I recommend Ceviche de Camarones
As a young kid, I was a very picky eater. No matter how hard my parents tried to convince me to expand my taste in food, I would always be that kid to ask for chicken tenders and french fries in a restaurant of any kind. Any time I would see something that looked or smelled like something I wasn’t accustomed to, I would automatically reject it. So, when it came to things like seafood, I could’ve never imagined myself enjoying it as much as I do now.
By the time I turned 16, something changed. My appetite felt a reawakening all of a sudden, as if I’ve gotten bored of the same 3 dishes that I would always eat. Around that time, me and my family took a trip to Guayaquil, Ecuador. My curiosity grew as every corner I walked there would be many interesting looking dishes, and they all smelled great. But one dish caught my eye in this one restaurant. It was a seafood restaurant, and while I looked at the menu, I decided to be a little daring. I looked at the ceviche (shellfish marinated in citrus and seasoning) side of the menu and there was a shrimp option. Ecuadorians have a different way of preparing it, as they use plantain chips to accompany the dish. My family looked at me with sheer surprise. Never in a million years would they have imagined that I tried something completely out of my comfort zone.
As I was waiting in anticipation, I started to doubt if I would actually like the dish. I started getting a little antsy and I was playing with my fingers, as I didn’t want to disappoint my hunger. I was really hungry and it would’ve been a let down also to my family because they got so excited that I was finally maturing food-wise. When the food came, everyone got quiet. They all waited for me to try the ceviche and I got kinda nervous because all eyes were on me. So when I mixed the plantain chips with the juices and the shrimp, they were all like, “ Just eat it already!” So after putting that spoon in my mouth I simply said “ I like it”, and everyone nodded in approval. Looking back this was all very dramatic, but I’m glad I went for it, because man, those flavors were so good, the shrimp was nice and fresh.
After this, I had the courage to try more and more food that I wouldn’t have previously. To this day, ceviche is one of my favorite meals to eat and I can’t imagine how much longer I would’ve lasted if I kept eating chicken tenders with fries every time.
Great job sharing your experience trying Ceviche de Camarones! I liked how you talked about being a picky eater and then trying something new during your trip to Ecuador. Your story made me feel like I was there with you, feeling the excitement and nerves before trying the ceviche. It’s cool to see how you’re becoming more adventurous with food.
I like how you describe trying Ceviche de Camerones as a rite of passage for you to trying out other dishes and “maturing your palate.” Good job 👍
I could also relate to this in regards to being picky in certain foods growing up. I used to only eat my moms food and every time I went to a restaurant I would always pick the same food every time. But when I got older I started trying out new things which really opened me up to the world more.