“Some Enchanted Evening by Salvador Dali”
The Marascal district of Quito is the equivalent of Soho in London, the Village in NYC, and just about any other major “artsy-fartsy” type of district in most any major city in the world. I always love these areas for their color, warmth, and the texture of the fabric with which they are woven. The Marascal, known by the locals as “La Zona” is not at all disappointing when it comes to color and texture. A recipe of hostels, bars, discos, artists, back-packers from every country in the world, galleries, and, of course a wonderful array of restaurants.
After almost a year in Quito, we are now really beginning to explore the culinary temptations that comprise this eclectic 12-15 blocks of the city. Actually, last New Year’s Eve, we dined at a wonderful Spanish Tapas and Wine restaurant on Plaza Foch, but will tell you about that another time.
Recently, we were lured into the magic and seductive environment of “La Boca de la Lobo” (the mouth of the wolf). Actually, my fascination with this venue originated with our first visit to the zone on New Year’s Eve. Even from the outside, the building has a magnetism of design strongly reminiscent off “Alice in Wonderland” and a Salvador Dali painting. Enormous plate glass windows at street level offer a view of the fantasmagorical interior. Each section and room of this eatery reflects it’s own distinct décor, and all of which combine to create a rollercoaster spectacle for the eyes. I noted that the ceiling in the room where we were seated seemed to depict white fluffy sheep, each entrapped in a barbed wire effect, while the ceiling in the adjoining space appeared to show the same sheep, now equipped with wings in some type of imaginative “sheep heaven”……perhaps an escape from the “mouth of the wolf”.
The active hustle of the numerous rooms is expertly overseen by Rudolpho, titled the chief of service, and his more than able and competent counterpart Alex. Rudolpho is German and Columbian mix, tall, stately, bald and very like Mr. Clean or Daddy Warbucks. Although his attire is “Zone-Casual”, his attention to every detail of operation shows that he has an insight and appreciation for fine service not found in many restaurants (even some of the pricier ones) in Quito. We were fortunate to have Rudolpho attending to our table for most of our visit.
The menu, presented in an aluminum-type of binder consisting of many pages, is a bit daunting at first, but with a little effort, it can be tamed down to essentials. I was quite impressed with the fact that the drink menu showed Compari. This is not unusual, except that most Quito restaurants show a wide and varied cocktail list, while actually stocking very few items. I was delighted when I ordered a Compari and Soda and actually got the lovely red Italian drink…….my first indication that maybe this place was actually a bit different.
Being confronted by the complex menu, we opted to order in progressive steps, allowing us time to digest the contents of the offerings. I began with the French Onion Soup, while my partner chose the miniature empanada turn- overs. I was surprised when Tony actually asked to try my soup (he hates French onion soup), had a sip, and then another, followed by a look of satisfaction and his pronouncement that the soup was “wonderful”……..I knew that the restaurant had just scored major points. Tony’s 6 miniature meat turn-overs were accompanied by two sauces: one a slightly picant and the other a milder mayo-type of dip. Both sauces complimented the nicely filled pastry for a very nice opener.
Tony opted for a beef pot roast arrangement for his entrée. The thinly sliced beef in this plate turned out to be the most tender and tasty beef we have encountered since arriving in Ecuador. The sauce/gravy with a hint of ginger and the accompanying fried yucca strips and sautéed veggies were truly a treat both for the eye and for the palate.
Since I have a rather small appetite, I selected a chicken wing appetizer dish, the creation of which I have never encountered. To the appearance, this would look exactly like coconut shrimp. However, the succulent pieces of chicken on the bone and covered in beautifully browned and crisp coconut were a whole new and exciting and imaginative experience. A small dish on the side contained a pile of additional coconut, which was great just by itself. The dish was garnished with 5 small fried yucca balls making the entire combination exactly right.
I accompanied my dinner with a glass of house white wine, and at only $2.99 per glass it was an excellent taste. The restaurant also boasts a rather extensive wine list if you chose to order a bottle.
From the dessert list, Tony ordered the Orange Crepes, which, while being a rather conventional dish, proved to be, like most items on the menu to be just a cut above the conventional. I took an adventurous step into one of the “new” items on the dessert offerings. Like most of the desserts, this dish was “crepe based”. Prepared and presented in small cast iron skillet lined with a crispy crepe, it was then filled with a pineapple, red raspberry and custardy blend that was just perfect to end the dinner.
First, we would recommend that if you are visiting Quito, that you make at least one visit to the Marascal district, walk the sidestreets, investigate all that it has to offer, and then, top off your day with a truly magical and surrealistic visit to The Mouth of the Wolf.
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