Restaurant Review: Harlem Ceviche Palace Ecuatoriana

For those accustomed to the comically tiny and expensive servings of ceviche tendered in bistros, seafood restaurants, and small-plate places, the Ecuadorian product will come as a shock. This South American republic is one of three places said to have invented ceviche (the other two are Mexico and Peru), and in its highlands, coastal lowlands, and interior jungles, ceviches appear as giant collections of seafood swimming in vast pools of citrus. Ecuadorian menus in New York often translate the term as "cold soups."

At Ecuatoriana, a classic Ecuadorian diner in Harlem's Hamilton Heights, the ceviches are so voluminous, you can treat one as an entire meal, or as an appetizer shared among several friends. There's no better summer dish in town — low in calories, refreshingly cool, and gluten-free.

It'll be hard to look at regular ceviche the same way again. >>