El Encebollado de Rossy

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

There are stretches of Wyckoff Avenue, of course, that you should steer clear of these days. A combination of dangers and threats from fixed-gear bikes chained to every surface; large, apparently unshowered and unshaven men in plaid roaming everywhere, and the ever-present risk of drowning in craft beer get worse the closer you come to Flushing Avenue.

Luckily as you near Myrtle Avenue, and especially when you cross to the other side, the ubiquity of women dressed like they live in the 1980's goes down, and the chances to find excellent food goes significantly up. One such restaurant to eat well and avoid the dangers of all these other things is a small Ecuadorian nook named for the dish it features most prominently: Encebellado.

It does not take a ton of people to make this thin space feel crowded, but on each visit here the restaurant is at or above capacity. The customers and staff give it a good spirit though, and smiles pervade. When you are eating well, a New York City-style cramming is that much easier to handle.

On a second visit, with an unexpectedly buzzing late afternoon crowd, this bowl of encebollado regular ($12, above) was tucked into and savored. The regular version of this popular soup is filled with meaty whitefish, cooked of course with onions as the name suggests. With maritime themes painted on the walls, it is easy to close your eyes and smell the Pacific Coast as if you were sitting in a seafood shack near Guayaquil.

Encebollado comes with a heaping plate of tasty white rice, but order a side of chifles ($2, not shown) for the full experience. These are thinly sliced and fried plantains that add a salty crunch to the meal.

Despite having the national dish in the name and hand-painted fish on its walls, the menu here at Rossy goes much further, offering just about everything you could want. Ecuadorian-style Chinese favorite chaulafan ($17, above) is a supremely savory fried rice made with shrimp and beef, topped with avocado and a nice long fried sweet plantain.

For those wanting a good bit of leftovers, this is probably the best bet, as the plate is gigantic and would be a feat to finish. You will not find light and airy fried rice like you might in Chinese cuisine. Ecuadorians prefer the dark and heavy soy sauces and plenty of meat.

It is hard to go wrong with the goat stew known as seco de chivo ($16, above), another Ecuadorian favorite that is done well at Rossy. Each bite is proof of slow cooking, the gravy perfect with spoons of meat and rice together. Another one of those delicious plantains curls around and offers a sweet respite when necessary.

On weekday visits during lunch, check out the daily menu, an economical way to eat a ton of food. On one visit, this plate of carne asada (below), served with plantain, rice and beans was all possible with a ten dollar bill. Tasty soups can be procured for even less.

The menu goes in many other directions, future visits will require an order of their bolones, mashed green plantains formed into balls and combined with your choice of meats, cheeses, and eggs. Judging by other tables these seem to be a hit.

Or maybe esperame en la cama, a type of encebollado that translates as "wait for me in bed." The addition of black clams and the insinuation of aphrodisiac might be all that is necessary to spice up your night. Let us know in the comments. (Please don't)

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BUSHWICK Brooklyn

293 Wyckoff Avenue

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