They started four years ago on First Street in Entre Rios. Since then, their offer has focused on typical Ecuadorian food: a traditional ensebolado of albacore or mixed with shrimp, pilaf, flagella, guatita, fish bun or bolón. John Palomec owns the restaurant pepe fishwhich was established less than a month ago in the new gastronomic area of the shopping center Suraj Mallnorth of Guayaquil.
With around 65 dishes, the menu at Pepe Pez features a mix of dishes originating from different corners of Ecuador and also a fusion with Peruvian and Asian gastronomy.
Palomeque confirms that her venture was inspired by her grandmother, Yolanda Peralta. She owns a hostel in La Troncal (Canar), not far from Palomeque. Before focusing on the gastronomic sector, Palomec—who is also a lawyer—decided to start out in this sector to earn his income.
At its inception, the restaurant began catering to a small demand from customers in Entre Ríos amid fears that the pandemic would force them to close. “When I came out with Pepe Pez, the second wave of the pandemic hit me. So, it has been a constant struggle, a daily effort in these four years. We’ve improved our processes, and that’s really what I want to convey: First, keep the faith in this country; Second, that we continue to contribute to the country’s economy by creating jobs,” he insisted.
Palomeque, 31, explains that the restaurant’s name comes from a toy he had as a child. “They actually know me as Pepe; For that reason, it is also Pepe Pez”, says the entrepreneur. With the opening of this store in Mall del Sol, Palomek already operates four stores (they are also located in Entre Ríos, Plaza Bataan and Cibos on Leopoldo Carrera Avenue). Are).
Pepe Pays plans to expand its offer to the cities of Quito and Cuenca. “These are projects that have yet to be formalized, but it is important to mention them so that the public is already aware of them,” he says.
Its menu has different options, such as the explosion de mariscos bolón (stuffed with cheese and a mixture of seafood bathed in pomodoro-style red sauce), tigrillo, kanikama submarine (stuffed with kanikama and shrimp, Peanuts), Croquettes a la Manaba (Maduro Confit Stuffed with Crab and Panko Breaded), Seafood Basket, Crab Claws, Roasted Shells, Pepe Pez Casket (Oysters in a cold casket with lime, pico de gallo and seasoning house served), traditional corvitch and seafood soup (clams, mussels, shrimp, squid and octopus guajillo with a touch of chile).
They also have seven varieties of ceviche (shrimp, octopus, crab, fish, shellfish, squid and mixed), all prepared in jipijapa, creole, Peruvian, manaba and perucho styles.
Among main dish options, they have Seafood Wire (squid, octopus, grilled shrimp with vegetables, corn tortilla with bacon, guajillo chile and mozzarella cheese, refried beans and guacamole), fish fillet, crab risotto, chowfa seafood, spaghetti la la Are. Marches, Quesadilla del Mar, Mazarisco, Shrimp Burgers, Breaded Shrimp, Shrimp Tacos and Grilled Octopus.
They have a capacity of 60 people at Mall del Sol. Its opening hours start at 10:00 from Monday to Sunday.
