food Archives - bbxmusic Ecuador

Dumas Restaurant – French Italian Gastronomy in Loja Ecuador

English version

Español AQUI

Watch our photo album (3 minutes)

Who has not heard of Italian and French cuisine?

“They are considered among the most important in the world. They are characterized by their variety, the result of regional and cultural diversity, but also by their refinement. Their influence is felt in almost every kitchen in the Western world, which have incorporated into their recipes technical knowledge of French and Italian cuisine .” Wikipedia.

Now, Dumas is not a French restaurant nor is it an Italian one. It is an Ecuadorian restaurant of “French/Italian inspiration” where the food is a fusion of different styles. We have already introduced Roberto Delgado, the restaurant owner, a talented and very likeable 30 year old chef, in our previous note Dumas Restaurant – Traditional lunch with a gourmet touch in Loja Ecuador . It is true that the lunches are delicious but, as we were to discover that night, they are nothing compared to the a la carte dishes served Monday through Friday from 4 to 9 PM.

So? you fool haven’t taken her out yet for dinner at Dumas restaurant?

I have, and I am delighted to let you know that she confessed to me that it was the best meal of her entire life.

We started with the Dumas salad, a true symphonic piece of work by itself. Roberto brought us a plate full of colors, a mix of greens with mozzarella cheese and crispy caramelized onions, edible flowers that had a pumpkin flavor, olives, sauteed mushrooms with garlic and honey and mustard vinaigrette with sesame seeds.

At Dumas just forget about what you do not like

I am not a great lover of salads I must admit, but she is. However, both of us we liked it so much that it left us speechless. The truth is that if you do not really like something, like there are people who do not like onions, or I do not like very much olives, my advice is to forget about these preconceptions and simply let the magic of Roberto do its job. You may simply find that you did enjoy what you never used to like.

Then we ordered two entrees, the “Bourbon Ribs” and a Pizza. As the menu says, the ribs are nothing short of spectacular and they are so tender that they melt in the mouth like butter. The BBQ sauce is, it goes without saying, 100% home made, courtesy of Roberto. They come accompanied with something called “rustic patatoes” and a Dumas salad it could not be otherwise. With a good house red it was really something from another world.

Dumas Restaurant - Bourbon Ribs — French Italian Gastronomy in Loja Ecuador

Dumas Restaurant - Pizza — Making the Pizza

Roberto prepares his pizzas from fresh and personally selected quality ingredients . He said his handmade mozzarella cheese is the best one can find in this country (from Cuenca). He also prepares the tomato sauce himself. He only uses extra virgin olive oil.

Dumas - Pizza a la piedra — Dumas – Pizza a la piedra

We had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with Roberto who came to sit at our table and we asked him to tell us a little more of his life.

Roberto Delgado = Dumas Restaurant Owner — Roberto Delgado – Dumas Restaurant Owner

His parents had a restaurant in Loja before named “Gino Ginelli” and it was quite a success too. At this time he was still at school and helped his parents out in his spare time but did not really pay too much attention because he had other plans and gastronomy was not something he was interested in yet. His desire then was to study medicine.

“Then I had the opportunity to leave the country in 2004. Apparently at that time Argentina was very convenient for those who wanted to make their higher education abroad. So I went and then decided to study at the school of gastronomy “Gato Dumas“.

Hence the name of his restaurant in Loja. In Argentina, Italian and French cuisine are well known and widely practiced. Then when he left school in 2007, he worked in Buenos Aires in a restaurant of typical food where they attended 500 people each night. Wow! He later returned to Ecuador and worked at a French restaurant in Quito as we explained in our previous article .

Dumas - The best customer service — Dumas – The best customer service

What is really noticeable in Roberto’s attitude, besides his good humor and smile, is his high level of commitment and customer service. While we were talking, customers were coming in, and every time Roberto stood to greet them personally and show them a table.

This surely is the result of his experience outside the country and this should be an example for the many businesses in Loja who have not yet understood the tremendous importance of customer attention and service.

The nail on the coffin. The desserts.

After so much of this rich and tasty food accompanied with red wine, my girlfriend and I were barely standing when they brought us two plates of their special homemade desserts: crème brûlée and chocolate fondant.

The crème brûlée or burnt cream is also called Catalan cream . You can read about this wonderful dessert on wikipedia here . I already knew it from my previous life in Belgium, a country neighboring France, but for my girlfriend it was the first time. We must say that there are as many versions of crème brûlée as there are chefs who prepare it, some better than others, but, once again, the Roberto’s version of it was one of the best I’ve had.

As per the chocolate dessert, it was so yummy and so rich that I really do not recommend it after eating too many other things or possibly share it between two people.

Social events

One very important thing I want to mention is that “Dumas” also caters for social events such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, friends gatherings (but no bachelor party, too messy 🙂) etc …

Book your event with just one phone call and enjoy the best …

conclusion

The conclusion is that there is no conclusion because the story does not end here. Roberto told us, but it is a secret and please do not repeat it to anyone, that he is preparing a new menu with new dishes. Then he will surely surprise us again and we will have to revisit our current conclusions whatever they are. Stay tuned.

What is true and will not change is that if you want to experience some fine dining in the city of Loja, and this without killing your budget, Dumas is the ideal place. It offers typical lunches and at night it offers gourmet à la carte dishes at affordable prices.

I can not resist one last comment. Whatever your religious beliefs, it is true that what is done with pleasure and love is always better that what is done out of duty or for money. And love abounds in this place. Only watching how Roberto puts his arm around his mum’s shoulder speaks volume. She helps a lot in the kitchen and has years of experience in restaurants including her own.

Dumas - Made with Love — Dumas – Made with Love

I’m not very religious myself but while the flavors of the bourbon ribs were filling my mouth a thought came to me, sweet like a caress but strong as a revelation,

” Dumas must be the proof that God does exist! ”

The bbxmusic.com team at Dumas Restaurant in Loja

Thank you, Roberto, our friend from Loja, for these magical moments we lived together on this night of the 15 of July 2016.

To you who read this note we recommend the following.

Do not wait even one more day to visit Dumas restaurant and please do tell us your opinion in the comments section below.

Dumas Trattoria and Restaurant in Loja Ecuador — Dumas Restaurant – A cozy place of French and Italian cuisine in Loja Ecuador

Dumas Restaurant - Traditional lunch with a gourmet touch in Loja Ecuador — Dumas Restaurant – Gastronomy at affordable prices in Loja Ecuador

Contacts

Address: Jose Antonio Eguiguren y Bernardo Valdivieso, Loja, Ecuador
Tel: +593 (0)7 256-1494
Social networks: https://www.facebook.com/dumastrattoria
Opening Hours: 12:00 – 21:00 hours

Síganos en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/todoloja

#HechoConAmor #TodoLoja

Supermercado Marisol – calidad variedad y productos orgánicos en Vilcabamba

Versión Español

Click here for English

Marisol es la propietaria del “Supermercado Marisol” que está ubicado en la plaza central de Vilcabamba en la provincia de Loja en Ecuador. Habla con mucha pasión del lugar donde vive. “Es un lugar mágico en el oasis de Loja…”, dice, “…único por su clima, su agua y por el ambiente. Por esta razón, es visitado por turistas de todo el mundo”.

La presencia de tantos extranjeros en Vilcabamba puede verse como una maldición o una bendición o algo entre los dos dependiendo del punto de vista. Para Marisol es seguramente es una bendición, no por pura suerte, sino porque ella es una persona que sabe cómo aprovechar con éxito del turismo.

“Que el cliente se sienta bien…”, “Asegurarnos que el cliente encuentre todo lo que necesita…”, “ofrecer la mejor calidad, la mejor variedad y al mejor precio…”, “productos orgánicos, naturales, cultivados localmente…”, “ética y honestidad…”, son palabras que suenan verdaderas cuando salen de su boca y estas cualidades atraen a la clientela internacional.

Marisol está muy ocupada, quiero decir bastante ocupada, todo el tiempo. La he conocido desde hace muchos años y siempre me ha impresionado con su capacidad de lograr a atender a muchos clientes al mismo tiempo con eficiencia, una sonrisa y sin confundirse. Ella sabe donde esta todo y por supuesto, algo común en Ecuador que nunca ha dejado de sorprenderme, ella sabe de memoria el precio exacto de cada articulo en su tienda. Y productos hay muchos.

Tuve que esperar mientras ella atendía a sus múltiples clientes en esta mañana del sábado. Después de un tiempo, pudimos escaparnos afuera y sentarnos en un lugar mas tranquilo. Grabe la conversación para asegurarme de que no se me olvide nada importante. Marisol se puso un poco tensa al principio, quizá preocupada por lo que iba a ser mi “interrogación”. La tranquilice explicándole que mis entrevistas son espontáneas, amables y que no tendría ninguna sorpresa.

Dialogamos y fuimos directo al grano. Marisol me explica su visión en pocas palabras: calidad, variedad, mejores precios, servicio sin concesiones y, tanto como sea posible en Ecuador, una gran variedad de productos naturales, artesanales y orgánicos. Es el núcleo de su negocio. El resto son detalles.

“Innovando innovando innovando, buscando cosas nuevas, siempre de calidad y al mejor precio para poner en nuestro local, es la razón del éxito, la calidad y el buen precio…”

“Que el cliente este bien, que este a gusto, que encuentre todas las cosas que necesita sin mayor dificultad…”

A menudo, los clientes consultan sobre la disponibilidad de tal o cual producto y Marisol no pierde el tiempo buscando una nueva fuente para proveerse. Algunos productos son de origen local en Vilcabamba como por ejemplo aceite natural de coco.

Otros productos provienen de Chaguarpamba, de Saraguro, de Cuenca, y otros son importados del Perú (cúrcuma, maca). Ya sea de origen local o no, siempre vende calidad a precios competitivos.

Por ejemplo, ella compra sacos de maní entero de Chaguarpamba (uno de los cantones que pertenece a la provincia de Loja y que visitamos recientemente). Luego realiza el procedimiento con mano de obra local supervisada por ella misma. Ella no agrega sal porque muchos clientes prefieren su propia sal de mar orgánica en lugar de la sal común de mesa que es yodada y contiene flúor. El producto final son bolsas de maní tostado sin químicos y sin sal. También hace mantequilla de maní.

Otros productos estrella son el cacao orgánico, el polvo de raíz de maca, la cúrcuma (una especia originaria de la India que se llama “tumeric” en inglés y tiene numerosos beneficios para la salud), harina integral y muchos otros. También tiene la mantequilla orgánica proveniente de Saraguro.

Con respeto al agua, el supermercado Marisol vende un agua mineral de manantial proveniente de Cotopaxi que contiene plata y oro coloidal y también un agua mineral de la zona con 22 minerales incluido selenium.

En gran medida, los productos que más consumen los clientes de Supermercado Marisol son frutas y verduras. Se ofrece una variedad de frutas exóticas de o sin temporada. En este campo también Marisol se distingue de los demás por tener una buena selección de productos orgánicos.

Este día hable con clientes en la entrada mientras mirábamos las frutas. Había chirimoyas de tamaño impresionante y una variedad de otras frutas entre los cuales note una de mis favoritas, la “fruta del dragón” como dicen los ingleses, conocida aca como “pitahaya“. En la foto a continuación, dos extranjeros intercambian palabras entusiastas sobre la agricultura orgánica mientras uno de ellos tiene una chirimoya (foto 1) o una pitahaya (foto 2) en su mano.

Vi muchos extranjeros entrando y saliendo de la tienda pero también muchos locales de todas las edades. El lugar es siempre lleno de vida.

Marisol trabaja con su esposo Wilson y también hay una señora que trabaja con ellos. Sin embargo, un par más de manos mas no les vendría mal.

Le pregunté a Marisol sobre sus sueños.

“Sueños? Seria un local espacioso que brinda comodidad al cliente”.

En este momento están ampliando, han re-modelado la planta baja y pronto tendrán una segunda planta.

Pregunte a Marisol cual seria en su opinión la razón más importante de su éxito. Ella cruza sus manos, levanta su cabeza, y con un mirada de fortaleza y al mismo tiempo de ternura, dice:

“Lo primero es la ética. La ética en los precios, la ética en los productos. Tiene que ser precio justo y cantidad justa”.

Yo puedo confirmar por experiencia propia que a menudo me percate que sus precios eran justos, incluso a veces menores que los precios de los grandes supermercados de Loja.

Me gusta su actitud relajada frente a cosas sencillas como por ejemplo los envases de cerveza. En la mayoría de las tiendas, sólo se puede devolver el número exacto de envases que se ha comprado a ese mismo lugar. Bueno, yo nunca recuerdo donde exactamente compré esta o aquella botella de cerveza. No se preocupe, Marisol recibe todos mis envases y paga en efectivo sin hacer preguntas. Esto es business. Sencillo, cómodo y sin problemas.

En conclusión, es fácil ver por qué Marisol es una mujer de negocios exitosa. Es inteligente, totalmente comprometida y lo mas importante, escucha lo que sus clientes o prospectos quieren decir.

Su ultima palabra?

“Ven visítanos, te esperamos. Con gusto te atendremos”

Pierre Volter, el 25 de enero 2016

bbxmusic.com
bbxmusic.com

Supermercado Marisol – quality organic food in Vilcabamba

English version

Versión Español AQUI

Marisol, the lady owner of “Supermercado Marisol”, right on the central square of Vilcabamba in the Loja province of Ecuador, feels strongly about the place she lives in. “It is a unique place in the world”, she says, “…unique for its climate and unique for its water. This is why, she continues, here we find not only north americans but people from all over the world”.

The presence of so many foreigners in Vilcabamba can be seen as a curse or a blessing or somewhere in between depending on how one looks at it. For Marisol it is definitely a blessing, not out of sheer luck, but rather because she is a person who knows how to successfully tap into a tourist market.

“Make the client feel comfortable”, “make sure the client finds what he/she is after”, “provide the best possible quality at the best price”, “organic, natural, locally grown”, “ethics, honesty…”, these are words that sound true when she speaks them and these qualities appeal to the international audience.

Marisol is very busy, and I mean VERY, all the time. I have known her for years and have always been impressed with how she manages to attend several clients at the same time with speed, a smile and without getting confused. She knows where everything is and of course, a common thing in Ecuador that never stops baffling me, she knows the exact price of every single item in her shop. And items she has many.

I had to wait for some time as she was attending many customers on that Saturday morning. After a while, we still managed to escape outside for a moment and we sat down at a table. I record the conversation to make sure I don’t forget anything important. She looks a little tense at the beginning, maybe concerned about what my line of questioning will be. I reassure her that my interviews are spontaneous, friendly and that nothing nasty or unexpected will happen to her.

We chat and she gets straight to the point. Marisol means variety, quality, uncompromising service and, as much as feasible in Ecuador, natural and organic. That is the core of her business. The rest is decoration.

“Innovando innovando innovando, buscando cosas nuevas, siempre de calidad y al mejor precio para poner en nuestro local, es la razón del éxito, la calidad y el buen precio…”

“Que el cliente este bien, que este a gusto, que encuentre todas las cosas que necesita sin mayor dificultad…”

Often clients inquire about the availability of such and such product and Marisol wastes no time looking for a potential source. Some products are sourced locally in Vilcabamba like for example her 100% natural coconut oil.

Others come from Chaguarpamba, Saraguro o Cuenca, others are imported from Peru (tumeric, maca). Whether locally sourced or from further away, she always look for quality at competitive prices.

For example, she buys bags of peanuts from Chaguarpamba (one of the cantons that belongs to the Loja province and that we visited recently). Then she gets the peanuts roasted locally. She does not add salt because many clients prefer to add their own, for example organic sea salt as opposed to the common table salt which is iodized and contains fluoride. The result are bags of chemical free unsalted peanuts. She also makes peanut butter.

Other flag products are organic cacao, the maca root powder, curcuma (a spice originally from India which is called “tumeric” in English and has numerous benefits for the health), wholemeal flower and many others. She also has organic butter from Saraguro.

As far as mineral water is concerned, quality also prevails. She sells a pristine mineral water from the Cotopaxi province (north of Ecuador) containing traces of gold and silver particles and also a local water brand containing 22 minerals including selenium.

By far what Supermercado Marisol sells the most are fruits and vegetables, she explains. Here again, she differentiates herself from the others by having a good selection of organic products.

I spent some time on that day chatting with people by the entrance while looking at the fruits. There were custard apples (chirimoyas) of impressive size and a variety of other fruits among which I noticed a cardboard box of one of my favorite, the dragon fruit, aka “pitahaya”. On the photo below, two expats exchange enthusiastic ideas about organic agriculture while one of them holds a chirimoya (1st photo) or a pitahaya (2nd photo) in his hand.

By the way, talking abut pitahayas, a few years ago I got some baby plants from a farmer in Vilcabamba. They never grew well maybe because our soil has too much clay in it and is not really suitable for these plants that need lots of drainage. Nevertheless, once only, one of the plants had a flower and I cannot resist the temptation to share a photo of it here because it was one of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. The pitahaya plant always blossoms at night (I believe, I am no expert). It lasts only one night. The next day the flower dies and then slowly the fruit takes its place. I only had one fruit once, not really a striving business for me.

I saw many expats entering and leaving the store but also many locals of all age groups. The place is always like a beehive.

Marisol works with her husband Wilson and there is a lady providing help as well. She could definitely do with one more pair of hands.

I asked Marisol about her dreams.

“Sueños? Seria un local espacioso que brinda comodidad al cliente”.

My dreams? More space, she says, a place where people feel more comfortable.

She is currently expanding, has remodeled the ground floor area and will have a second floor soon.

I ask Marisol what is the most important reason for her success. She crosses her hands, raises her head, looking strong while at the same time sweet and sensitive:

“Lo primero es la etica. La etica en los precios, la etica en los productos. Tiene que ser precio justo cantidad justa”.

First comes ethics, ethics with regards to the prices and the products. We want the right quality and quantity for the right price.

I can confirm from personal experience that I have often found her prices to be more than fair, even sometimes lower that the big supermarket chains in Loja.

I like her relaxed no-nonsense attitude with simple hassles like empty beer bottles. In most tiendas, one can only return the exact number of beer bottles that one bought from that same place. Well, I never remember where exactly I bought this or that beer, some times it could be from her but it could also be a bottle I bought from another shop or even in Loja. No worries, she takes them all back and pays in cash no questions asked. This is the right business attitude.

In conclusion, it is easy to see why Marisol is a successful business woman. She is intelligent, extremely dedicated and most importantly she listens to what her customers or would be customers have to say.

My only observation is that many times she looks a little drained and that the place can be a little chaotic. On the other hand, her tiredness may be due to the enormous effort she is currently putting in remodeling her store and, as far as chaos goes, well, a reasonable level of “colorful Latino chaos” is part of what this beautiful country has on offer for all of us.

Thumbs up!

Pierre Volter, January 25 2016
bbxmusic.com
bbxmusic.com

Almuerzo sano delicioso y barato en Loja – Hotel Saraguro’s

Versión Español

Click here for English

Por Martha Jaramillo, el 20 de enero 2016

¿Ustedes están buscando un almuerzo sano delicioso y barato en Loja? Algo con ensaladas de variados colores, quizá algo de estilo buffet, una alimentación, con gran variedad de carnes y pescado, todo casero delicioso y fresco, en un lindo ambiente, a un precio súper accesible, en el centro de la ciudad de Loja?? ¿Suena imposible verdad?

En realidad encontramos este lugar totalmente por casualidad. Y ahora es posible que a ustedes también les parezca fantástica la idea de un almuerzo buffet. En la avenida principal (avenida Universitaria, junto al río), Hotel Saraguros, entre José Antonio Eguiguren y 10 de Agosto.

No se ustedes pero a mí al medio día me da mucha hambre y deseo un almuerzo que contenga las tres “b” bueno, bonito y barato. Un plato a la carta seria $8 dólares por persona. Me canse de del “cuarto de pollo a la brasa “incluso para un cuarto de pollo terminas gastando $4 o 5$ por persona por algo mucho menos saludable (papas fritas, coca cola, muy poca ensalada y quien sabe cómo fue criado el pollo) y no hay postre ni café.

Bien, ahora me siento muy afortunada de conocer este hermoso lugar recientemente decorado por los nuevos dueños del Hotel Saraguro’s, a pocos pasos de los Bomberos para que se ubiquen mejor.

El buffet es súper variado, además de todo les brindan un servicio de calidad con calidez (generalmente yo pido de todo un poco porque soy una golosa).

Es todo fresco. Hay una variedad de ensaladas para todos los gustos. No es un restaurante vegetariano pero sin embargo es conveniente para los vegetarianos o veganos ya que pueden dejar la carne y servirse lo demás.

En bebidas también pueden encontrar agua, jugos y por supuesto la tradicional horchata. Un postre y no podía faltar un rico café (“café americano”). Todo esto por tan solo $2,99.

El ambiente es agradable y relajado. Las personas son amables. La cafetería está limpia, existe un amplio espacio. Me gusta.

POR FAVOR TOME EN CUENTA QUE:

Esta publicación es sin fin de lucro. Así que estoy simplemente haciéndoles un favor a ellos porque se lo merecen. Por favor visítenlos y por todo medio, publiquen un Comentario en la sección de comentarios al final de este artículo luego de haberlos visitado para dar sus opiniones Sería muy apreciado. De esta manera puedo mostrarles que mi “promoción” de trabajo es eficaz, me motivará a seguir buscando los tesoros escondidos que tiene Loja.

Una pequeña recomendación:

Si van, por favor pregunten por Miguel o Teresa, son dos hermanos los propietarios. Diga que los ha enviado Pierre (el hombre extranjero de Bélgica) que los ha recomendó el lugar. Estoy segura que les darán especial atención y un servicio aún mejor.

Bon appetit!
Martha Jaramillo

todoloja

Cheap Yummy Healthy Lunch in Loja – Hotel Saraguro’s

English version

Versión Español AQUI

Looking for a cheap yummy healthy lunch in Loja ? Something with lots of vegetables, buffet style if possible, nourishing, with a variety of meat and fish, everything homemade tasty and fresh, in a quite clean setting, at an affordable price, right in the center of Loja city?? Sounds impossible right?

Well, we finally found this place, totally by accident. On the main avenue (avenida Universitaria, by the river), Hotel Saraguro’s, entre Eguiguren y 10 de Agosto, now offers this type of buffet lunch.

I don’t know about you but at midday, I do get hungry and I want a decent lunch and I don’t have the money to go and spend $8 or more a head for a decent “a la carte”. I get tired of the “cuarto pollo a la brasa”and even then for a quarter chicken you end up paying $4 or $5 a head for something a lot less healthy (french fries, coca cola, very little salad and who knows what’s in the chicken?) and there is no desert nor coffee.

On the other hand, the $2 to $3 worth typical Ecuadorian “almuerzos”are usually disappointing in my view, I mean biiiig serve of white rice to fill you up, a microscopic slice of meat, and let’s not even mention the greens.

Well, our lives changed the other day when for the first time we step foot in the newly redecorated cafeteria run by the new owners of the Saraguro’s hotel, meters away from the centro comercial.

The buffet is beautiful, they give you a good serve with anything you want (I usually ask for everything because I am a good eater).

It is all fresh. There is plenty of greens you can help yourself of. It is not a vegetarian restaurant but it is nevertheless suitable for vegetarians or vegans because they can just leave the meat out and serve themselves more veggies.

Juices and horchata. Desert and filter coffee (“cafe americano”). All this for $2,99.

The atmosphere is nice and relaxed. People are friendly. The cafeteria is clean while at the same time not chemically loaded with disinfectants. I don’t feel claustrophobic as there is ample room. I like it.

AND YOU WON’T BELIEVE THIS …. THERE IS NO TV !

Which makes this place quite unique indeed. Unfortunately, this might change anytime, as Miguel the owner told me that he was thinking of putting one because people want it. Luckily, the place is huge and one can always escape the TV with his plate to some remote corner.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE:

They did not pay me to write this. So I am just doing them a favor because they deserve it. Please do give them a try and by all mean, do post a comment in the comment section below this article once you’ve done so. That would be greatly appreciated. This way I can show them that my “marketing campaigns” work, it motivates me, and I can look out for more such gems around Loja.

O yes, I was about to forget, if you go, please ask for Miguel or Teresa, his siter, the owners, tell him or her that you are sent by Pierre (el hombre extranjero de Belgica) who recommended the place. I am sure they will give you special attention and an even better serve.

Bon appetit !

Pierre Volter
todoloja