Had the pleasure of dining at both of Quito's fine dining establishments (Quitu and Somos). For this review, I will focus entirely on Quitu, whereas the Somos review will lightly contrast the two experiences.
Food: The food at Quitu qualifies under the "elevated authenticity" category, with each course being an elevated version of classic Ecuadorian flavors. The meal consisted of around a dozen courses, covering a typical fine dining spread from light and fresh courses to heavier, then dessert. To make a long story short, there was only dish that wasn't liked by our party (more on this below). For the most part, each dish presented comfortable, relatively familiar flavors that still felt clever in presentation and execution. Instead of highlighting any one dish, I will instead highlight an ingredient. The seafood, presented across many dishes (ceviche, crudo, grilled, etc.), was not only the best we had in Ecuador, but some of the best we've had anywhere. On a final note, we were absolutely enthralled with the desserts, which were some of the best we've had in fine dining. The standouts were a mushroom brownie and fruit candy at the end. Both were absolutely unbelievable.
Service: The service at Quitu ranged from comfortable/familiar to refined, with some dish elements being prepared tableside (their delicious salsa), and others being presented in unison by a small grouping of service staff. As mentioned above, there was one particular element that really elevated our service. Without getting too into the weeds, there was one course which was not well received by our group. The service team noticed this, and within a few minutes there was a full replacement course presented, which landed significantly better.
Overall, we had an excellent experience at Quitu. Dinner + drinks can be had for around ~$150 a person, and we felt that beyond being a very good experience, it was also a very good value.
by FidgetyFinance