Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Chicago

Today, Monday, November 6th, 2023, I walked into Rinconcito with absolutely no expectations, just hoping to grab a black coffee and some tomate de árbol juice to kick off a busy day. I was amused to see a mixed Bolón de Verde on the menu and decided to indulge. If you're African, Central American, Caribbean, or Ecuadorian, you'll understand the simple joy that a plantain brings to breakfast. I'm not exaggerating. I didn't anticipate receiving a well-prepared Bolón, but my curiosity got the better of me. This was the closest I've come to the ones from Frutería Monserrate in Quito, Ecuador. The hot sauce reminded me of my grandmother's recipe, which has been passed down through generations in Quito, and possibly Esmeraldas and Guayaquil where she also lived. Although I wasn't particularly hungry for breakfast, I felt compelled to honor this masterpiece by eating a quarter of it, all while reflecting on how fortunate I am. I can't speak for the other dishes, but if you want to experience a taste of my childhood, order the extra crispy Bolón de Verde mixto, a black coffee, and a glass of blended tomato juice.

We started with the mote with habas, which came topped with cheese. Adding some homemade aji brought the dish to life—absolutely delicious! The empanadas were decent, but the dough could have been better. When our main dishes arrived, the fritada was tasty, though I wished the pork had been crispier and a touch less salty—it certainly had flavor, though. The watita was excellent, featuring a generous amount of tripe and potatoes. Personally, I enjoy a stronger peanut flavor in mine, but it was still quite good. The llapingachos came on a large plate and was incredibly filling and flavorful. We also tried the fried trucha, but it was overcooked and too dry, although the seasoning was on point. For drinks, we had passion fruit and tomate de árbol batidos (fruit milk juices), both of which were fantastic. To finish, we enjoyed higos con queso, and the caramel sauce was the highlight of the dish. Overall, it was a wonderful experience—not too expensive, but a bit on the salty side. Definitely a taste of Ecuador! Plus, the Andino cumbia playing constantly had my non-dancing feet tapping along.

I visited this restaurant with my husband and kids, and just five minutes after receiving our meals, I noticed a roach crawling next to my food. My husband had to kill it, and when we informed the owner, she didn’t seem to care—she simply picked it up and walked away. We decided to leave without eating our food, yet we were still asked to pay for the meals we didn’t touch. This experience was so disturbing; I truly believe this place should be shut down.

Portions are big, but the food isn't that good. Encevollado was not good, rice had a hair. Besides that the juices/drinks were good and the other food I had was good.Kid-friendliness: They didn't have a kids menu but there's definitely food that a kid can eat, you may want to share- it's a large portion.Parking: The have a small parking space at the back of the building. But there's also street parking.

Great food, great service, loved it madde my last meal in Chicago the best!!! Ambiance fine