Dos Sucres

By adopting the name of Ecuador's previous currency, Dos Sucres pays homage to the past. "They are merely cooks, they are not saving the world," says Daniel Contreras, owner and chef of Dos Sucres. Nonetheless, he hopes to improve people's perceptions of food by eating healthy, without sacrificing flavor, and combining it with a twist on tradition. As he notes, food fads can become ingrained in a family's way of life if they opt to incorporate them into their daily routine.

Dos Sucres is a fusion of regional flavors, customs, and agro-ecology, as well as responsibility and the chef's interpretation of the origins. Daniel is proposing a sustainable restaurant idea in which local farmers play a key role in the puzzle he is putting together in Cuenca. Dos Sucres not only buys their goods directly from the farmers, but also gives them a spot in the restaurant every Tuesday where residents may buy their products. Another pillar of Dos Sucres' structure is the continuous exploration of local recipes, ingredients, and customs, as well as how they might be adapted to modern life.

Even though their menus are different, many people believe Dos Sucres to be the brother of La Pizarra in Guayaquil and Nuema in Quito. All of them, however, symbolize the evolution of Ecuadorian cuisine, pushed by young local chefs who are working to enhance and promote Ecuador's gastronomy in order to set the table for expert foodies who are always on the lookout for new gastronomic destinations across the world.

Don't miss out on Dos Sucres' take of Encebollado: tuna paired with tomato, onion, corn, plantain chips, and crispy corn, to name a few ingredients. If you're looking for a unique dish, try the sous vide ribs with fig vinegar, caramelized almonds, and mote (corn) with avocado sauce. Furthermore, for those who enjoy sugar, the customary figs with cheese are created as a fig's mouse with goat cheese emulsified and an Amaranto caramel leaf at the restaurant. As part of its healthy approach, Dos Sucres does not serve sweet colas or carbonated drinks, but it does offer a good selection of local juices, cocktails, and craft brews.

Location: Roberto Crespo Toral 3-56, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador

Phone: +593 98 453 7693

Google ratings: 4.5/5.0