PRICE:
Frommer's Recommended

The Magic Bean is a cozy cafe that would be right at home in any college district in the United States, say, in Santa Cruz, California, or Boulder, Colorado. It's not fancy, but it has a pleasant setting with a couple of small dining rooms and covered outdoor tables. Expect to see plenty of the city's expatriates here, especially at breakfast and lunch. The fare is typical cozy cafe food -- pancakes, French toast, sandwiches, bagels, omelets, fresh fruit drinks, salads made with organic lettuce, and freshly brewed coffee. Overall, the food is quite good. Just beware: The pancakes are enormous! More substantial options range from grilled local mountain trout to filet mignon. They do a lot of kabobs here, with everything from steak, chicken, and pork, to mahimahi and shrimp grilled on a spear. They even have a children's menu. The Magic Bean unabashedly caters to foreigners, but it's comforting to find a place in Ecuador that reminds you of your favorite little spot at home. If you've got a laptop or PDA, this is a good place to come for a free Wi-Fi hookup. Though it's more popular as a restaurant, the Magic Bean also functions as a hostel.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Ecuador, 1st Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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