Posts tagged ‘Ecuador’
Eating Salads in Cuenca, Ecuador
I have to admit, I miss the take-out salads of North America and Europe, and the reliable salad bars at Whole Foods Markets where I would spend $3 for breakfast and $4 for lunch with the added bonus of great variety (ready-made organic quinoa, etc.), WiFi (an instant office), and a blissful array of natural products to return home with – organic shampoos, other organic products – body creams, vitamins, household cleansers. No such all-in-one place in Cuenca.
The key here is to be adaptable, to ask everyone you meet up with what they have found, and, to continue the search. Here, one of my searches has been for salad…
I grew up eating fresh salads. I realize I am not standard issue and am more particular than most. But if you are at all like me, you’ll survive… here is what I have found….
Oro Verde Gourmet Deli Take-Out
The closest approximation of take-out salads, as North Americans and Europeans know them, is at the upscale Gourmet Deli at the Hotel Oro Verde on Ordonez Lasso. Plan on spending $5-$6, not including something to drink; it’s a quiet place to be if you plan to eat your salad there. Another place I find to be reliable is the Spanish deli chain La Espanola at Mall del Rio (also in Guayaquil and Quito). The servers behind the counter will create the salad to your specifications, i.e. without meat (all their meat is processed), without cheese, etc., and serve you Spanish olive oil and lemon on the side. See photo below; the white items on the left are mushrooms which they substituted for meat or poultry.
If you are planning to eat out as opposed to take-out, you can find salads that have a familiar look to them at California Kitchen on Luis Cordero near Calle Larga, where you will feel like you are in the U.S. (a favorite ex-pat restaurant, well-managed by a delightful American family from San Diego), and at the intimate Windhorse Café on Calle Larga (run by precious Americans, former Peace Corps volunteers) where the salad(s) of the day will contain organic ingredients from their own garden or ingredients they’ve selected at markets. Other salads catering to “Western” palates can be found at Coffee Tree, Hotel Victoria, Mansion Alcazar.
El Espanol, Mall del Rio
El Espanol salad
Another option is to find the ingredients and make your own salad.
I am fortunate to have a French friend in Cuenca with refined food tastes; she makes it a point to be at an organic market at 6 am to find the freshest produce possible. She washes all she returns with in vinegar and water and puts a lot of love energy into her creations. Here below is her 100% organic salad made from Cuenca area produce, need I say that it was delicious?!
organic masterpiece with Cuenca produce
Here below is a photo of a salad I prepared with local produce. Mine was less labor intensive than that of my talented French friend, and not 100% organic:
Green Lab hydroponic lettuce from Supermaxi
Ecuadorian hydroponic lettuce
Ecua Organic albahaca (basil) from Supermaxi, better than any organic basil I have tasted in California
Shredded carrots from Supermaxi, I usually buy the organic but not available daily
Avocado from Supermaxi
Green Garden cherry tomatoes from Supermaxi, “natural” but not organic
Potato salad with peas and hard-boiled eggs, no sugar added, from Bocatti
Anise seeds, more flavorful than any I’ve purchased in the U.S., found at Coral
Dried oregano, from Supermaxi, more flavorful than any I’ve purchased in the U.S.
Ecuadorian sea salt from the Feria Libre market, gift from European friends
Lemon from the organic farm of the owner of the condo where I am staying
Spanish olive oil from Supermaxi, not the quality of what you find at Trader Joe’s
but I’ve heard there is a private Ecuadorian source for top quality
olive oil that a number of ex-pats have found, hope to meet that source
Cuenca produce, salad at home
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Here’s to your discovery of healthful salads and salad ingredients in Cuenca! Buen provecho!!
Addendum: My French friend read the blog and somehow felt it was implied that hydroponically grown lettuce is organic. So for clarification, here’s a link to an article on the subject: http://www.tmsspecialtyproducts.com/article/Is-hydroponic-lettuce-organic/201003180801MCT_____NEWSSERV_BC-HOME-HYDROPONIC-ND_58080
Loja, jewel of southern Ecuador
I just had to get to Loja to see it, feel it. I heard it was warmer than Cuenca and that I might also like it because it is known as Ecuador’s center of art, music , poetry, and dance. Did you say dance?!! Well yes, cumbia will entice me every time!! I was excited to get there!
on the way to Loja
another view on the way to Loja
The road trip from Cuenca along the Pan American Highway (also known as the Ruta del Sol) was long for such a short distance, 78 miles. It took almost 3 hours. The car climbed and climbed, and then descended and climbed, and descended and descended… The vistas were beautiful, magical, changing at each elevation. Haciendas below, horses, cows, and sheep, miles and miles of uninhabited land, flowers, trees, birds, the occasional indigenous woman in traditional finery walking along the road. Far more beautiful for me than the drive between Quito and Cuenca.
I enjoyed the strong sun on the road. By the time the car pulled in front of Loja’s Howard Johnson Hotel in mid-afternoon, it was raining. You might cringe when you read the name Howard Johnson, but it was a nice surprise.
Howard Johnson Hotel, Loja, Ecuador
view of Loja from hotel
In Ecuador, HJ is a hotel of high standards and does not resemble what you might remember about HJ’s if you grew up in the states years ago – ordinary. Everything about this Loja hotel is welcoming – the staff, the delicious gourmet cuisine in the dining room (yes, excellent, really), the comfortable bed, the bathroom amenities, and the warm rooms… for a southern Californian like me, being warm is essential… I usually stay at low budget hostels but am delighted I chose to splurge. Other recommended places to stay are the Zamorano Real, Hostal Aguilera Internacional, and the Hostal Dubai (have not seen them, so cannot advise).
City Gate of Loja, Ecuador
River next to Loja City Gate
Loja City Gate, other side
It doesn’t take long to see most of this hilly city of 200,000 (about 1/4 the size of Cuenca). One of the best ways, if you have little time, is to hire a taxi at $10 an hour and have him let you off to visit and take pictures at major landmarks – the original city square (the city was founded in 1548 ), the original Gate to the City on Avenida Gran Columbia (looks like a walled fortress but holds 4 galleries and a cafe – climb the tower for a city view); the inviting 25 acre Jipiro park in the north of town with its replicas of a Chinese pagoda and an Arab mosque – a must; the Reynaldo Espinosa Botanical Garden on the road to Vilcabamba south of town, the mural of Simon Bolivar (known as the Liberator, the South American equivalent of George Washington), and La Banda park which incorporates a zoo. The walkways along the Malacatos and Zamora rivers are lined with weeping willows and full of lush vegetation. If there were no muddy sidewalks and streets, nor a number of dilapidated buildings, due to lack of infrastructure and funds, you can see how Loja could transform itself into a small wonder. I especially liked the gentility of its people.
Beautiful Jipiro Park, Loja, Ecuador
Mural of Bolivar, Loja, Ecuador
It would be great if Ecuador could invest the way Mexico has (if it could) in restoration of its pueblos magicos (magical old cities) so they might invite more interest. (Old town Quito and old town Cuenca are in the midst of such a transformation but it would be great to see this happen in smaller towns too). I will always remember the perfection of El Fuerte in Sinaloa, or Los Alamos in Sonora. But of course, Ecuador’s President Correa has his hands full and is doing his best with basic, needed services first – education, health care, affordable food. He has already elevated the standard of living in the country in four short years from an average income of $200 a month in 2006 to $318 per month beginning January 2013.
Dining Room at Howard Johnson, Loja
Loja is famous as a gastronomic center. Coffee (you can also find it in downtown Cuenca at El Tostador on Avenida Sucre 10-20), quimbolitos con pasas (cornmeal, milk, butter, sugar and raisins baked in a banana leaf), sweet tamales or meat tamales, also available in Lojana cafes in Cuenca or at grocery stores – the latter usually not moist), all kinds of meats, and other specialties. Because of the short stay and need to push on, I missed eating at the famous Mama Loja Restaurant . But I can attest to the remarkable quality at the Howard Johnson formal dining room overlooking the city.
Potato Soup, Loja, Ecuador
I enjoyed a potato soup with vegetables that had remarkable flavors (no not Ecuador’s famous locro soup of potatoes, avocado and cheese, delicious in another way (see previous posts). Remember to request NO SALT and add your own when traveling or living in Ecuador, otherwise you might be in for a surprise.
There are two universities in Loja, one publicly funded, the other a private Catholic institution. Included are a medical school, a law school, and a music conservatory. I toured a beautiful new private hospital – the UTPL – whose doctors come from all over the country; some have received additional training in the U.S., Europe, or Chile. I also visited two elder care homes, both run by dedicated nuns with a sense of humor, and, a hospice home for the terminally ill whose director is a young doctor/minister.
UTPL Hospital, Loja
In the end, I never heard any cumbia music (not even in a taxi), nor did I discover any dancing. Saving all that for a return visit.
Happy traveling and stay safe!
Lunch at Mansion Alcazar, Cuenca, Ecuador
December 4 was a cloudy, cold day in Cuenca and I had many errands to take care of in El Centro, the old town.
I was feeling the need for warmth and remembered one of my favorite spots, Mansion Alcazar, a five-star boutique hotel on Calle Simon Bolivar. It’s where President Correa has been known to stay when in the city.
Discreetly placed floor heaters are provided to keep you comfortable when it is nippy outside. There’s a very inviting bar, Le Bar, near the front door, appreciated even by teetotalers like me.
Mansion Alcazar, Cuenca
Casa Alonso, the restaurant, behind the main lobby, is known for its gourmet cuisine. And lunch was just what the doctor ordered – a peaceful environment with gentle service, and food prepared with the freshest ingredients and much care. I enjoyed the melange of flavors in my warm dish of smoked trout (from a lake in Las Cajas) with potatoes, corn, and fava beans over a bed of lime butter. Divine!
Casa Alonzo dining room
Guendalina has just been served 😉
La piece de la resistance
Safe Haven Condo, Cuenca, Ecuador
Sometimes, taking a chance is a good idea.
I was looking for a place in “Gringolandia”, an apartment or condo to stay in for a few days so I could learn my way around Cuenca more.
As luck would have it, there was a new listing on http://www.airbnb.com. The lady offered Kangen water (wow!) and I immediately concluded she must somehow be involved in healing. She also chose the name Safe Haven for the rooms she rents. I was pretty much able to discern the approximate location from the photos.
It turned out that the condo was located near four bus lines with easy access to El Centro as well as far flung places. It was a blessing in more ways than one – a delightful host and a great location.
Condominio Los Cipreses
As you will see below, the residence has magical views to downtown (El Centro, looking east), to the Tomebamba River (south), to the Andes in the west (known here as Las Cajas), and, to comfortable neighbors below.
For those of you who haven’t yet been to Cuenca, this is one of the more privileged areas of town.
View to El Centro
My room looking toward the Tomebamba River
My room looking to the Andes
- Traditional Ecuadorian home below
View across the street to villa of wealthy Ecuadorian
Flying to Cuenca, Ecuador from California…
Happy flyer me reporting in again.
On my way to Cuenca for the fourth time with trustworthy TACA, an excellent airline choice if flying from the west coast ( San Francisco or Los Angeles). The flights are direct, traveling south along the Pacific coast, and, the journey is relatively painless.
On other trips I departed on TACA after midnight in order to arrive in Quito (via Costa Rica), at midday, and then changed planes in Quito for the 50 minute flight to Cuenca. For this trip I decided to try an alternate route and fly during the day from LAX to Guayaquil, changing planes in San Salvador.
Guayaquil airport
Not sure the day trip was the wisest choice as I had to overnight late at night in Guayaquil – it’s unwise for a woman traveling alone in this not so tame city. I chose a hostal close to the airport recommended by someone from Cuenca’s ex-pat newsletter the Gringo Tree and was so disappointed. There was no rest for the weary – a loud party and barking dogs across the street all night. For the same price I could have been in an immaculate, quiet, charming three or four star hotel anywhere else. Just another affirmation of my lack of affinity for Guayaquil, and another lesson about why one must not trust web site photos – what you see is not necessarily what you will receive. Though if passing through again, I will learn of better places to stay. On http://www.airbnb.com I viewed a handful of apartments and homes I might have enjoyed for half what I paid at the dreary hostal.
The good news is that flying through El Salvador meant not having to go through security with hand luggage as one must do changing planes in Costa Rica or Guatemala. I also avoided Quito’s new airport which is over an hour from the city (not convenient if you are stuck there). The airport in Guayaquil is beautiful, and this time of year the balmy weather in the city feels wonderful. Another bonus is that the flight to Cuenca, on a clear day, goes over the Andes.
I flew Ecuadorian airline TAME to Cuenca (third time using this company and still delighted with their service). I like their planes – they are older, seem sturdier, and have leather seats. On the Guayaquil-Cuenca run they use a small propeller plane which is surprisingly quiet.
big pond, little girl 