If you’re an Ecuadorian living in Columbia Heights, then you know the struggle of finding authentic food that’s close to home without, well, being in your home. There are a number of restaurants that have good Ecuadorian food, but unfortunately, with perhaps the exception of the always reliable Chimborazo on Central Avenue in NE, many of them are far from here. Not to worry! Now, a new Ecuadorian restaurant has opened up on Central called Doña Mary that brings the taste of Ecuador to the middle of Columbia Heights.
There are many amazing restaurants in Minneapolis known for excellent Ecuadorian and Latino cuisine, the options of which have only grown—along with the Latino population in the Twin Cities—over the years. In Minneapolis alone, many diverse restaurants showcase the different cultures in South America and bring those cultures to Minnesota, from the authentic Los Andes Bistro in Uptown to Cocina Latina in the Southwest neighborhood, but despite the large Ecuadorian population in Heights, most of the stellar Latino offerings in the city specialize in Mexican and Salvadorian like Don Goyo on 37th Avenue, El Tequila on Central Avenue (which, credit where credit’s due, also offers some excellent Ecuadorian options) and El Taco Loco (also on Central).
Doña Mary features a list of popular dishes that are commonly eaten by the Ecuadorian community, such as encebollado (tuna fish soup with pickled onions), empanadas (fried pastry with filling) and secos de carne (cilantro beef stew). There are other variations on the latter as well, including seco de pollo, a traditional meal in Ecuador that has rice, chicken stew and—occasionally—plantain that genuinely transports back to the home country. For the more adventurous, there is a plate called Bolon de Verde, which is a plantain stuffed with cheese and meat, that is equally bonafide when it comes to Ecuadorian cuisine.
“I like that it tastes like a plate that I would’ve gotten if I was in Ecuador,” Jose Ortiz Robles (9) said.
Similar to the flavors, the restaurant’s ambiance is also top-notch. With classic Ecuadorian music playing in the background and aromas of authentic food that remind fellow immigrants of places visited at a younger age. This creates an atmosphere of familiarity and comfort. My siblings and I could not stop fighting to finish our plate when we visited since we all shared the same yearning for our native, authentic cuisine. Doña Mary is a family-owned restaurant with the owner being Mary Guaman.
According to her son Alberto Cuzco, some of the establishment’s most popular dishes in the short few months they’ve been open are the bolon mixto (a breakfast dish featuring unripe plantains, cheese and pork) and papi pollo (a crispy, golden fried chicken dish).
When asked about the inspiration to open a restaurant, he said his mom loves the kitchen and preparing food for others at events and that this served as the inspiration to continue making food here in Columbia Heights.
“It’s for my mom,” Cuzco said. “That’s why it’s called Doña Mary. She had a restaurant in Ecuador for years.”
The food at Doña Mary is not only legitimate, but it’s also nostalgic! The flavors took me back to being in Ecuador, and even if you don’t share the same country of origin, you may be surprised how it transports you too. Don’t be afraid to pop in and support a new local business in Columbia Heights!
