Shauna Eats Sunnyside

Ecua-Date on Skillman

Awhile back, B and I read about an Ecuadorian spot on Skillman, Rincon Latino (on Skillman Ave. b/w 48th and 49th Sts.) in this Time Out New York shout-out to line cooks. Further research yielded the prospects of indigenous ceviche and a life-sized boxing statue. Seemed to good to be true; we were immediately intrigued.

On a desolate Wednesday pre-pay day, we attempted to lift our financially downtrodden spirits with a visit to the Ecua-hut to explore some cuisine new to our palates and rare among the bevy of Colombian joints in this ‘hood…

We’d only ever peeked into Rincon Latino with passing curiosity prompted by the colorful live music and karaoke posters in its front window. When we arrived that Wednesday evening, the spacious dining area was quiet, occupied only by a family of six celebrating cumpleaños and, across the room, a solo diner hunched over a steaming bowl of caldo.

The upper half of Rincon’s walls are mirrors, lending to a 70s lounge/banquet hall feel. Gargantuan three-foot speakers menace the corners, and festive table flora is fake, yet inviting. A small stage, presumably for nightly entertainment, takes up a chunk of floor space toward the center of the restaurant.

A TV in the dining room shows Ecuadorian football (of course B had to sit facing it); a TV over the rear bar rolls Spanish soaps. Upside-down hanging glasses and strings of lights adorned the liquor cubby. There’s a jukebox - how novel! Though the absence of this so-called boxer statue quickly became apparent…

After placing our orders, we were brought a basket of warm, crusty bread (pre-buttered, just how B likes it) and a cup of fresh, tangy green sauce. Not sure if they were meant to be eaten together, but that’s just how our snacky asses tore into it. Green sauce packs one hell of a punch (despite the M.I.A. boxer mascot) — fiercely limey with lingering spice and a nice, thick texture that makes it conveniently spreadable and dense on the tastebuds. By the time the corn kernels came, we were intimately involved…

The roasted corn was less buttery than at Pio Pio Riko, but the sauce was a bit too sharp for straight dipping, so we were forced to approach cautiously. Nonetheless, the add-on snacks were solid precursors to our main Ecua-entrees.

B got a mora batido (blackberry shake) con agua for $2.50 (you can also get it with milk for $3). It wasn’t too sweet - in fact, delightfully tart, and entirely refreshing. The berry tang perfectly complemented the spice of the green sauce and our entree meat, and with its water base, served as more of a drink than a dessert. ¡Muy bien!

Mama’s shrimp ceviche ($13) was brothy and, once again, definitively lime-centric. Tomatoes, red onions, scallions, lots of lime juice, cilantro, and shrimp were served chilled in an oversized bowl alongside a plate of (rather overcooked) white rice. The shellfish was aptly tender, the cilantro leaves were abundant, and the broth was an element that could have proven irritating, but actually ended up coinciding nicely with the hardened rice kernels for a mealy stew.

B got a $10 house special, the bistec de carne (thinly pounded sauteed beef steak) topped with green peppers and onions in a tangy tomato sauce con tostones (delectable fried green plantains), red beans and a mound of yellow saffron rice. The cut of meat was tender, well-seasoned, and edibly lean. The tostones were crisp and potatoey in texture (my favorite of the night), and delicious as expected with the ferosh green sauce. His yellow rice was moist and the beans, though watery, rounded out the entree well.

We were so stuffed by the end of the hour that dessert was out of the question and a to-go bag were in order. The six-top birthday suaree was winding down with a heaping plateful of candle-lit flan and two sweet-faced children (one in a Curious George tee) chasing each other across the platform stage. Mellow Ecuadorian guitar music paved our way out of the cozy den, where several other couples had since convened for oversized portions of stick-to-your-ribs Latin comfort foods.

With our bill came complimentary individually-wrapped toothpicks and these bangin’ Colombian Café Gurmé coffee hard candies. Creamy, caramely, and friggin potent as hell, we suckled heavenly coffee bits, in a state of gluttonous bliss, all the way home.

———————————————

Rincon Latino Restaurant
48-18 Skillman Avenue (b/w 48th and 49th Sts.)
Sunnyside, NY 11104
718-505-1363