Saturday, January 16, 2010

61. Ecuador: El Tipico Ecuatoriano

El Tipico Ecuatoriano
2312 Keele St (just south of Lawrence)
416 614 1136

We're the first customers in the door when they open up at noon on Saturday but three other tables fill up quickly.
Our menus and a pot of spicy salsa are brought to the table. I notice that the prices are higher than those on the website.
I order a special dish available only on weekends: Encebollado de Pescado [pictured here]- a hearty soup made with chunks of fresh tuna and cassava then garnished with cilantro and thinly sliced, pickled red onion, $11.00. A dish of roasted and salted corn kernels arrives and I'm not sure how to proceed. The waitress explains you can try them in your soup or eat them as is. They are crunchy and addictive; a bit like dry-roasted peanuts. The "arroz con pollo" - breaded chicken strips with rice, salad(again with slices of pickled onion) and fries is a tasty and filling meal but perhaps not as adventurous, $11.00 . We drink coffee at a dollar a cup.
Total $27.12 plus tip for two filling lunches. A large Ecuadoran flag pinned to the wall shows national pride but the strip mall location and Latin music videos on the TVs do little for the ambiance.

Rating: Ambiance (2)
Service (3)
Food Presentation (3)
Food Quality (3)
Value for Money (3)