Ecuadorian food served from a stall at Il Mercato Centrale.
Quincy Malesovas
Ecuadorian Corner
South American$
Chef Leo Bravo first cooked for Melbourne’s small Ecuadorian community from his CBD apartment, sending WhatsApp messages every fortnight announcing the menu. A stall at Il Mercato Centrale food hall on Collins Street has since brought those dishes to more people.
Hornado is the hero, featuring whole roast pork served both shredded and as crisp rinds of chicharron, alongside the corn dish hominy and the potato pancakes llapingachos. Bolon, a roadside staple traditionally eaten before a long day’s work, combines mashed green plantain with pork crackling and cheese, shaped into balls and fried. It arrives topped with cheese sauce, a fried egg and your choice of pulled chicken or beef, lifted by a punchy aji chilli and peanut sauce.
For something lighter, ceviche comes two ways – prawn in a subtly sweet tomato-based marinade or calamari dressed in a sharp herb mix.
Must-order dish: Hornado – pulled pork, chicharron, potato pancakes, avocado and hominy.
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