Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 599

Burgers, pasta and Tex-Mex are great value at around $3.
Daily.
Los Capuliés Córdova, at Borrero. Well-priced Ecuadorian
specialities ($4-6) served in a pleasant enclosed courtyard.
El Jordán C Larga 6-111, at Borrero T 07 285 0517.
Middle Eastern specialities such as moussaka with falafel ,
served attentively in a formal setting with French and
Moorish decor. Perfect for a romantic meal. Mains $6-9.
Moliendo Café Honorato Vásquez 6-24. Huge selection
of cheap Colombian arepas (corn tortillas) and filling
almuerzos ($2-4).
El Pedregal Azteca Colombia 10-33 T 07 282 3652.
The best place in town for high-quality Mexican fare.
Especially good is the mole poblano (chicken with choco-
late, chillies and almonds). $5-10.
Raymipamba Benigno Malo, at Bolívar, Parque Calderón.
Bustling café under the colonnaded arches of the Catedral
Nueva, offering large portions of filling Ecuadorian staples
and sweet and savoury crêpes for $4-6. Daily.
Ì Taj Mahal Larga, at Benigno Malo. Jalfrezi , Biryani
and a range of Indian dishes are done extremely well
in this friendly Pakistani-run place. They also do good
kebabs. Don't miss the traditional yogurt or the Bollywood
on the big screen. $3-5. Daily.

Ì TREAT YOURSELF
Hotel Victoria C Larga 6-93, at
Borrero T 07 282 7401. Splash out on
one of Cuenca's finest hotels and stay
in a beautifully restored colonial building
overlooking extensive gardens. Most
of the spacious, elegantly furnished
rooms have views of the river. The
sister hotel, Posada Ingapirca , is also
the be st p lace to stay in Ingapirca (see
p.600).

6

$91

atmospher e, w ith great-value budget rooms and shared
bathroom. $14
Hostal Posada del Ángel Bolívar 14-11, at Estevez de
Toral T 07 284 0695, W hostalposadadelangel.com. It's
di cult to paint a hotel orange and blue and still maintain
a charming elegance, but this endearing place pulls it off.
Free intern et an d breakfast served in the spacious, enclosed
courtyard. $57
Ì Macondo Tarqui 11-64, at Mariscal Lamar T 07 284
0697. Another colonial-style favourite with artwork on
the walls, a spacious lawn in the back garden and a choi ce
of private or shared bathrooms. Breakfast included. $31
Orquidea Borrero 931, at Bolívar T 07 282 4511. A
converted colonial home in the centr e of the city, and
one of the cheapest mid-range options. $24
Príncipe J Jaramillo 7-82, at Cordero T 07 284 7287.
Charming, elegantly furnished rooms in a traditional
colonial house with artwork on the walls of the spacious
dining area. Breakfast included. $54

NIGHTLIFE
It's not as raucous as Guayaquil or Quito but there are
enough options, mostly south of downtown and along
Calle Larga. All places listed below are closed Sundays.
Ì Café Eucalyptus Gran Colombia, at Benigno Malo.
Lively, fun café-bar with a diverse tapas menu (dishes
$5-6), draught beer, couches to lounge on and live music
Wed-Sat.
Monday Blue C Larga, at Cordero. Funky little bar with
walls covered in art and eclectic memorabilia, serving
cheap Mexican and Italian food.
Tal Cual C Larga 7-57. This popular bar pulls in the
crowds at weekends when it turns into a lively disco,
playing mainly salsa and merengue . Tues-Sat.
Wunderbar Escalinata, off C Larga. Popular German-
owned place in a large red-brick building with a small
garden nestled above the river. The bar is lively in the
evenings with occasional live music.

EATING
The sweetness of the Cuencanos temperament extends
to their palates. You're never far from a stall or bakery
selling cakes and confectionery, including the ubiquitous
membrillo (a gelatinous red block made with guayaba).
Cuenca has the best choice of restaurants outside Quito,
offering diverse international and local cuisine. Note that
most places are closed on Sundays (unless otherwise
indicated).
Ì Cacao y Canela Jaramillo, at Borrero. Snug little café
serving a huge selection of hot chocolate drinks ($2-3) -
rum, cinnamon, almonds and mozzarella are just a few of
the flavours available. Great cakes and snacks too. Mon-
Sat 4pm-late.
Café Austria Benigno Malo 5-95, at Juan Jaramillo. Tasty
Central European specialities such as roulade and goulash,
plus tasty cakes and ice creams for dessert. Open on
Sunday too. Mains $6-8. Daily.
El Cafécito Honorato Vasquez 7-36, at Luis Cordero.
A backpacker hangout, this is a good place to meet like-
minded travellers over a coffee and a game of chess.

Ì TREAT YOURSELF
Tiestos Jaramillo, at Borrero. One of
Cuenca's best and most popular
restaurants. Gourmet dishes cooked
to perfection and served in style with
a range of side dishes. Try the beef
tenderloin or the langoustines followed
by one of the indulgent desserts. Book in
advance. Shared mains $15.