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The little Ecuadorian Restaurant hidden in a West Des Moines strip mall may be hard to find, but once you find it you won’t ever forget it. I was greeted with a big smile and warm welcome, along with being asked if it was my first time there.

On first impression, the rectangular room can look rather small, but the warm service and big flavor make up for it. The light from the window and the bright yellow walls help light the restaurant. It was clean and well-maintained. A lot of things looked newly painted and refurnished.

They brought water to my table while I waited to be greeted by my server. The menu was only two pages, and the prices were more expensive than I expected, which concerned me a little. There wasn’t a ton of variety, but I was informed that everything was authentic Ecuadorian cuisine. They did a great job of explaining the menu and asked if I had any questions. They answered all of them. I eventually decided on the Lomo Saltado, which is beef strips, green peppers, onions and tomatoes sautéed with their signature sauce.

They were quick about getting my food to me. When my food came they gave me my whole $11.99 worth. The plate was huge. I ate a little less than half before I was full. My water  glass never went empty, and my server did a good job of checking in on me regularly. My favorite part of the entire meal was the fried ripe plantain. If you have never had it before you are missing out. Plantain is a cousin of the banana. They caramelized and deep fried it, and it melted in my mouth t. It was almost like having dessert with your entrée. The flavor of the steak was juicy and cooked to perfection. The best part is that the leftovers were just as good. I would highly recommend you check out Mi Patria on your next night off. You’ll have a new favorite and will fall in love with Ecuadorian cuisine.

I give Mi Patria four out of five stars.