Juliana was created by brothers and Guayaquil natives, Daniel and Agustín Febres-Cordero, who together combine experience in both agriculture, advertising and hospitality. Bar operations at Juliana are overseen by Sarah Ruiz, a San Franciscan bartender with experience in hospitality for restaurants, bars and hotel groups in the US who relocated to Ecuador to develop Juliana’s offering.
Diverso aims to raise awareness of the ancestral practices and traditions of Ecuador’s indigenous farming communities and features ingredients made from indigenous produce, including the macambo bean, chontacuro mealworms and other ingredients from across Ecuador’s provinces.
El Mito
El Mito, one of the most popular serves from Diverso, is created using an oyster shell distillate alongside maria panga, a pepperleaf also known as hoja santa, that is an important plant to the indigenous Shuar communities in Ecuador.
Juliana worked closely with a local supplier from the Puni Bocana community in Tena to source the maria panga that stars in this cocktail. In fact, the increased demand for the herb since Juliana was awarded the Best Cocktail Menu Award has led to its supplier, Carmita, planting a new acre of the crop.
Oyster shell distillate, maria panga, ginger, lemon, orange bitters
To create the oyster shell distillate: Infuse cleaned oyster shells in gin using sous vide at 60°C for three hours and rest overnight. Crush oyster shells and distil in rotovap with waterbath set to 55°C, chiller to 15°C and vacuum at 150mbar.
Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake and double-strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube and garnish with maria panga leaf.
Pipí de Mono
"The Amazonian provinces of Pastaza, Morona Santiago and Napo are home to the Pipí de Mono pepper. It also thrives in Guayas' coastal climate.
"Shushui Robi Jimbicti, a Shuar cook and activist, makes the Chontacuro salt and sends it to us from the Ángel Rubi Shuar village in Macas, Amazon."
Blanco tequila, achiote, caramelised pineapple, lemon, chontacuro salt and the indigenous pipí de mono pepper.
Maputo
"Due to the enormous demand for the tree's wood, the Motilón, a native fruit of Ecuador, is in danger of going extinct. Our Motilón comes from a reforestation initiative that aims to raise awareness of the significance of this fruit.
"Our cáscara, or coffee husk, originates from a Typica Mejorada at Finca Maputo, a specialty coffee producer in the Andean La Perla precinct of the Nanegal parish."
Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, cascara, almond bitters and motilón, a fruit native to Ecuador that has become endangered due to demand for the tree’s wood.
Cacao Old Fashioned
Each drink in Diverso tells the story of the hero ingredient used in its creation, while elsewhere on the menu guests can choose from Ecuadorian twists on classic serves.
Scotch, Patricia’s cacao liqueur, raspadura, chocolate bitters
The Juliana team will be heading to Europe in the first week of June, taking over Himkok in Oslo during the Norse Bar Show, Silverleaf in London and Le Syndicat in Paris.
