El Tesoro Ecuatoriano

Make sure you go to this Ecuadoran joint on a weekend, when caldo de bola is on offer. The centerpiece of this $7 soup is a softball of mashed plantains, ground beef, peas, raisins and chunks of hard-boiled egg. The spongy orb sits in a cilantro-accented broth surrounded by carrots, potatoes and corn on the cob—and it’s a perfect opener for El Tesoro’s other specialty: seafood. Of the nearly 20 ceviches, you’ll be particularly seduced by the one overflowing with shrimp ($8). The accompanying giant kernels of roasted corn will have you grabbing for something to cut the starch, like a supersweet tropical apple soda.