Comisariato in Salinas Ecuador

This is the comisariato (grocery store) one street back from the Malecon. This store is always packed and the waiting lines are 20 to 30 minutes, and this is during the off season, so have some time on your hands. 

Produce prices are out of this world and the variety is awful. When we were in Salinas for a month we really missed the produce vendors that you see all over Cuenca. The abundance of fresh fruits and veggies practically right outside your front door is not to be had in Salinas. The produce prices in this store are more than at Supermaxi!

About a mile from the Malecon there is a small Mercado but the prices do not hold a candle to the bargains you can get at the Merados in Cuenca. And we also noticed that the produce looks dried out and not as fresh in the coastal cities of Ecuador. After being in Cuenca for a year, we felt deprived of produce.No kidding!

To do some real heavy duty shopping for food, there is a hypermarket in El Paseo Shopping Mall about 8 miles by bus or taxi. Prices and selection are much better there. 

The Salinas board walk is a beautiful walking area with several international restaurants, ice cream parlors, high rise condos and night life, so be ready to throw out some cash.  Just one street back from the board walk, by this grocery store, you will find garbage on the streets, manholes all over the place (very dangerous) and beer bottles and broken glass on the streets, etc.