NUEMA

During a recent trip through several Central and South American countries, I had the privilege of dining at numerous restaurants that appeared in “Top 50” or “Top 100” and this was BY FAR the best experience I had. Each dish was thoughtful and I described more than one to a friend as ‘life changing’. The service was attentive without being overbearing. The way they describe the ingredients that constitute each dish is enlightening. I do wish the wine list was more comprehensive. But otherwise, an absolutely fantastic experience. I was here for lunch and did the shorter option.

I went here this week with my boyfriend after finding it on the 50 best discovery list. I LOVED the experience! I always look for some unique food experiences in other countries and I loved that the food was creative but also close to home as Ecuadorian ingredients and everything was well explained. Would definitely go back! Also I am gluten free and look for places that are still authentic but accommodating and they did an amazing job at making all of my dishes just like my partners.

Couldn’t recommend more. World class tasting menu. We are both vegetarians and they were very accommodating.

Food presentation is very artistic. We tried full taste menue. I loved about half of the dishes. Some dishes the taste of sourness is too strong for me. The service is decent. One of the waiters has more enthusiasm than others

This was a huge miss for me but the wife enjoyed it. Although her stomach was upset for half the day the following day. Coincidence, probably. Customer service was pretty top notch. They did a good job explaining the dishes. However. All the seafood dishes had a disgusting and funky smell like old seafood. Ruined the mood for me. The Cocktails for my wife were all excellent. Only 2 national beers CLUB and Pilsener which is sad as for a high end establishment choosing to serve the poorest quality beer. They need to consult with a Cerveza Artesenal Brewery locally and create their on perfect light crisp easy drinker to go with the menu. Overall for $95 for 12 course pretty decently solid deal if the seafood items were fresh. I did not like any of the Pastry/Desserts. Bland and boring. Although she one Pastry chef of the year it did not show in this seating. But please visit her bakery and coffee shop next door called PIA. The aesthetics and decor are modern and trendy. The vibe is chill. Would I go back. No. Hopefully if you go they will use fresher seafood items.

The restaurant occupies a former embassy and residence (mid century modern architecture) with an interior garden and a small art gallery on the second floor. The atmosphere is quiet and casual and the kitchen is in full view. The service is quite good, however the menu was unclear and the explanations of each course served seemed rushed. The food is an interesting take on local cuisine and includes regionally sourced ingredients. Unfortunately some of the dishes were so salty they left a lingering burn on the palate. For the price (easily 2 to 3 times the cost of similarly ranked restaurants in Quito) we expected better.

I like to try new foods, especially local cuisine when I travel. We had the seven-course tasting. Overall, I was not a fan of most of the servings. The flavors were odd or sour (not a preferred taste). The fish was cevichè (not a fan), and even my cooked fish was very fishy (my daughter's was not). My daughter, however, enjoyed most of the dishes and even ate mine, except for the really fishy tasting one. If you like the experience of trying unusual flavors and new foods, try it. It's pricey, but an interesting experience.

Exceptional is an understatement! We have traveled the globe seeking vanguard chefs and found one at Nuema, located in Quito Ecuador. Co-owner and Chef Alejandro Chamorro, has been able to create dishes that are not only superb in taste, but brilliant in optics. We had a 12-course experience that left us breathless - each dish pushing the limits of imagination. Thank you Chef Alejandro for taking the time to describe each dish, its history, and how to best savor each ingredient to best interpret the explosive flavors. Kudos