QUITU Elevates Ecuadorian Gastronomy

The city of Quito’s culinary scene is on the rise due to its biodiversity and a new generation of chefs who are fusing the traditional flavours of Ecuadorian food with contemporary culinary techniques. In the Las Casas area, known for its warm and casual atmosphere, is the restaurant QUITU, or “centre of the world” in the language of the Quitus Indians. Opened in September 2016 by chef Juan Sebastián Pérez, QUITU offers 12 dishes that are classified by region and change every day, depending on the fresh locally grown produce delivered to the restaurant. Reinterpreted traditional dishes include roasted pork with a side of baked potatoes and fresh vegetables, and red snapper macerated in passion fruit with red bell peppers and firewood-oven roasted vegetables. Exotic dessert offerings range from fresh beetroot with chocolate-covered Andean blueberries and colada morada, a traditional Ecuadorian drink prepared with black corn flour, to fruits like naranjilla and babaco, a delicious cacao mousse from the Amazon, and roasted corn sorbet. Artisan-crafted libations and homemade infusions complete the dining experience.