Quito & Vicinity - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 108

For decent meat dishes try Columbus , on the corner of Amazonas
and Santa María, 2-2540-780. The service is standard and they

have tasty steaks and mixed grills.

A lot of the Ecuadorian-operated restaurants in
Quito, particularly those that cater mostly to
locals, are closed on Sunday evenings, and,
while the more tourist-oriented places are open,
they tend to get very crowded, so try to go out a
little earlier on Sundays.

The Magic Bean , at Foch E5-08 and Juan LeónMera, 2-2566-181

(see pages 101-102), is a staple and a personal favorite. They have a
fairly wide-ranging menu, from jumbo breakfasts and delicious fruit
juices and smoothies to dinner salads and sandwiches with home
fries. Portions are big and there's great coffee to wash it all down. The
outside patio is nice and relaxing, though it tends to fill up first. Get
there before 11 am for breakfast.

If you're seeking vegetarian fare, the Maple Vegetarian Café ,on
the corner of Juan León Mera and Calama, 2-2520-994, is a clean

choice. It has a variety of international dishes and claims that its food
is organic. The quality of the food is decent, if a little inconsistent, and
not too expensive. Although very popular, it is a bit overrated. Their
“all you can eat” salad bar really means all you can eat in one visit
with a small plate. I would also stay away from their garden burgers.
Try one of their pasta dishes for a tasty, light meal.

Another favorite, and rightly so, is El Holandés , downstairs at
Reina Victoria 600 and Carrión,

2-2522-167. The food is excellent,
and there are various set dishes (that have not changed much over
the years) offering Indonesian, Dutch, Indian, and Thai food, among
others. The décor, with the exception of the misplaced neonHeineken
sign, is also nice.

El Cafecito , at Luis Cordero 1124, 2-2234-862, serves good vege-

tarian dishes, excellent soups, and snacks on a nice patio. There is
also a bar with a fireplace and a low-priced hotel upstairs by the same
name. This is a popular spot among budget travelers.

Several of the new Internet cafés on Calama 413 and Juan LeónMera
serve tasty meals. Papayanet , 2-2561-192, serves great food, in-

cluding salads, sandwiches, pizzas and pastas. The Buena Tierra
(Thai chicken) salad gets a thumbs-up for presentation as well as fla-
vor, and the brownie sundae takes the prize. They also do breakfasts.