Central & South Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 319

4-2881-
183, is the best (and maybe the only) Japanese restaurant in town.
Authentic atmosphere and décor complement the delicious food.

on Estrada 813 and Guayacanes in the Urdesa District,

Vegetarians don't have many options. The Restaurante
Vegetariano Salud Solar , Luque and P. Moncayo, offers good, inex-
pensive meals. Wherever there is a Hare Krishna , as at 6 de Marzo
2-26 and 1 de Mayo, you will usually find good, healthy vegetarian
food.

Italian food and pizzerias are here as well. Try Trattoria de Enrico ,
Bálsamos 504,

4-2387-079. The atmosphere here matches the high
quality of the food. Prices are mid-range. In Urdesa, La Carbonara ,
Bálsamos 206 and LaUnica,

4-2382-714, is popular with travelers.

Meat lovers will find what they're looking for at La Parrillada del
Nato , Estrada 1219 and Lureles, where there's a real South Ameri-
can atmosphere, enormous portions, and prices to match. Grilled and
barbecued steaks are the specialty here. Parrillada La Selvita , Av.
Olmos and Las Brisas, is another Argentinean-style restaurant with
a nice atmosphere and good steaks. Both of these places are in the
Urdesa district. Donde el Che , Boloña S21A, comes recommended
and has a lively atmosphere.

There aren't as many good seafood restaurants in Guayaquil as one
would expect, considering the size and location. Outside of the luxury
hotel restaurants, El Cangrejo Criollo , at Av. Principal, Villa 9 in
La Garzota, is recommended.

Nightlife & Shopping
S

ome of the best nightclubs and discos that cater to well-
off foreign travelers and Guayaquilleños are in the lux-
ury hotels. The disco in Oro Verde is worth a visit. The
most popular area for nightlife is The Kennedy Mall ,
which has numerous dance clubs and bars. It caters to the upscale cli-
entele; expect to pay a lot for your cocktails, at least by Ecuadorian
standards.

A popular way to spend an evening in Guayaquil, and one that I
would recommend if you have the opportunity, is to try one of the infa-
mous chiva buses that tour the city after dark. These party buses go
on excursions of several hours, hitting all the main hotspots in the
city, taking in all the sights and sounds. More often than not, the bus
will have a live salsa band on the roof and be serving cocktails there -