el tipico restuarant ecuadoriano (the typical ecuadorian restaurant)

latin flavours here i come! they're flavours i love..and thankfully, they weren't overpowering and there were no chili peppers anywhere near my tongue, except for a ramekin of homemade salsa that i believe had either had habaneros or scotch bonnets! we asked for cheese filled empanadas and i honestly swear that there's nothing better for an appetizer than that...and while i knew that we were allowed to add some white sugar to the still hot empanada for a bit of sweetness, i preferred the deep fried tortilla and stringing cheese combination! for a main, i asked for clams and rice. not being sure if it was what i ordered, so after some verification from the waitress (meaning that i basically had it mixed up with another dish pictured in the menu!), i dug in with relish. i MUST confess that i totally underestimated how big the portion size would be, but i gotta say that i was glad for some sweet, caramelized plantains and some veggies (sweet peppers, peas & carrots) to make the meal a bit more balanced. all of that said, i only managed to finish about half of the dish--it's enough for two people to share--and took the rest home with me. i definitely can't wait to go back there again! i know the service there that night was a tad slow (and i know that can annoy a lot of people at times), but i gotta say it's worth the trip for something new and different! good for going to with friends? YES affordable? ABSOLUTELY. flavours all blend well? you bet. location: 2312 Keele Street, North York, ON (about 15-20 mins drive from vaughn mills) next stop: a trip back to philthy mcnastys (130 eglinton ave e).