MUST TRY FOODS of the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS | Budget friendly, Sustainable, Street food, Seafood feast!

The GALAPAGOS ISLANDS are famous for their stunning landscapes, insane biodiversity, as well as being the birthplace of the theory of evolution. However, few blogs and even fewer TH-cam videos discuss one very important topic - FOOD!
The Galapagos Islands are part of the country of Ecuador, so you can expect their cuisines to be quite similar. But just like the Darwin finches, the Galapagos Islands have evolved special dishes that are all of their own. Join us in this episode as we explore the budget friendly, the sustainable and the seafood feasts that can be found here!
First thing on the menu - MENU DEL DIA or menu of the day. This is a common meal served across all of South America, and typically includes locally sourced ingredients or whatever the chef could find at the market that morning - almost like a Japanese Omakase. There is a small area on the main island of Santa Cruz (at the corner of Ave Baltra and Charles Binford) with 4-5 stores all serving these delicious surprise meals for only USD5 - absolutely delicious and a MUST TRY for any budget minded traveler. Some must try dishes include - garlic prawns, encocado stew, ceviche and the many varieties of deliciously thick fish soups.
Next up, we we get a little bit more adventurous and try out some locally sourced meats in the form of SECO CON CHIVO, or cilantro goat stew. Goats are not endemic to the Galapagos, and were instead introduced to the islands as a form of livestock for the locals and sailors. Unfortunately, with no natural predators, feral populations began running rampant, destroying the delicate ecosystem that had survived for millions of years. Luckily for us, goat meat is edible, and combined with the environmental reasons to eradicate these animals, makes for a sustainable and delicious stew served over rice.
Another dish that we did not know the name of was LLAPINGACHOS, or Ecuadorian potato pancakes. These delicious parcels of pan seared potatoes stuffed with minced meat were delectable. Furthermore, the side of roasted plantain made for a crazy delicious meal on its own.
Street food is basically a form of religion in South America, but we were a little surprised by how difficult it was to find it while in the Galapagos. We chanced upon a lady selling fried snacks out of her cart one evening and pounced upon the opportunity. While we didn't know what we ordered at the time, we tried a bolon, which is a ball made of deep fried green plantain stuffed with some pork meat. It was crispy, juicy, tender and overall amazing.
While in the Galapagos, make sure to also try some of the SEAFOOD. It might seem a little irresponsible, but all the seafood on the islands are caught manually and sustainably by the residents under the protection of the local Ecuadorian authorities. We ordered a seafood platter at La Pausa (goo.gl/maps/KqH9qp4NExKfLfhx7...) on Santa Cruz Island and were blown away by the freshness, sweetness and overall tastiness of the seafood.
Thank you for watching our video! Please remember to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE if you enjoy our content. See you next time!
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:28 - Menu del dia
06:40 - Seco con chivo
09:32 - Llapingachos
10:31 - Bolon
12:24 - Seafood platter
Graphics:
Calendar by ifan kurniawan - NounProject
Shrimp by ramdanstudio - NounProject
Fish by Alzam - NounProject
stew by Made by Made - NounProject
potato by Teewara soontorn - NounProject
Oval by Olena Panasovska - NounProject
seafood by Amethyst Studio - NounProject
coconut by Wan HD - NounProject

[@dianejacobd6602]

I can't wait to go. Thanks for the insight

[@jjescapes]

Enjoy! 😊

[@dsan1982]

Hehe. 5 dollars not so cheap eh. For Singapore that would be super cheap 😂😂

[@jjescapes]

Sometimes my chicken rice can cost $5, but only in the heartlands... 😓

[@danielaaguirreschiess3764]

I think the fried dumpling was a corviche. Mashed plantain dough filled with tuna
Mmmm

[@jjescapes]

@@danielaaguirreschiess3764 oh wow, now that you mentioned it, you are absolutely right! Thank you for the insight!