The signature dish that made Cotoa's reputation — raw fish cured in passion fruit vinegar with a bright, balanced salsa flavored by the restaurant's house blend. Multiple reviews and food blogs single this out as the dish that justified the Michelin nod. Each component — fish quality, timing, and seasoning — is precise.
Tips from diners
This is the dish that established Cotoa's reputation — order it early and watch the brightness of the passion fruit shine.
The crudo is even better when you understand that the restaurant sources specific fish varieties from Ecuador for this single dish.
Langoustines brought in from Ecuador, grilled and paired with the house tonga sauce — a tangy, spiced reduction that plays off the sweetness of the seafood. Coconut rice and sal prieta (a black finishing salt) complete the plate. Reviewers consistently call out the precision of the cooking and the boldness of the sauce.
Tips from diners
Ask the server if the tonga sauce recipe changes with the season — it's one of the few rotating elements on an otherwise consistent menu.
A staple of Ecuadorian tables, here it's executed as a small course of its own — warm, with melted cheese inside and a crispy exterior. The kitchen-made dough avoids the dryness that plagues many renditions. Simple, but reviewers consistently flag it as perfect.
Tips from diners
Arrive early and ask if the kitchen will add pan de yuca to the start of your tasting menu — it's unofficial but often accommodated.
A play on chocolate lava cakes using 70% fine aroma Ecuadorian chocolate — the same single-origin focus that defines the savory menu. The sorbet on the side provides acidity and a bright contrast. Small enough to not feel heavy after a rich dinner.
Tips from diners
Save room for this — it's not overly sweet and the passion fruit sorbet cuts through the richness beautifully.
Purple corn dough — sourced from Ecuador — is filled with tender goat ragu and served with creamy labneh. The tamarind stew adds tang and depth. Each empanada is substantial enough to be a dish on its own, and multiple reviews praise the balance between the corn sweetness and the spiced meat filling.
Tips from diners
These empanadas are meant to be shared as a start to the meal — order two if you're solo and want them as a complete course.
Alejandra Espinoza's intimate 24-seat restaurant opened to wide acclaim and earned Michelin recognition as the first Ecuadorian restaurant in the US to receive the honor. The menu rotates but always features her signature crudo salsero and pan de yuca — dishes sourced with precise ingredient choices from Ecuador and beyond. Reservations fill weeks in advance.
Make a reservation at least two weeks out. It's a 24-seat room and they book full most nights.
Friday and Saturday lunch (12:30 pm) is quieter than dinner and gives you a better chance of a walk-in or short notice booking.
The menu rotates, so classic dishes like crudo salsero and pan de yuca are the anchors — everything else is subject to what Alejandra sources that week.
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