Part 3: Best of Bourdain in South America: Ecuador

Ecuador. Before this episode, I was vaguely aware that there was a cute colonial capital and that lovers of Darwin traveled here in packs to look at strange lizards on the Galapagos Islands. In other words, I was only mildly interested in visiting. After this episode, however, I was ready to buy my ticket to some delicious food and beautiful scenery. So, why was this our favorite South American episode?

1. Street Food in Quito. The real star here is actually the colonial town of Quito itself. An adorable town, with lots of beautiful old buildings and an energy to it as well. Plus, I love empanadas.

Beautiful Quito.

2. Guinea Pig. Tony visits Picanteria el Hueco to try a  pre-Columbian dish: guinea pig. Tony thought this was delicious and now I really, really, really want to eat Porky, my cousin's pet guinea pig. It's not like I have anything against guinea pigs, although I once was responsible for the death of a friend's hamster (let's just say her hamster got loose and my cat was feeling playful), it's just that Tony really enjoyed this tasty little treat and I am never one to argue with flavor.

Guinea Pig. Delicious?

3. Beautiful beaches. Tony also visits La Ruta del Sol (“The Route of the Sun”), which is a strip of beaches with quaint little seaside towns, full of surfers and fishermen. It's gorgeous, it looks peaceful and the food looks good. I'm in.

Ayampe, Ecuador

I don't know what it is about this particular South American country that appeals to me so much. There just seems to be a vibe about it, which I dig.  Oh. And did I mention it looks gorgeous?