Otra Casita Bakery & Restaurant

My parents are from Ecuador so I was nervous straying from my regular Ecua places. A friend wanted to try food from the motherland and we were in the area so we tried this place out. It is decorated with Ecuadorian paintings and crafts which was nice. Love the fact that they play traditional Ecuadorian music! Made it feel more «home-​y» I went with «La Chullita» which is grilled steak, sweet plantains, potato patties, fried eggs & avocado. Strange combo but very good! The meat was seasoned really well and cooked perfectly. My friend had Lomo saltado (see photo) which is sautéed pepper steak in sauce with French fries mixed in that comes with white rice. I liked his more than mine! It was delicious! I would come back just for that Lomo! Large portions as well. One order of Lomo could easily feed 2 – 3 people, but you won’t want to share because it’s that good! Enjoy! Took a while to get our check once we were done. The waitstaff seemed to be pretty busy once it started picking up and forgot to check in with us. We finally were able to wave them down, pay and head out. About $ 35 for 2 entrees, two sodas which was pretty good for lunch!

the place is cozy just like your topical ecuadorian restaurant. the food is incredible, great service and giant portions. the prices are fair not over priced. will definitely return with the rest of the family. we had the tsunami platter, sirloin steak platter, sangria and chicharrones with mote. also got the breaded steak with rice & beans to go and again giant portion.

Hello Everyone,
I am a native Ecuadorian and even though I came to the USA at a young age, I still hold to some traditional Ecuadorian values, namely eating «Comida Ecuatoriana» (Ecuadorian Food). Most old school Ecuadorians will tell you that it is very hard to duplicate the rich taste, texture and aromas of our food when produced in mass quantities and i totally agree. That being said, it is very difficult for typical restaurants to serve traditional Ecuadorian food, without sacrificing taste, texture or aroma. All that being said, on to the rating. I have been to this establishment on several occasions and it is a bit dated, even though, one of the owners has tried to make it feel traditional, by decorating it with imported wall hangings and nick knacks. The fare is hit or miss, depending on who is preparing it. The service is the same as the food inconsistent. What this place needs is stricter oversight on food quality and presentation. In my opinion, the management needs to be more concerned with their reputation and customer satisfaction, than dismissing their obvious short comings and not addressing issues as they happen. I gave Otra Casita 3 stars, only because of the bakery and traditional bread, but that’s as far as i am willing to go. I hope that this place has an awakening and commits itself to customer service and satisfaction.
Regards,

… Ancioso estaba de venir a comer pero me decepciono servicio bueno pero la comida estaba mala el ceviche no tenía sabor y además los tostones una falla enorme me mandaron viejos y con jabón y pues la verdad primera experiencia y última…

There is not a gringo in sight– not one. I am thinking that I may not want to write this review or else the hipsters from Brooklyn may take over this hidden gem. Before you know it, they’ll be serving vegan options. Part of me wants to preserve Casita’s homey state. I like walking in and seeing all the familias eating (comfortably sucking on that pork rib), Ecuadorian music blaring, and the soccer game on the big screen. I like the pork rinds. The fried empanadas. The overall sentiment that corn is a nutritious vegetable. I like the gluten. Sometimes, you just need some comfort food and not so much fiber.
I went to Otra Casita for dinner– and then returned for breakfast the next day. The price-​quality-​portion ratio was just right. The flavor was legit (i am first generation Ecuadorian, so i kind of know). The establishment is not aesthetically pleasing from the outside, but its nice and modest on the inside. The portions were big enough to share– we ordered the Fritada platter (pork rib and meat), the mote (hominy), the avas (fava beans), the tostado (fried corn). and sopa de bolas (a green plantain soup with beef, cabbage, and potatoes). For breakfast we ordered humitas (corn patty wrapped in a corn husk– with cheese), mote pillo (hominy with scrambled eggs), and bollon (green plantain with pork rinds). We also ordered the empanada de queso which was a warm, sweet bread with cheese (when you say «empanada» some may think it’s a fried patty, but in this case, it is not). To drink i had the one and only, Guitig– the Ecuadorian version of Pellegrino.
If you don’t speak Spanish, not to worry. Some of the waiters spoke English and the menu has some parts translated, albeit poorly at times. The dining area could accommodate groups of 6or 8 and small families. Totally kid friendly with American kid friendly options, although I highly encourage you to let your kids try the food. Aside from it looking different, it is so delicious.
Addressing the other reviews: I wouldn’t say that this is the BEST Ecuadorian food i’ve ever had outside of Ecuador, but I would say that it was pretty darn delicious! Good enough for me to eat two meals there back-​to-​back. I can see how some of the poor translations could have you expecting one thing but then receiving something else. And although there is no excuse for bad service or management, I should say that when i was there the service was very attentive and polite. Another thing is that this is a restaurant with Ecuadorian people serving, cooking, and eating. If you are not Latin, you may interpret some cultural nuances as bad service– so just keep an open mind. As for the stinky fish– i’m with you on that. Having lived in Japan and the Pacific Islands, I know that fish ain’t supposed to smell like fish because if it does, then you don’t eat it. I can see how some things on the menu might turn over more than others. Remember, people that go to this restaurant are working people– may not have the money all the time for the more expensive seafood dishes. I promise you, the rice, hominy, and pork are big sellers and turn over fast.
I live in Philadelphia and this spot is a place I would go every time i’m in Jersey– for sure.

One star because, although I’ve been here before and had a wonderful meal –same as the one I ordered this evening, it was a far cry from my first experience. Last I visited on a week night approximately 8pm.
This evening, a Sunday evening approximately 8pm, I had to send back my meal. I ordered the Tsunami (seafood rice, fried fish, ceviche mixed, and tostones). The first clam which sat atop of the rice, front and center, smelled so bad, it left my fork smelling of it. I really tried to eat around it but couldn’t for fear that perhaps the rest of it was bad, but i could not. I did send it back and was afraid to order anything else.
The server took it back to the kitchen and when he returned he said that this is what seafood smells like. While I don’t mind giving the kitchen/​chef an opportunity to rectify an issue, insulting me by assuming I don’t know the difference between good and bad seafood is a complete turn-​off and evidence that they don’t care about their customers.
Very disappointed.

I’m currently sitting in the restaurant and can honestly say I’m disappointed. I’m sorry but those who say it’s the best Ecuadorian food, have not been out much. I had the churassco regular and the meat was tough and OVERCOOKED, the rice was hard, the best part was the fries (nothing special just comparitively better than the rest of the dishes). Nobody at my table was pleased or wowed. I would not come back here, but at least the atmosphere was nice, that’s the only reason I give this place 2 stars.

I’m surprised!
You can’t expect this place yo be what it is from outside.
That saying «don’t judge a book from it’s cover» fits here like a glove!
Super simple inside, very cozy and you feel very welcomed. The tables are well placed, with real napkins and fresh flowers, the walls carry art and the fire place just make it even better!
The service is good, the food is delicious!
I had the lentil soup with meat, for sure carried lime and cilantro, super flavorful, them me and my friend split the ceviche, it was so fresh and great quality fish, I forgot to ask what fish it was, but for sure it wasn’t tilapia, very meaty and soft. They have this special hot sauce with purple onions that makes everything taste even better.
If you around, it’s definitely worth to try it!
Thumbs up!

The food is excellent, the best Ecuadorian food that I have tried when not in Ecuador. I also like the fact that you can get several typical treats from Ecuador such as cookies, candy, and chocolate. The service us friendly and outstanding. You’ve gotta try this place if you love good food!

He probado varios restaurants ecuatorianos pero ninguno como este.
La comida es deliciosa y el Lugar super limpio que es lo mas importante! lo recomiendo
El Pan es espectacular

Muy buena variedad de comida Ecuatoriana. Platos típicos serranos, del oriente y costeños. Estaba muy delicioso y el servicio al cliente muy amable!