Chimborazo

Chimborazo is a Northeast Minneapolis “hole in the wall” restaurant that few of my acquaintances have been to or heard of! They prepare traditional Ecuadorian cuisine, which I had never eaten nor had others who have joined me on my excursions here.

Located at the corner of Central Ave NE and 29th Ave NE, Chimborazo sits a short distance from Twin Spirits Distillery, which serves well as a suggested meeting spot prior to or after lunch or dinner at Chimborazo. I have had the benefit of tasting several menu items and will highlight a few:

APERITIVOS: Ceviche De Camarón – shrimp cocktail with red onion, tomato, lime and tostadas, with patacones (fried plantains); Muchín De Yuca – cassava croquettes filled with onion and cheese, with aji criollo for dipping; Yuca Frita – fried cassava with garlic and citrus, with aji criollo; Llapigachos – cheese filled potato pancakes with egg and peanut sauce.

SOPAS: Encebollado de Pescadoí – hearty soup of ahi tuna, cassava, onion and tomato, served with tostados.

Encocado

Dinner entrees are described as PLATO FUERTE (or heavy plates): Encocado – mahi-mahi stewed in coconut sauce with rice and sweet plantain, this one was a favorite of Allison’s (my right hand for all business at the office) and also of mine; Chaulafan – Ecuadorian fried rice with pork, chicken, shrimp and an egg; Churasso – flank steak with rice, fried egg, beans, sweet plantain and yuca fries; Saltado – stir fried chicken with peppers, onions, tomato, yuca fries with rice and avocado. Everything was fun and flavorful as well as colorful.

DESSERT: Tres leches cake with strawberries – a wonderfully moist cake soaked through with milk and sugar and served with strawberries; and Figs

Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

with cheese – figs in syrup served with a hard cheese to balance the sweetness of the fruit.

I’m constantly on a quest to identify and enjoy fun and different dining in our Twin Cities. Some are not so welcome while other are a pleasant surprise in many ways, as was Chimborazo! Give it a shot, why not!

Chimborazo | 2851 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN | Menu

Bill’s Beverage of the Month

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale | Brown Ale | 7.0% ABV

A seasonal release between August and November, this is the perfect beer to warm up with as the temperatures drop. Punkin Ale is a full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin, brown sugar and spice.