Sea-foodie Heaven Part II

Ken's favorite dinner was at Mama Rosa's in Manta (Playa Murcielago area) - he had the swordfish, grilled. Yes, that was one delicious piece of fish. He let me have a bite or two:

Very buttery, garlic seasoning, it was YUMMY. Whole swordfish meal, about $8.

I had the 'sweaty' (steamed) swordfish with grapefruit. It was very good, but Ken is right, his was better.

We walked to Mama Rosa's from our hotel just a few blocks down the same street (Flavio Reyes), and even though it was dark (the horrors!) we were just fine. There was a security guy outside one of the buildings on the street, and even our hotel had a security guy at the door. Saturday night in Manta, whoo!

Anyhow, we arrived at the restaurant, and were greeted very warmly by our server, who said we could sit wherever we wanted. We picked a table with a birds-eye view of the entry, and also to take advantage of the breeze. Nice atmosphere, a tad dark for my old eyes but we managed just fine....hey, I got the sweaty swordfish, right?

The server took our drink orders, and almost immediately brought us a champagne glass with a sparkling cocktail - how sweet! It was gratis, and that set the mood for some fun:

Me after a glass or three of wine.....

Fantastic fresh meal, highly recommend Mama Rosa's, not for the Italian food, but for the fish. Service was spot-on, nice bar area, pretty decor, has a note of elegance, enjoyable music. Would be a great place for a big celebration or a quiet romantic dinner.


MY favorite dinner: Rocka's in Salinas. I know, I know, it isn't seafood, but wow, the meats have this wonderful smoky flavor, and it was a nice change from ceviche and fish, which of course I could eat (and did eat) every day. They are located on a side street, ask a local and they can point the way, or better yet, follow your nose. I'm serious!

Really really (really) good grilling skills these guys have:

Grill master on the right, he was so nice and explained each item

Pappas y Carne pictured above, smothered in queso, below is the mixed grill of chorizo, beef and chicken with two dipping sauces.

 The potato is so freaking good!!!!

 Ken's chuleta - thin piece of pork grilled to perfection, he liked the chimichurri type sauceThe corn - ahhh, sweet and I could eat several!

 Above left - chuleta on the grill, right, the grill master's assistant

Plaintains with queso - the one thing we didn't try!

Food was kept under wraps - nice touch!

Rocka is only open for dinner, the restaurant is open for lunch but not the grill. Go for the grill!! When we arrived, it was a Friday night, and the evening was young. Maybe around 7. Disco and 80s music playing, I was 'chair' dancing and the gals by us started giggling. Hmmm. Well then they started moving a bit, the music was fun, and you HAD to dance to it! And....it was in English. The place started filling up and filling up quickly, with locals. Plenty of families, young couples, and the atmosphere was fun and friendly.

Rocka is a bit different from most places. It is outside, and the grill and caja (cashier) are on opposite sides, with the tables all in between. Snag a table, then go to the cashier and place your order and pay. Take your receipt to your table, and the server will go to the grill and get your food. Service is super quick, and we placed several orders, wanting to try many things. Their homemade aji sauce had a nice kick to it, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but their chimichurri sauce was super yummy! 

They have a reputation of running out of food (because they are so popular), so I am glad we were able to try most items - I think we tried too much because we were SO FULL!! And, our dinner was around $11 for two of us, including our drinks (beer, soda). Very affordable. We slowly made our way back to the hotel, hoping the long walk would help digest the enormous amount of food we consumed! We WILL go back.

Hasta luego, chao chao, and all the good stuff,

Tami

SOLD!

An interesting thing about changing ones life, at least for me, is not bringing my old life "stuff" with me. I am reading on various forums about how people MUST have their ALL things, they just can't depart without their whole house of furniture, pictures, knick-knacks (I call them crip-crap), and yes, I have a few of those crip-crap items too. I am NOT knocking their decisions. I am NOT thinking they are silly. But reading their posts and comments over the past year has got me thinking about what I am going to do with all my 'stuff.'

Last year we had researched getting a small container. Then maybe just a pallet or to share a truck or something with another couple. And now we are down to carrying a few footlockers along with our suitcases. Keep a few things in storage in Florida and we can (if we still want) pick up items on return trips to the US. Or make the kids bring them to us when they visit. It's interesting how perspectives change after making an exploratory trip, and then actually planning the move.

I do plan on bringing some items from my kitchen. I love to cook. Things many of you out there on the forums and who are already living in Ecuador have recommended to bring. Small appliances like my Vitamix, food processor, small food chopper, and some of my nicer cookware. I plan on selling pretty much my entire kitchen except for the small appliances. Hopefully they have plenty of wine glasses there in Ecaudor!

A select few photos are in the keep pile. Pictures of our travels to Costa Rica, my favorite is the collage of feet, yes our feet, that my husband gave to me a few years ago for my birthday. Pics of our feet all over Costa Rica, perched up overlooking the Pacific ocean sunset, buried in the black sand on the Caribbean, etc. Love that collage! Here are just a few:

Now, isn't that more interesting and memorable (at least for us, haha) than looking at a picture of a piece of furniture? Furniture can be replaced. Memories, priceless.

And of course a collage of our wedding in Barbados!

And pics of the kiddos, right now at 4 kids, 2 spouses and 3 grandchildren. 2 babies born last year alone. But I may sell the frames and buy those in Ecuador. I have seen some pretty frames there, and of course the prices are so much lower than in the US. Thank goodness for digital photos, my next big project is converting all our old prints to digital.

But what am I NOT keeping? My entire room filled with stamping supplies. Which brings me to the title of this post. SOLD! I sold ALL of my stamps. I had hundreds. Yes, every one of them! How freeing. Now I can post more items on Craigslist and my kitchen reno fund gets closer to the magic amount needed.

Christmas items. Sold a TON last year. Sold some more this year. I now have them all separated into what I am keeping (a small Rubbermaid box), versus what I am giving away to my kids or selling (several Rubbermaid containers!)

Not keeping: furniture. There's plenty in Ecuador. Closet filled with gorgeous designer (the good ones like Nicole Miller and Betsey Johnson) dresses. I'm going to take a few, just in case, but only a few. Taking over a dozen to the consignment shop next week! Crip-Crap. Many items are on Craigslist now. What the heck am I going to do with Swarovski crystal figurines. Really?

Just looking at the pictures above brings a smile to my face. I am so looking forward to the day I can not only snap a pic of us on the beach in Ecuador, but wake up to the sounds and sight of the beautiful ocean every single morning. Now, that's a memory I can't wait to make!

Tami

Booked for May but Ready Today!

Ken and I usually give each other gifts for Christmas that are useful - like our flat screen TV we've had for 3-4 years, our backyard 'wall' project, and our trips overseas. We are fairly practical people, and it just makes sense to spend our money on things that we both enjoy, instead of a bunch of knickknacks, just for the sake of 'giving gifts.'


One of the first things we decided upon our return from Ecuador...we wanted to return TO Ecuador. As soon as possible. So this year our Christmas present to each other is a trip to Ecuador! And.....drumroll..... our flights are booked for May 2012. This will be our 'let's look at the details' and also get a feel for areas of the coast we didn't get a  chance to check out so diligently as we did Salinas. Ya never know, we might decide the humidity and large bugs are to our liking (don't think so). 


Speaking of large bugs, last night my dear husband and 17 year old son Alec decided to have some fun with me and his 'friend-that-isn't-a-girlfriend' - yet. Ken brought out the big boys - these stupid large plastic roaches that look like the real deal. Complete with antennae and legs, and....they look real. Take my word for it. They are freaky looking, large things that, well, freak me out. Yes, I screamed like a little girl. Alec's 'friend' was more woman than me, she held her own, until they put one on her shoulder that is....


Anyhow, I really don't care for the gigantic cockroaches, the kind they have in Florida and most tropical places. I can deal with regular bugs, but those things give me the heebee-geebees. They jump at you, not away from you. Ugh.  So, for me, I think the Salinas area, with its dry desert-like dry (some say ugly/barren) terrain, fits me just fine. It has the ocean. It has sand and a few palm trees. I can live with that.

Chowing Down in Coastal Ecuador-Part I

The first step is to admit it. Fine. I am a foodie. Love. Food. Must.Try. Everything. Preferably with wine.  

My grandmother was an amazing cook. She didn't measure. She just knew. Obviously she was not a baker! My father - same way. By the time I was 12, I was whipping up some pretty decent meals for our large family. And I have passed along our family's culinary (and wine) appreciation to my oldest son-23, who graduated from culinary arts (JWU-Denver) and is now a chef in VA, moving soon to Chicago. 

So I can't help it. The foodie in me is in my genes.

Whenever we go on vacation, I always take pictures of our food, much to the amusement of my husband. Ken isn't picky about his food - he just prefers that it be cooked. That's about it. Me, on the other hand, well....let's just say I will analyze the dish. I am yammering away about the presentation, the colors, the smells, the flavors, all the while my adorable husband is patiently looking at me, smiling in between his bites, and pretty much mumbling 'Yes, Dear.' He could care less whether or not the plate has pretty little garnishes. The poor guy just wants to eat.My son enjoys taking pics of foods he's eating to prove that he did, indeed, just eat that!

Alec and Ken chowing down at lunch - Hotel Caridi

Here's the low-down, complete with pics (surprise!) on a few of our culinary adventures while in Salinas:

Herminia's - on the Malecon. Ken and I stopped in for a quick bite sans Alec and when Alec saw the pic of Ken's dish, he wanted to visit the restaurant, so a few days later we went again. Very humble surroundings, we sat outside both times, people watching is so fun! 

First visit I ate the octopus ceviche. Served with rice and plantains and on our 2nd visit I had the pescado ceviche, both excellent. Very fresh tasting, tender meat, flavorful and not overly acidic. Different styles, the fish having more ingredients, and a slightly spicier tang from the peppers.

Ken had the arroz con pollo our first visit. Alec had it on our 2nd visit. Can you tell the difference between Ken's dish and Alec's? We know the Ecuadorians love kids...the "mom" must have thought my son needed some 'extra' since he was a growing boy - and the 'extra pollo' was gratis! Alec ordered a batidos pina con leche and it was delicious. He let me have a sip :) 

RaPaNui - on the Malecon next to the Doral Bldg. Great little outdoor area, and the service was excellent. I enjoyed a fresh mojito that was not too sweet thank goodness, and we all enjoyed a nice lunch. Ken and I had the almuerzo and Alec snacked on a pizza, in addition to trying some of our caught-that-morning fish. 

 The soup looked thin, but it was filled with goodies, and very delicious!

The portion of fish missing was eaten by my kid, who actually liked it. Here's a pic to prove he ate some fish:

There ya go Alec, take a bite! You'll like it!

Cheers,

Tami