dish of fried pork and cheesy potato cakes. To prepare fritada de chancho, a broth of onions, garlic and spices is whipped up. It is added to a green pepper-based mixture with achiote oil. The achiote oil gives the mixture an orange color and a nutty flavor. Chunks of tough pork leg are simmered for hours until all the liquid evaporates and the pork is tender. The pork is then deep fried until crispy. Llapingachos, on the other hand, is prepared through tinting potatoes with achiote and mashing them with butter. The potato mash is then stuffed with mild, fresh white cheese and formed into patties before being fried. It is typically served with boiled and peeled corn kernels (called mote), fried bananas, pickled onions, salsa and avocado.
WHERE IS IT?
¡Hasta la Vuelta!, Señor
Centro Comercial Palacio Arzobispal, Chile Oe 456 and Venezuela, 3rd floor
Quito, Ecuador
NOTES – Delicious Destinations Quito
¡Hasta la Vuelta!, Señor is housed in a 44-year old archbishop’s palace at La Plaza Grande in Quito, Ecuador. It only uses Papa Chola potatoes in its llapingachos.
DISH – Manabíta-Style Ceviche
WHAT IS IT?
Ceviche is a cold dish of fresh seafood marinated in citrus juice. Manabíta-style ceviche is from the Manabí Province of Ecuador. It is made with lots of lemon, cooked seafood, and no tomatoes.
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WHERE IS IT?
Zavalita
Francisco de Orellana
Quito, Ecuador
NOTES – Delicious Destinations Quito
Zavalita is one of the well-known cevicherias in Quito. It serves Manabíta-style and its Ceviche Rey is the most popular. The dish is prepared through rinsing firm-flesh marlin in hot water to partially cook it. It is further cooked in lemon juice and salt. Next, shrimp and squid are poached. Then, de-shelled raw black clams are cooked in an acidic marinade of lemon, onion, herbs and spices. The cooled fish, squid and shrimp are then tossed into the marinade, along with ketchup and mustard. It is then served with a steamed crab leg on top.
DISH – Locro de Papa – Andrew Zimmern Quito
WHAT IS IT?
Locro de papa is creamy, cheesy potato soup. The soup base is a refrito of sweet spring onions, butter and achiote oil. Mashed potato, creamy whole milk and fresh cheese are added to finish the soup. It is often served with roasted corn, crispy chicharrón and avocado.
WHERE IS IT?
El Balcón De La Riobambeñita
Av. Libertador Simón Bolívar
Quito, Ecuador
NOTES – Delicious Destinations Quito
La Riobambeñita is very specific with the potato used in its locro de papa. Only Papa Chola potatoes grown in San Gabriel, Ecuador are used.
DISH – Colaciones – Andrew Zimmern Quito
WHAT IS IT?
Colaciones are the handmade sugar coated roasted peanuts. The simple syrup is prepared through heating water and sugar to caramelizing point. It is then drizzled over roasted local peanuts. This process takes 2 full hours to properly execute. After which, a final dash of lime is added.
WHERE IS IT?
Colaciones Cruz Verde
Simon Bolivar
Quito, Ecuador
NOTES – Delicious Destinations Quito
Colaciones de Cruz Verde is the last remaining shop in Quito that continues to make colaciones by hand.
DISH – Empanadas de Viento – Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations Quito
WHAT IS IT?
Empanadas are either fried or baked dough, stuffed with any combination of meats, vegetables and cheeses. There are several variations to empanadas, depending on the locality. At Quito, empanadas de viento or wind empanadas are popular. They are made through filling sheets of dough with a little cheese and lots of air.
WHERE IS IT?
La Tortilla
Jorge Páez Gonzalo Salazar N47-161 Sucursal: Av. Republica del Salvador y Portugal Plaza Kendo
Quito, Ecuador
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
NOTES – Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations Quito
La Tortilla is famous for its gigantic empanadas de viento. The gigantic empanadas are prepared through rolling wheat flour and pork fat dough to 1 mm thick. Salty, aged cheese is then crumbled on the sheets before being sealed. These are then tossed into a deep fryer where it is constantly basted in hot oil. The gigantic empanada is sprinkled with sugar before being served.
DISH – Encebollado – Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations Quito
WHAT IS IT?
Encebollado is a hearty fish soup with onions and yucca. It is reputed to be both an aphrodisiac and a cure for hangover. The soup is prepared through boiling fish with garlic, cilantro, sweet and salty spice mix, and plenty of red onion. After an hour, the fish and vegetables are strained out. The flavorful broth is then simmered with cooked yucca. To finish the soup, pieces of cooked albacore, more onions, and cilantro are added. It is often served with popcorn, plantain chips and rice to add crunch and heft to the dish.
WHERE IS IT?
La Resaca De Manta
Reina Victoria y Luis Cordero
Quito, Ecuador
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
NOTES – Andrew Zimmern Delicious Destinations Quito
Andrew Zimmern visited La Resaca De Manta in its old location on Calle San Javier. La Resaca De Manta is a popular spot to have encebollado in Quito. They use albacore for the fish in their soup. Here, diners can customize the soup with lemon juice, oil, mustard and hot sauce.
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