Quito Local Custom Tips by richiecdisc

Fritada is one of the Andes great meals. It is roast pork chunks generally served with mote, hominy made of giant corn kernels. These chunks can vary in quality but they are always tasty and usually quite moist if a bit laden with fat. It’s not exactly a health conscious meal though the hominy surely is and most economy restaurant meals have a limited amount of meat anyway. The best way to find these places is keep an eye out for a roasted pig. If you see either the whole thing or an ear or snout you’ll surely be able to get a fresh meal of pork. The very fried looking thing that accompanies the meal is the skin deep fried to perfection much like a potato chip. Go on try it!

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Quimbolitos are a typical Andean snack and popular for breakfast as well. Related to humitas, a more salty corn meal concoction, the Quimbolito is a sweeter cousin and goes well with coffee. They are generally very inexpensive and filling so everyone should at least give it a try.

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Soups are justifiably popular in the Andes. It is a mountain region so anything that keeps you warm makes sense. They are also cheap, filling and provide much needed hydration. There are many different varieties and invariably one will be served with any meal of the day especially in the rotisserie chicken houses. Caldos are broths, sopas a bit thicker and locros are creamy. The thickest are secos and are much like our stew. One of our favorites was locro de papas, a creamy potato soup served with avocado and cheese.

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