El Encebollado de Rossy

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

There are stretches of Wyckoff Avenue, of course, that you should steer clear of these days. A combination of dangers and threats from fixed-gear bikes chained to every surface; large, apparently unshowered and unshaven men in plaid roaming everywhere, and the ever-present risk of drowning in craft beer get worse the closer you come to Flushing Avenue.

Luckily as you near Myrtle Avenue, and especially when you cross to the other side, the ubiquity of women dressed like they live in the 1980's goes down, and the chances to find excellent food goes significantly up. One such restaurant to eat well and avoid the dangers of all these other things is a small Ecuadorian nook named for the dish it features most prominently: Encebellado.

It does not take a ton of people to make this thin space feel crowded, but on each visit here the restaurant is at or above capacity. The customers and staff give it a good spirit though, and smiles pervade. When you are eating well, a New York City-style cramming is that much easier to handle.

On a second visit, with an unexpectedly buzzing late afternoon crowd, this bowl of encebollado regular ($12, above) was tucked into and savored. The regular version of this popular soup is filled with meaty whitefish, cooked of course with onions as the name suggests. With maritime themes painted on the walls, it is easy to close your eyes and smell the Pacific Coast as if you were sitting in a seafood shack near Guayaquil.

Encebollado comes with a heaping plate of tasty white rice, but order a side of chifles ($2, not shown) for the full experience. These are thinly sliced and fried plantains that add a salty crunch to the meal.

Despite having the national dish in the name and hand-painted fish on its walls, the menu here at Rossy goes much further, offering just about everything you could want. Ecuadorian-style Chinese favorite chaulafan ($17, above) is a supremely savory fried rice made with shrimp and beef, topped with avocado and a nice long fried sweet plantain.

For those wanting a good bit of leftovers, this is probably the best bet, as the plate is gigantic and would be a feat to finish. You will not find light and airy fried rice like you might in Chinese cuisine. Ecuadorians prefer the dark and heavy soy sauces and plenty of meat.

It is hard to go wrong with the goat stew known as seco de chivo ($16, above), another Ecuadorian favorite that is done well at Rossy. Each bite is proof of slow cooking, the gravy perfect with spoons of meat and rice together. Another one of those delicious plantains curls around and offers a sweet respite when necessary.

On weekday visits during lunch, check out the daily menu, an economical way to eat a ton of food. On one visit, this plate of carne asada (below), served with plantain, rice and beans was all possible with a ten dollar bill. Tasty soups can be procured for even less.

The menu goes in many other directions, future visits will require an order of their bolones, mashed green plantains formed into balls and combined with your choice of meats, cheeses, and eggs. Judging by other tables these seem to be a hit.

Or maybe esperame en la cama, a type of encebollado that translates as "wait for me in bed." The addition of black clams and the insinuation of aphrodisiac might be all that is necessary to spice up your night. Let us know in the comments. (Please don't)

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BUSHWICK Brooklyn

293 Wyckoff Avenue

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Ecuadorian Ceviche/Encebollado Vendor

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

On a couple walkabouts during the last six months I have twice hiked by this corner in the Mt. Hope section of the Bronx and been intrigued by a regular-looking food cart offering very unusual (for a food cart) Ecuadorian treats. This past weekend conditions finally aligned on the third visit (the right day, an empty belly) to give it a try.

Encebollado de pescado, a uniquely Ecuadorian fish stew cooked with onions was actually the first choice but already finished by 12:45 on a very nice Saturday. That left three varieties of ceviche, all $12, on offer; shrimp, shrimp and fish, or shrimp, fish, and octopus. These options are only available on Fridays and Saturdays, otherwise the sandwich board is flipped around and just the normal New York City offerings of hot dogs and sausages are shown.

The ceviche (below) is served with white rice as common in Ecuador, but thankfully the beloved ketchup and mustard toppings were left out this time. In addition to a small portion of maíz tostado (toasted corn) that is essential to Ecuadorian ceviche, a packet that looks like ketchup but is actually hot sauce is given as well. Squirt that all in as it is not that hot.

The cart sets out a couple stools for customers, but these seem to be the exclusive property of some local old-timers who come to chat with the proprietor and each other. Standing while eating is probably going to be a requirement here, but the communal atmosphere of the always busy cart is enjoyable to be around.

Other customers were ordering grilled skewers of meat variously called chuzos or pinchos at many Latin American carts but usually referred to as carne en palito by Ecuadorians. These seemed to be the most popular item, and much more convenient for eating while upright.

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MT. HOPE Bronx
East Burnside Avenue & Walton Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Reina de la Nube

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

From the outside, with an awning that has long disintegrated away, the poetic and whimsical name of "Queen of the Cloud" might only be familiar to Ecuadorians and a few Peruvians with knowledge of the history. A sticker in the front window honors nuestra señora de la nube, a story that goes back to the 1600's when the Virgin Mary appeared in the sky above a prayer procession on its way from a village to Quito. At the site of this appearance, there is now a festival each year to celebrate the events.

Back down here on Earth, this little bakery and restaurant is popular with livery cab drivers and other Ecuadorians inspired by their weekday lunch specials, excellent prices, and quick service allowing them to get back in their cars and back to work. A shrine in the front has dolls to (I'm guessing) represent the Blessed Mother, and some patrons say a prayer and touch her dress on the way out.

Before any order, a small piece of bread arrives in anticipation. My server called it "pan de lonch" when I asked her about it, but later changed her answer to "pan de huevo" after some thought, egg bread. Either way, the bread is delicious, moist on the inside with dueling salty and sweet flavors.

Skip the tortilla de choclo ($2, below), which seemed like a good idea on the menu but was too dry to eat.

Something was also off on another visit for encebollado de pescado ($12, below), usually one of my favorite dishes. As orders of the daily lunch special seemed to be flying off the shelves, the wait time for my soup was quite out of the ordinary. A few patrons had come in after my order was placed, eaten, and left by the time I was presented with the bowl here.

I think I would have been better served if they told me it was not available, because what did finally show up was full of unfresh cubes of fish which I had to leave mostly uneaten. The flavorful green sauce and limes made the soup itself very good, but it was disappointing because of the fish. As always, shiny Ecuadorian rice came with the order and saved the day.

I suppose the lesson for the weekdays is to stick with the daily special and follow the locals during lunch. These prepared meals will arrive quickly and should be fresh.

The evening is a better time to explore the other dishes, as proved by El Cholito ($14, below), a combination of meats and flavors that can easily be split between two people. Fried hunks of seasoned pork called fritada are joined by steak cooked with onions (bistec encebollado), ceviche ecuatoriano, fried plantains, rice, and salad. In addition to the two pieces of pan de huevo, it was an all out feast for two.

Garb some sweet snacks from the display like this pan de coco (below), although do by vigilant about what is fresh and what is not.

Interested in drinking water that began as snow in the Andes, melted and then flowed through subterranean passages to acquire lots of minerals? They have that too.

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SUNSET PARK Brooklyn
922 4th Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Picantería El Austro

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

As you might expect if you know a little bit of Spanish, a picantería is traditionally a place that sells spicy foods. Typically a lunch establishment, the word is actually more associated with the country of Perú than Ecuador, but in New York City it seems exclusively reserved for establishments of the latter's community. Often times they are open for dinner as well here, and serve as a watering hole like this one in Jackson Heights that I have always been curious about.

From evening until very late into the morning, the jukebox is usually on and can be heard from outside. Groups of mostly (maybe exclusively?) male friends meet here to order buckets of beer and fill their hungry bellies. But during those lunch hours it is a quieter place, you will find the servers watching telenovelas during the afternoon and taking care of a random guest here and there.

As a picantería in South America might offer, El Austro has a few lunch specials each day that offer a soup and entree for about $9. The sopa de pata (above) and seco de chivo (below) came together as one of those specials, but you have the option to choose between a few soups and entrees. It ends up being an enormous amount of very good food for the price.

The menu is much larger though and offers most of the standards that you will see in New York City's Ecuadorian restaurants, from meats and rice to fish stews like the encebollado de pescado ($13, below), one of my favorite dishes from the country. Along with a generous amount of fish in the bowl, starch is provided by cassava and a layer of pickled red onions is always necessary for the right tastes. A side of green salsa is always served alongside your dishes, and after squeezing in half a lime, I scooped in quite a bit of this fiery sauce to get the soup appropriately picante.

The mood is really nice here before it gets too loud. Wood-paneled walls make it feel like a rustic shack and the kitchen seems to know well what they are doing in every arena. I have been too intimidated to come in when the place is more raucous, but this is probably just overthinking it. If you come on a festive night and enjoy yourself, let us know!

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JACKSON HEIGHTS Queens
37-08 83rd Street

Map of Eat the World NYC:

El Conquistador

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

Finally had the chance on a recent chilly evening to stop in for some warming Ecuadorian soup at Broadway mainstay El Conquistador. This stretch just northwest of the busier areas near the Broadway/Roosevelt intersection is much quieter but has always had a small contingent of good food, some at restaurants that are no longer around.

After my first choice choice caldo de bola was not available on this night, I opted instead for their encebollado de pescado (above). This fish stew is popular throughout the country, but obviously the best ones are usually found in coastal regions with the freshest supplies of fish. You can also find a mixed version with other seafood, and restaurants that specialize in this dish are open from early morning serving up both from dawn until well past dusk.

It was not as flavorful and complex as some other versions, but after dumping in much of the spicy green aji shown in the photo and squeezing in some lime, the temperature starting feeling more manageable. Hearty Ecuadorian soups are so good for this.

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WOODSIDE Queens

63-04 Broadway

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Lincoln Avenue Deli

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

In this city, when the words "hot food" are coupled with "seating available" on a deli awning, it is worth taking a look inside. Many times a steam table will look very tired and the place will be empty, but this is far from the case at the friendly Lincoln Avenue Deli just at the bottom of the 7 train stairs.

Before many of the streets and avenues in Queens were changed to a numerical system, they had regular names you see on streets throughout the country. The 7 train preserves some of these in its station names, but Lincoln Avenue is also remembered by this small deli, now a hub for working class Ecuadorians in the area. This format is common in Dominican and Mexican joints around the city, but less so for Ecuadorians who tend to have what usually constitutes a full restaurant.

At first glance the food component is not immediately apparent, but a few steps in rewards you with the small steam table and video menu above. This rotates comically fast, so a better option is to just take a look at what is available and ask questions as necessary. During lunch the food has a very high turnover rate and remains fresh, usually at least a couple beef and chicken options as well as fish. Each day of the week will have something new, and weekends seem to be good for foods that take a bit more preparation.

The standard size order here is $7 like the carne guisada shown above, heaped on a lot of rice and beans. They will ladle in a good portion of gravy without prompting, getting all that rice soaked with goodness.

Orders placed at the steam table to stay are taken to the back by the server, who efficiently cleans a table from a previous diner and places your food down at the place of his choice. During this visit one man lingered on his phone after eating, but for most it is a quick trip here to eat and run. The turnover was just as high in the seats as it was up front at the counter.

On a couple tables, a bottle of green spicy sauce comes out with the texture and color of a mint chutney, but the resemblance ends there. Use this with caution if you are sensitive to heat as it packs a serious kick.

Squeezing into this space with a group might be difficult, so come alone or as a pair and enjoy the atmosphere of a place that seems to have been running the same way for generations.

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WOODSIDE Queens

51-25 43rd Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

El Lider Bar & Restaurant

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

The teams of Ecuadorian Serie A, the nation's top flight football league are all represented proudly by stickers on the front door. More recently, the flags of every World Cup nation have been flying on the awning. El Lider is obviously a place that takes its football seriously, where Ecuadorian residents of the Bronx can come and watch their favorite clubs from back home on their nation's broadcasting network.

But the awning says "bar" AND "restaurant," so eventually a trip here was finally made on a recent sweltering day, as an air-conditioned refuge where cold beer was in the forecast. El Lider has the proper checklist of a Latin American bar that some people might call seedy. A better description would be lovable though, the dark atmosphere doesn't really let you see the corners clearly. The TV and jukebox are both up high at the same time. A resident drunk or two is always around, and the women who run the bar are very good at making sure nothing gets out of line.

The restaurant runs a good cross section through the cuisine of Ecuador and offers $9 daily lunch specials, a bunch more offerings on weekends, and a good selection of food. This ceviche mixto ($15, above) was a misstep and not as fresh as would be desired, but the coolness was necessary on this hot day.

To my surprise, underneath the pickled cabbage were squirts of ketchup and mustard, new to me but apparently typical in Ecuador. At first it was off-putting, but eventually the familiar tastes of these condiments were fine, especially with bites of shrimp rather than fish. It all came with a side plate of rice, which did a good job to soak up the juices as well.

In the spirit of the establishment, an economical cubetazo ($18, above) of six beers could not be turned down. Sadly, they do not carry Pilsener, the most recognizable beer from Ecuador, but plenty of light Latin American beers were on offer.

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BELMONT Bronx

4535 Park Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Salchipapas y Ceviche de Chochos El Mijin

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

It is sometimes surprising what spring can bring, even on a wet and gloomy day. Underneath a blooming tree, and in between two busy churches in Corona, a South American cart selling salchipapas and ceviche de chochos was doing brisk business despite the weather. On a stroll through the neighborhood, there were school children and adults dispersing in all directions from this cart with portions of their signature salchipapas. It was just too tempting to resist.

A $5 order gets you the portion below, loaded with pickled red onions in lime juice, or curtido de cebollas, and topped with ketchup and mayonnaise. The "salchi" from salchipapas comes from "salchicha," the Spanish word for sausage, but this is basically a boiled hot dog. This version is not fancy like you might find in some restaurants, this is the blue collar version you want and crave on the corner.

Ceviche de chochos was completely new to me and I had to ask about it. Basically this is a non-seafood version eaten by people in the Andean Mountains of Ecuador and Perú, sometimes vegetarian and other times not. The base of cooked chocho (lupini) beans, toasted corn, and chifles, or fried plantain chips, is all stacked on the front of the cart to advertise to people that know better.

Again, a $5 portion makes a great snack and is topped with the curtido de cebollas. The chifles can be eaten on their own, but are better deployed as scoops for the ingredients below.

The chochos do not show up in the photos except below very slightly, the pale yellow nugget underneath all the toasted corn. Make sure to mix everything up to get bites full of all the flavor and texture.

The man in charge of the cart also pulled out some pre-grilled meats to warm up and serve over rice for those interested in more than a snack, and said that on Saturdays he had "real" ceviche. When the after school business is slow on weekends, his after church business must pick up in this spot between the popular Catholic and Baptist churches of the area.

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CORONA Queens

105th Street at the corner of 37th Avenue

Delicias Manabitas

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts. On my way south through Astoria after enjoying a recent Croatia World Cup qualifier, I noticed this small restaurant on 35th Avenue. Despite having a plan for something in Sunnyside, after peeking inside it could not be resisted.

The city, and especially the four non-Manhattan boroughs are full of Ecuadorian restaurants like this, filling storefronts in somewhat fringe areas. Not as ubiquitous as Mexicans and their food, the tri-colored awnings representing Ecuador's flag are not lagging that far, they just don't hold the same accessibility in most people's minds and mainly serve the enormous expat population of their own countrymen and women.

This particular evening was starting to get very cold, so some kind of delicious warming soup was on the brain, but first an humita ($2.50, below) to get things started.

Humitas are made with masa and steamed similar to Mexican tamales, but they also use fresh ground corn as well and let this vegetable provide the tastes rather than adding meat and salsas. Much like their counterparts though, you will see vendors on the streets of Ecuadorian cities selling these beauties, although in recent years the government has been trying to "clean up" and force them to stop.

In coastal areas of Ecuador, the weather may be tropical, but a hearty and very warming fish stew known as encebollado is very popular. This stew is perfect for the winter climate here in New York City, a steaming bowl on your table and the small dusting of snow on the ground outside immediately fades from memory.

The soup is very prominent on the menu here and offered in five different versions. The one above is the encebollado mixto ($13.75), a mixture of fish and shrimp. Besides the seafood, the soup is made of onions (the word encebollado translates to "made with onions"), cassava, and pickled goodies. On top, more onions, cilantro, and tomatoes are sprinkled on to make sure your table does not remain clean.

Traditionally, the soup is enjoyed with a side of chifles, the thinly sliced fried plantains seen in the background.

The operation seems small here, but the menu also includes many different plates. Each item has a distinctly homemade feel to it, and the overall feeling of the place is a simple retreat for homesick Ecuadorians to get those tastes they miss so dearly.

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ASTORIA Queens

42-05 35th Avenue

La Carreta Restaurant

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

While Ecuadorian restaurants are a dime a dozen in Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens, the situation in Sunset Park, Brooklyn is a little more scarce. That being said, the options are top notch. In November, Mi Castillo Ecuatoriano was featured here, and now seven streets down 4th Avenue is La Carreta.

The space seems small, but is actually divided between three storefronts. The kitchen is off the main dining room, which has seven tables, while an adjacent room provides a handful more. An active jukebox divides the two rooms and competes with the TV which is tuned loudly to talk shows during the afternoon.

The walls are painted the color of a pool or possibly tropical waters. The restaurant serves beer and wine but the space does not quite set itself up for drinking. It does however serve an unbeatable lunch deal, which many people from the neighborhood come in for on a daily basis.

Go for the caldo de bola ($13, below), probably the best version in the borough. The bola, or ball, is plantain mash around ground beef, egg, and vegetables. This can be eaten on its own or sliced open to seep into the rest of the stew, rich and brown. Also find more meat, potatoes, yuca, and a wedge of corn still on the cob.

Seafood dishes here do not have the gusto that they did at Mi Castillo, so we recommend going there if you are in the mood for creatures not from the land.

An humita ($2.50, below), is Ecuador's answer to the tamal game.

Usually more simple, humitas often contain just cheese within the ground corn. The dish, despite being an appetizer, tastes quite sweet because of the corn and is very enjoyable. The last layer of corn husk is left on here after steaming, holding it all in one piece. In an Ecuadorian kitchen, you will often see a pot that has been especially designed for steaming humitas.

A plate of seco de chivo ($12, below) is also satisfying, a rich red stew of goat. Lean and fatty chunks are given and pair well with spoons of yellow rice. Try the homemade salsa with some of those bites.

On weekends, try the hornado ($12, below), a thoroughly Ecuadorian dish of roasted whole pig served with salad, hominy and a wonderful fried potato and cheese llapingacho. Often times restaurants in New York City will skimp you on this last piece and give a boring dry cheeseless hunk, but here it is excellent.

The salsa is given with a freshly toasted loaf of bread before each meal. It is hard not to dive in and fill yourself before main courses start arriving.

Grab a glass of jugo de maracuya ($3.50) to wash everything down. They blend a whole array of juices and shakes fresh to order.

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SUNSET PARK Brooklyn

407 51st Street

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