Pig Road (Avenida Don Bosco), Cuenca, Ecuador
We lived around the corner from Pig Road in Cuenca, Ecuador. Actually we were around the corner from Avenida Don Bosco but it may as well have been named Pig Road. If you are looking for pork in Cuenca, this is the place to go. When asked where we lived, the conversation often went something like this:
New friend: Where do you live?
Us: Near Don Bosco and Francisco de Orellena.
NF: Is that near Pig Road?
Us: Yes, Don Bosco IS Pig Road!
Restaurants on Pig Road
A long section of Don Bosco is known for pork restaurants. A look a couple of restaurant entrances helps explain the nick name. Restaurants display all of their food offerings at the open air entrance, with the open air kitchen directly behind the food displays. Entering the restaurant, you can peruse the offerings as you pass on the way to your table, determining which looks best that day.
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| Restaurant Picanteria Crespo, Avenida Don Bosco, Cuenca |
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| Restaurant Picanteria Doña Margarita, Avenida Don Bosco, Cuenca |
Each restaurant roasts a daily pig, skin crisped by a butane torch and displays the pig on the sidewalk, slicing off crispy skin and meat as it is ordered. Sides include corn, potatoes and a variety of vegetables. Pork stew is also a tasty option.
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| Roasted pig on the right has had some glazed skin sliced from it |
Restaurants often offer samples on toothpicks to pedestrians walking past. Heads up! If you prefer not to eat guinea pig, ask what the sample is before eating it. These restaurants roast guinea pigs (cuy in Spanish) as well as standard pigs (cerdo in Spanish).
Roasted guinea pig
If you are interested in trying guinea pig, order cuy and you receive the entire roasted animal.
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| Roast Cuy (guinea pig) |
To be honest, I have never tried cuy and probably will not. I am unable to get beyond thoughts of a guinea pig I pet sat for years ago. My friends who have tried it say it tastes a bit like gamey chicken (of course it is chicken, right? Everything tastes like chicken). Some tell me it is greasy and some say it is dry so I suppose it depends on who prepared it. Several people told me Pig Road is a great location for cuy so give it a try while there.
Have you ever tried guinea pig (cuy)?
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Emily Bloomquist
I am a US Expat in Ecuador. I grew up on a Minnesota farm, worked in IT in California's Silicon Valley, then moved to a coastal Ecuador fishing village. My goal is to share Ecuador with you, one snippet at a time. Topics include attractions, compassion, ecotourism, Ecuador products, everyday Ecuador, and flora and fauna. Please let me know what you would like to read more about!
2 Comments
Scott
Emily,
How difficult is it to get from there (Don Bosco) to the old town/ central Cuenca? Does the new Tram help?
Thanks for your thoughts,
Scott
Emily Bloomquist
Hi Scott,
It is really easy to get to old town from Don Bosco. There are multiple city buses that go into old town multiple times per hour that make stops along Don Bosco. I actually moved back to the coast before the tram opened.
Hope this helps. Thank you so much for your comment!