Manta Street (and Beach) Scenes

It is so easy to walk all over little (and big) towns in Ecuador. Be mindful of your steps though - sidewalks can have (doggie) bombs, and plenty of holes, as well as rebar/wires sticking up and hanging down! So with the standard warning, let's have a tour:

Playa Murceilago Hotel - nice hotel, walking distance to the beach, in a very nice area. Close to restaurants, shopping and main streets. This is where we stayed in Manta:

We had so much fun walking, walking everywhere from the Supermaxi, to the beach, walking down side streets to see the vendors out early in the morning with large crowds eating ceviche....for breakfast. I opted for a warm cinnamon roll without icing and Ken had a huge croissant, along with our cold beverages, to start our big hike through the city. After stopping for breakfast, we headed towards the beach:

Delicious lunch at Mediterraneo, on Flavio Reyes, just a few blocks from our hotel:

We walked down lots and lots of stairs to get to the beach. What you see here is barely scratching the surface! There was another set up higher, and one to the left. Whew. 

After the long long walk on the beach, we are starting up another set of stairs, this time closer to the Malecon (Murceilago) where there are plenty of vendors, and restaurants.... 

We explored many streets hoping we were headed in the direction of our hotel (we were); we even stopped by the Fybecca to grab a couple of cold drinks. It was hot outside, but not unbearable. Living in the South, we are used to it. Now I see a reason for me tolerating the outrageous humidity in Alabama! Yes, it was/is to prepare me for the move to Ecuador!

Ken posing in front of what we called the Gringolandofshopping:

Manta was a fun city to explore by foot. We walked quite a bit, and we better get used to it if we are going to live in Ecaudor!

Hasta luego, chao chao, and all the good stuff,

Tami

Sea-foodie Heaven Part II

Ken's favorite dinner was at Mama Rosa's in Manta (Playa Murcielago area) - he had the swordfish, grilled. Yes, that was one delicious piece of fish. He let me have a bite or two:

Very buttery, garlic seasoning, it was YUMMY. Whole swordfish meal, about $8.

I had the 'sweaty' (steamed) swordfish with grapefruit. It was very good, but Ken is right, his was better.

We walked to Mama Rosa's from our hotel just a few blocks down the same street (Flavio Reyes), and even though it was dark (the horrors!) we were just fine. There was a security guy outside one of the buildings on the street, and even our hotel had a security guy at the door. Saturday night in Manta, whoo!

Anyhow, we arrived at the restaurant, and were greeted very warmly by our server, who said we could sit wherever we wanted. We picked a table with a birds-eye view of the entry, and also to take advantage of the breeze. Nice atmosphere, a tad dark for my old eyes but we managed just fine....hey, I got the sweaty swordfish, right?

The server took our drink orders, and almost immediately brought us a champagne glass with a sparkling cocktail - how sweet! It was gratis, and that set the mood for some fun:

Me after a glass or three of wine.....

Fantastic fresh meal, highly recommend Mama Rosa's, not for the Italian food, but for the fish. Service was spot-on, nice bar area, pretty decor, has a note of elegance, enjoyable music. Would be a great place for a big celebration or a quiet romantic dinner.


MY favorite dinner: Rocka's in Salinas. I know, I know, it isn't seafood, but wow, the meats have this wonderful smoky flavor, and it was a nice change from ceviche and fish, which of course I could eat (and did eat) every day. They are located on a side street, ask a local and they can point the way, or better yet, follow your nose. I'm serious!

Really really (really) good grilling skills these guys have:

Grill master on the right, he was so nice and explained each item

Pappas y Carne pictured above, smothered in queso, below is the mixed grill of chorizo, beef and chicken with two dipping sauces.

 The potato is so freaking good!!!!

 Ken's chuleta - thin piece of pork grilled to perfection, he liked the chimichurri type sauceThe corn - ahhh, sweet and I could eat several!

 Above left - chuleta on the grill, right, the grill master's assistant

Plaintains with queso - the one thing we didn't try!

Food was kept under wraps - nice touch!

Rocka is only open for dinner, the restaurant is open for lunch but not the grill. Go for the grill!! When we arrived, it was a Friday night, and the evening was young. Maybe around 7. Disco and 80s music playing, I was 'chair' dancing and the gals by us started giggling. Hmmm. Well then they started moving a bit, the music was fun, and you HAD to dance to it! And....it was in English. The place started filling up and filling up quickly, with locals. Plenty of families, young couples, and the atmosphere was fun and friendly.

Rocka is a bit different from most places. It is outside, and the grill and caja (cashier) are on opposite sides, with the tables all in between. Snag a table, then go to the cashier and place your order and pay. Take your receipt to your table, and the server will go to the grill and get your food. Service is super quick, and we placed several orders, wanting to try many things. Their homemade aji sauce had a nice kick to it, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but their chimichurri sauce was super yummy! 

They have a reputation of running out of food (because they are so popular), so I am glad we were able to try most items - I think we tried too much because we were SO FULL!! And, our dinner was around $11 for two of us, including our drinks (beer, soda). Very affordable. We slowly made our way back to the hotel, hoping the long walk would help digest the enormous amount of food we consumed! We WILL go back.

Hasta luego, chao chao, and all the good stuff,

Tami

Sea-Foodie Heaven-Part I

Seafood galore on the coast. Fresh, too. Out of all the meals we had, not one dish had 'old' seafood. Nothing 'fishy' going on here except the freshness of it.

We had fabulous and/or just plain yummy meals in Manta, in Bahia, Puerto Lopez, Jama, Salinas and Guayaquil. For this post, I am selecting just a few of my all time favorites, meals I would eat over and over again.

MY favorite meal was ceviche camerone at El Muelle Uno in Bahia. Top dog, could PIG OUT all day on this stuff:

They serve the delicious plantains with these awesome(!) sauces:

The green one was a pesto mayo type sauce, great for dipping the perfectly crispy plantains. The aji had tomato, onion and some peppers - very spicy/picante, and my favorite. The other sauce was a slightly sweet sauce, a cross between a BBQ and a sweet & sour sauce. It would be good on meats. Or for those that are not into spicy.

Our (Ken and I are in total agreement on this one) favorite almeurzo/lunch, hands-down was in Puerto Lopez at a little place called Dona Elsie. It is run by a Colombian family, and we ended up eating there twice, it was that good!

 For $3 each we got: a pitcher of fresh juice - I watched the son make it in the blender, and each day it was different. Soup with dorado and yuca, and our secundo was a tun (tuna) in coconut, mildly spiced, yet very flavorful. The sides were typical of an almeurzo - rice and a salad.

Fresh hot soup, I put homemade aji sauce in it, yum yum yum:

Fresh squeezed juice:

And, our secundo:

Who says Ecuadorian food is bland? Some of it, yes, just like in the US (mushy veggies, yuck). We found the food to be very flavorful, and if you like heat, like me (love spicy anything and everything), most places have plenty of hot sauce, all the places we went to except one had homemade aji and it was fun trying out different versions.

If you are a seafood lover, you will be in heaven on the coast. Everything is very fresh, caught that morning fresh, and the families are proud of what they serve. When we complimented a dish, usually the cook/chef heard it, looked up and smiled. We were treated very well with gracious service, the bills were accurate, and many places did not charge us the tax (service charge yes, but not tax) - we were paying with cash, small bills please, and they appreciated that.

Go to Ecuador with an open mind and empty stomach. The foods, just like the people, are beautiful.


Tune in next time for......Part II
Our favorite dinner was at Rocko's in Salinas - hands down the best grilled meats, pappas stuffed with carne, and the corn........


Hasta luego, chao chao, and all the good stuff,
Tami

Found our Future Home

This post will be short, due to the extensive travel over the past week or so. We got in last night, er, um, this morning around midnight, we both went to 'work' today, and bottom line, we are exhausted. Long drives, long flights, and an amazing trip to Ecuador....well worth the hassle of travel.

Last year we took a trip to Salinas and visited surrounding areas. Loved it. Had a blast. This trip, we wanted to explore some other areas of the coast before deciding exactly 'where' to plant our feet. And, we decided to try using public transportation, to see if 'we could do it.' Crazy, yes. But, even though it is a pain to take the chicken bus, and dangerous according to some, it was a great adventure, and we are even more confident next time we are left at the side of the road in a strange city...that we are SUPPOSED to get off here and find another bus to get on, that will eventually take us to our desired destination." Yes, that sounds about right.

So, after traveling to: Guayaquil, Manta, being dropped off in Rocafuerte (didn't know where we were until we asked, lol....story coming later, it's a riot)....Jipijapa (pronounced hippy-hoppa-SERIOUSLY), Bahia, San Vicente, Puerto Lopez, Las Tunas, Canoa, Jama, all places in between, and Salinas....then back to Guayaquil.....we have found our future home.  

Drumroll please ------- Bahia. Yep, that little city between the Pacific Ocean and Chone River. New bridge that connects Bahia to the northern coast..... little sleepy Bahia aka Mayberry. Yep, both of us actually agreed on a city!! Lights, camera, action, we need to get this documented - we BOTH agree where we want to move.....and of course we are not in agreement as to when. Me, I want to move NOW. Ken, he is more patient. Of course. He is the model adult, I am the pain in the ass 'want to do it now' kind of gal. We are perfect together :)

Future posts, complete with pictures, will follow. Soon. Right now I need more (really good) wine, and relish in the fact I can #1 = brush my teeth with tap water instead of 'clean water' from a bottle, and #2 = flush my TP down the toilet. Oh, the little things we enjoy in life, heeeheeeheee.

Hasta luego, Chao chao, and all the good stuff,
Tami

Chowing Down in Coastal Ecuador-Part I

The first step is to admit it. Fine. I am a foodie. Love. Food. Must.Try. Everything. Preferably with wine.  

My grandmother was an amazing cook. She didn't measure. She just knew. Obviously she was not a baker! My father - same way. By the time I was 12, I was whipping up some pretty decent meals for our large family. And I have passed along our family's culinary (and wine) appreciation to my oldest son-23, who graduated from culinary arts (JWU-Denver) and is now a chef in VA, moving soon to Chicago. 

So I can't help it. The foodie in me is in my genes.

Whenever we go on vacation, I always take pictures of our food, much to the amusement of my husband. Ken isn't picky about his food - he just prefers that it be cooked. That's about it. Me, on the other hand, well....let's just say I will analyze the dish. I am yammering away about the presentation, the colors, the smells, the flavors, all the while my adorable husband is patiently looking at me, smiling in between his bites, and pretty much mumbling 'Yes, Dear.' He could care less whether or not the plate has pretty little garnishes. The poor guy just wants to eat.My son enjoys taking pics of foods he's eating to prove that he did, indeed, just eat that!

Alec and Ken chowing down at lunch - Hotel Caridi

Here's the low-down, complete with pics (surprise!) on a few of our culinary adventures while in Salinas:

Herminia's - on the Malecon. Ken and I stopped in for a quick bite sans Alec and when Alec saw the pic of Ken's dish, he wanted to visit the restaurant, so a few days later we went again. Very humble surroundings, we sat outside both times, people watching is so fun! 

First visit I ate the octopus ceviche. Served with rice and plantains and on our 2nd visit I had the pescado ceviche, both excellent. Very fresh tasting, tender meat, flavorful and not overly acidic. Different styles, the fish having more ingredients, and a slightly spicier tang from the peppers.

Ken had the arroz con pollo our first visit. Alec had it on our 2nd visit. Can you tell the difference between Ken's dish and Alec's? We know the Ecuadorians love kids...the "mom" must have thought my son needed some 'extra' since he was a growing boy - and the 'extra pollo' was gratis! Alec ordered a batidos pina con leche and it was delicious. He let me have a sip :) 

RaPaNui - on the Malecon next to the Doral Bldg. Great little outdoor area, and the service was excellent. I enjoyed a fresh mojito that was not too sweet thank goodness, and we all enjoyed a nice lunch. Ken and I had the almuerzo and Alec snacked on a pizza, in addition to trying some of our caught-that-morning fish. 

 The soup looked thin, but it was filled with goodies, and very delicious!

The portion of fish missing was eaten by my kid, who actually liked it. Here's a pic to prove he ate some fish:

There ya go Alec, take a bite! You'll like it!

Cheers,

Tami