Alleged to cure hangovers and packed with vitamins and antioxidants, this is one of Ecuador’s national dishes that you don’t need an excuse to try. Encebollado is made using fresh tuna, yuca or cassava root, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and spices and served with curtido (fermented cabbage kind of like kimchi) or pickled onions and tomatoes on top. The flavorful fish stew goes particularly well with crispy plantain chips dipped in it.

Fritada is one of the most popular traditional dishes in Ecuador. It’s made by braising pork in orange juice, onion, garlic and cumin. The pork is then fried in a brass pan over hot flames – giving the dish its name, fritada meaning fry. The delicious meat is eaten with llapingachos, which are simple but very tasty potato patties filled with onion, cheese and herbs.

Ceviche is one of South America’s exports that has become popular all over the world and is a favorite amongst our travel team too. It originated by the coast when fishermen would slice up their catches and cure them in citrus juices, onions, chilies, cilantro, and spices to eat without cooking them. Nowadays, ceviche has made its way into the best restaurants in Quito and beyond where it makes a seriously mouth-watering meal, washed down with a tangy pisco sour.