Food Critics Corner: Breakfast in Cuenca

Cuenca's top culinary critic has a new review. Yes, Sumana has been deposed from her throne)

Today's Review is from Sofy's Orchard, which is on Benigno Malo about a half block north of Calle Larga. Let us set the stage.

The building entrance


The Restaurant entrance (I like the sound of today's lunch on the chalkboard

The Menu


The breakfast of French Toast


The Review

The french Toast GOOD.
The bacon GOOD.
The Strawberry Syrup GOOD, although a little more would be nice.
The free coffee included with the breakfast GOOD
The Service GOOD. The owner speaks very good English, not that it matters.
The portions BAD.  Next time I will ask for a side of eggs or Potatoes, in order to make it more like a Denny's Grand Slam.
The cost: $4.50

A blogger trying to steal my thunder.

http://www.cuencahighlife.com/post/2012 … erzos.aspx

Nards,
I for one appreciate the food critique.
This lets us soon to be Ecuadorians know a little more of what to expect. Especially the pictures.
When I worked in the Middle East I saw dentist offices named Cleopatra dental, and laundry places called Bruce Lee's laundry. I always got a kick out of places like that. Even saw a vet clinic that specialized in Camels.
Keep em coming, and dont just specialize in breakfast, let us know about seafood too. Coming from southeast Texas I would love to know if anyone there makes Gumbo! If not, I need to open my own place!

Nards,
Thanks for the reviews. I know when I was in Cuenca, this kind of info would have been greatly appreciated. Like, I know pancakes are not too easily found in Cuenca.
I'll be coming back in the Spring to live there, my only problem is, I'm totally at a loss as far as the streets are concerned. I think it's the most confusing system I've seen. I just relied on the staff at the hotel I stayed at, and of course, taxis.
How long did it take for you to make sense of the street system?
I'd look at a map, and it was so serpentine and such small print, it was pretty much useless.
Anyway, thanks for the effort you are taking with this post.
Keep it up.
Stay Well,
Neil

On a prior review of the cafe Eucalyptus, I panned the white toast. I went back yesterday, in part I needed a place with free Wifi, and lo and behold I was served the following.



So my question is, random occurrence or influential food critic?

Peeps,

I was back at cafe Eucalyptus, and this time I ordered  à la carte.  I know I am suppose to try different places, but I am no ordinary food critic. Besides, I like this place for breakfast because the chairs are comfortable, there is free wifi, it is not crowded, and the music is nice. Plus, with the free coffee, which I think expires at the end of August, unless you order "The Amnerican Breakfast", it is a good value.

Okay, so let us take a look at what I ordered.



I ordered the French Toast at $2.90 and it was lip smacking good.

And in the upper left is the small fruit salad I ordered that was only $.95. It too was damn good, and quite a generous portion for the "small" size.

And of course I received the free coffee.

First an administrative note: The cafe Eucalyptus no longer serves breakfast. A month after announcing they were serving breakfast, they stopped serving breakfast.

And now for a new lunch review:

When going to the Post Office which is located at the Corner of General Borrero and Gran Columbia, I often stop for lunch at the restaurant El carbón which is located about a half block north of the Post Office on General Borrero. It is adjacent to the Hotel Cuenca.

A crappy photo but you get the idea.



Only $3.50 for the "Baby Churasco".

Update: ah hell, that comment should have been in the Lunch/dinner thread.

There is plenty of brown rice in the markets.  In the restaurants you generally won't find it, except for the vegetarian restaurants, such as Govindas or Nectar. Every time I have been to Govindas for lunch, they serve both brown and white rice, so you choose which one you want.

beadwindow wrote:

So, with all these ExFat sites, do "any" of the restaurants (specifically for breakfast) publish their hours? Or is it "oh no, we're not open on Sundays until 11.30; you should have known that!"

You are in Cuenca, GOYA and find out.  The previous post was 16 months ago, things change.

beadwindow wrote:

So, with all these ExFat sites, do "any" of the restaurants (specifically for breakfast) publish their hours? Or is it "oh no, we're not open on Sundays until 11.30; you should have known that!"

On Sundays for breakfast, I would go to San Sebas which I think opens at 8:00-8:30 a.m. or Bananas which I think opens at 8:00.  The Loft garden cafeserves a Brunch starting at 9:00 a.m.

I have heard a couple people talk about this place as well which apparently opens at 10:00 on Sundays

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Common-G … 7306337221

Another breakfast place that you could check out is Common Ground.  Its on Paucabamba and 12 de abril.  After six cups (marked on their card) the next cup of Cafe americano is free and I think there are free refills.  Not a breakfast person but what I have seen looks good.  I like their cappuccino.

There are free refills of coffee (not cappuccino, because of which I downgrade them one star - not that they are very concerned...)