If you’re the kind of traveller who plans their itinerary around food (guilty!), then you already know that some of the best meals happen far from fancy restaurants — and often off the menu entirely. This is the story of how speaking a little Spanish turned a simple dinner in an Ecuadorian village into one of the most memorable meals of my life.
I remember the night perfectly.
I was in a tiny village just outside Quito, Ecuador — the kind of place where the streets are lined with crumbling colonial houses, the air carries hints of woodsmoke and coriander, and the menu (if there is one) is more suggestion than instruction.
I sat down at a simple wooden table in a family-run comedor, ready to do my usual point-and-pray method of ordering. But this time, I paused. I smiled at the señora taking orders and asked, in Spanish, “¿Qué me recomienda?” (What do you recommend?)
Her whole face lit up.
What followed was a five-minute chat — part Spanish, part gestures — about her favourite dish: seco de chivo, a slow-cooked goat stew with rice, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. She told me how her mother used to make it “solo los domingos” and how today’s had been simmering since early morning.
I probably only understood 70% of the conversation, but it didn’t matter. In that moment, I felt like I’d been let into something special — not just handed a plate, but offered a story.
And the food? Without a doubt, the best thing I ate in Ecuador. Possibly the best meal of my life.
The Magic of Asking One Question
When you speak a bit of Spanish, even just a few simple phrases, you stop being a stranger and start being a guest. You get the dish off the menu, the one they make for locals. You get the story behind it, and maybe even the recipe if you’re lucky.
You connect. You learn. You taste more — literally and metaphorically.
Spanish Isn’t Just a Language — It’s a Shortcut to Experience
You don’t need to be fluent. You just need curiosity, confidence, and the kind of phrases that make travel feel less like observing and more like participating.
That’s exactly what my Beginners Spanish Course is about — teaching you real, useful Spanish you can take on your travels, whether you’re at a tapas bar in Madrid or a taco stand in Oaxaca.
So next time you’re handed a menu in a language you barely understand, you’ll know what to say — and maybe even discover the best meal of your life, too.
