Lenny Karpman

JANUARY 2012 UPDATE - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Do you have a Tico palate for foods that tend to be a little bland, sweet and salty or do you favor more robust and spicy food?

 

Al Fresco

Los Adobes was a favorite about eight years ago for consistently good food, reasonable prices, easy access and good music on weekends. The loyal clientele filled the parking lot half a block west of the Panasonic corner where San Rafael and Belen come together. Alas, the prices rose, consistency faded and people stopped coming. About two months ago, two adventurous young women bought the place, lowered the prices back to old standards, brought in a good Nica chef and restored consistency. The style of Al Fresco is Tico. Tender slices of tongue in a mild sweet tomato sauce is a classic and among my favorites. Friday night is karaoke and Saturday night live music. We tried four of the thirty bocas and enjoyed them. The 2500C platos del dia are huge. The bar is well stocked and Genie (co-owner Eugenia Fernandez) is an English-fluent charmer. 229-2857. You can check out Al Fresco Bar and Restaurant on Facebook.

 

Shawarma El Badawi

For those of you who haven’t traveled from the airport toward Heredia recently, the new wide smoothly paved road will please you. About 600 meters before you reach Walmart, in San Francisco de Heredia La Palma, a large red and white awning with a green cedar on it, on the left side of the road, announces Shawarma El Badawi, an unadorned small Lebanese restaurant with only five small tables and five counter stools. The family is from Beirut and the food reminds me of basic authentic home cooking rather than fancy refined Mediterranean restaurant cuisine. I had chewy pieces of lamb with the citrus tang of what I guess was either sumac or a blend of sumac, thyme and garlic called za’ahtar. The nuggets of meat were caramelized dark and tasted like decades old reminiscences from the Bekaa Valley. The hummus and tahini were fine but my favorite mini-side was dense yogurt laced with enough crushed raw garlic to make your taste buds shout. It was not toned down to suit Tico palates.  I loved it. We also ordered the mixed shawarmas of chicken and beef, which were nicely seasoned and eated with warm pita.  Phone:   2261-4061.  You can find this restaurant on Facebook, too.

 

Barbato’s

Sheldon and Ruthie from Ohio visit Costa Rica every winter for dental work and an escape from Midwestern weather. They stay in an apartment in Sabana sur and love a restaurant called Barbato’s. Ruthie admonished me for omitting it from all my “favorite” lists. She particularly liked that the small café was cute, clean, friendly, reasonably priced and the service was prompt and efficient.  "The take out menu is huge, perfect for when Shelly and I want to eat in.” The restaurant is a block west of the Contraloria and a half block south next to Bambu and the fabulous home-made ice cream place, Chelato. We tried it and everything Ruthie claimed was true. Unfortunately, the cuisine was seasoned perfectly for Tico tastes. It lacked the Italian zest one would expect from Neapolitan owners. The fettucini was homemade and quite good but the Bologna-style meat sauce was under-seasoned tomato liquid and bland ground beef, standard for Costa Rican Italian. The Alfredo sauce was a little better. Small soup and salad first courses were not memorable. The garlic bread came warm but had the texture of Wonder Bread, not like anything you might find in Napoli. The menu offers mostly pasta and pizza. It is easy to see why Barbato’s is popular, but I’ll pass. 2220-2148

 

Tacobar

The sign shows a fish skeleton and advertises killer fish tacos. The flagship restaurant of what is destined to a chain of four or five locations within two years is in Jaco. In five years it has emerged as the most popular place in Jaco for all three meals, tacos galore and much more. We were thwarted the last time we went to Jaco by very long lines, but now we need only go to location number 2 in Santa Ana on the radial between Cruz Roja and the Pista del Sol, across the road from Mas X Menos. Just follow the crowd. In less than a month Tacobar has achieved remarkable popularity. The three partners, Gringo Jeff, Latino Jose and Israeli Itai have come up with a killer template that goes 180 degrees against old Tico tradition.  Everything is distinctively well seasoned. The four kinds of fish exclude tilapia and corvina, no gallo pinto or beans on the menu and the tortillas are flour, not corn. Snapper, wahoo, mahi mahi and tuna are the fresh fish choices (I have enjoyed them all!) along with shrimp and squid. They can be prepared grilled or crispy fried with herbs, coconut or hot spices. A single large taco is about $6 with an all-you-can-eat salad bar and choice of more than a dozen sauces. The menu on the wall is extensive and offers appetizers, main courses and desserts as well as tacos. By mid January they will be offering their imaginative breakfasts with rotating $3 daily breakfast specials starting at 7:30 AM. Until then, their hours are 11 to 10 seven days a week. Phone:   8723-8603

 

Note: Alquimia has reopened. The small road immediately adjacent to the south wall of Tacobar leads to the new lovely Alquimia location with a revised red meat-free menu, sushi, vegetarian dishes, wraps, fish and chicken dishes. Phone:  2282-2641

 

 

December 2011 Update

 

It has been a year since I first wrote about MYA in Plaza Obalisco in Escazú. When pressed to pick a  restaurant in all of Costa Rica as my favorite, I have to choose two, MYA in Escazú and Park Café in San Jose. Unfortunately MYA no longer serves lunch. On the subject of favorites, let me list a number of mine to end 2011:

Argentinean  ---  La Esquina de Buenos Aires, San Jose

Bagels --- Bagelman, chain

Bakery --- Christophe, Escazú

Barbecue --- Big Bill’s, NE corner next to Mormon temple in Belen (ribs, brisket, pulled pork and sausage)

Best steak bargain --- Baby beef at Kianti, Belen

Burger for $5 ---  Bonanza, across the pista from the Forum

Café --- Kalu, Barrio Amon, San Jose

Cheesecake --- Big Apple Cheesecake, Heredia

Chicharrones --- Oviedo, La Guacima

Churros --- Food Court in Mall Cariari

Costa Rican bargain --- Huge bocas at Rancho de Laly, Santa Ana

Costa Rican dinners --- Chalito’s, Las Vueltas (weekends)

Desserts --- Saga, Escazú

French --- Le Chandelier, San Pedro

Hot dog --- Price Smart, Escazú

Indian --- Taj Mahal, Santa Ana

Italian --- Romantic dinner --- Da Marco, Piedades--- Saturday lunch with music--- La Focaccia, Cariari --- Regular lunch, --- D’amalfi, Escazú --- Café/Deli, Il Torino, Escazú

Lamb … Aya Sofia, Barrio Escalante, San Jose

Pita, Falafel, Shwarma --- Sisso, Escazú

Pizza ---La Fabricca, chain

Prime rib --- Tara Grand, Escazú

Pupusas --- Santa Ana Sunday Market

Roast chicken --- Pollos Del Monte, Belen; Costipollos, San Rafael de Alajuela (weekends)

Short Ribs --- Bufalo Grill, Santa Ana

Sizzling Chinese platters --- Chef Oriental, Moravia

Sports Bar --- Time Out Tavern, Escazu

Steamed pork buns and dim sum --- Casa China, San Jose

Steakhouse  --- Doris Metropolitan, Santa Ana

Tapas --- Ginger, Playa Hermosa

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free --- Oasis Cafe in Escazú and Restaurant at Lands in Love Resort 32 km north of San Ramon on La Fortuna road.

(The vegetarian restaurant Alquimia across the pista from the Forum has closed. Rumor has it that they plan to reopen somewhere else.)

Please resolve for the New Year to share your favorite dishes, restaurants and locations with me so I can try them and report on the winners.

Happy Holidays.

 

November 2011 Update

Floyd owns a company in Ohio and is considering an event at the International Convention Center in Real Cariari Mall. He asked about onsite food, nearby upscale options and bargain dining in the area.  So here goes.

Along the side of the mall that faces the Pan American Highway, there is “Gourmet Alley,” a cluster of restaurants including Ichiban – Japanese fusion, PersaMex – Mediterranean and Mexican, Rosti Pollo – a Costa Rica roast chicken chain with lunchtime buffet, Pan E Vino – an Italian pizza and pasta chain, an American bar and, across the parking lot, McDonalds. Inside the mall there is a food court as well. For early risers, the breakfast options are the cafeteria in the supermarket and McDonalds.

On the other side of the highway, there are a number of upscale options. CoMi is a new entrant that advertises California cuisine and actually has a chef who apprenticed in the Napa Valley. Forget about a second coming of Thomas Keller or Alice Waters. The fare is traditional American comfort food as likely to be found in Kansas as California. It is well prepared and tastefully presented by an attentive very professional wait-staff in a nicely appointed dining room. Still the dishes include mac and cheese, albeit with cheddar and a panko crust; a house special hamburger with a fried egg on top; fish and chips; barbecued pork ribs; crisply fried but chewy calamari rings crosshatched with thin lines of pesto and aioli; fish tacos and surf and turf. Brownies or very tasty apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel top the dessert list. Appetizers and desserts cost about $10-12 and main courses, $15-30. The house hamburger is $15. The bar area is comfortable. CoMi is located where Antonio’s used to be, 100 meters south of the Ramada Herradura Hotel on the frontage road. Closed Mondays. 2239-1613.

On the subject of hamburgers, two friends like the $12 burgers at Buffalo Grill and Henry’s better than the $15 one at CoMi.

For any of Floyd's crowd who prefer basic food at bargain prices, drive west for five minutes into San Antonio de Belen.  half a block west of the soccer field is La Piazza, a no frills pizzeria with one table for four inside and two out front.  Thin crust pies come in more than a dozen combinations.  A "small" is 3000 colones or $6, is large enough to feed two people and comes with ice tea.  On the parallel block to the north across from Pali, El Dorado services good ceviche, many fresh fish options and even a fair paella at prices well below most seafood restaurants.  It is very popular with locals.  Adjacent to it is a typical Costan Rican roast chicken restaurant, Pollos Asaditica, with bargain casados (lunch combination plates) and popular onion rings.

The Doubletree Hotel has a poolside restaurant and two bars, but I haven't tried them since the Hilton took over.  The Ramada Herradura offers two upscale restaurants, Topicala for Latin fusion cuisine and Sakura, a longtime Japanese fixture.

Apologies for misreporting that Café des Artistas was closed.

Brad’s is closed.

Sweet (see last month’s blog) in Boulevard Lindora behind Scotias Bank, plans to change its name to Pho Café to emphasize its nice Vietnamese cuisine. I had a French omelet there for breakfast and was delighted that it was fluffy, not Costa Rica overcooked, and well seasoned. 

Sisso in Florencia mall (see June Blog) is packing in the lunchtime crowds. Their home-baked pita is amazing.

 

October 2011 Update

 

Joan and I are well into our ninth year here in paradise. We visit the States for family affairs and occasional medical imperatives, but less often than in years past. When we do go, I always plan to eat more than my share of the cuisines we don’t get here – quality Greek, Indian, German, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and regional Chinese plus lobster and steamed clams when we go to New England.

In August and early September we flew to Seattle and drove more than four thousand miles looping through British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, parts of the Yukon and back. We found ample Greek, Indian and German eateries all along the way, even in fairly small communities. The Asian options in Seattle, Vancouver and Richmond, B.C. were astounding. In a single food court in Richmond, diners chose from Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Guangzhou, Hainan and Chiu Chow regional  Chinese stalls. The fresh halibut in Prince Rupert and dungeness crab in Juneau rocked. We tried birch syrup and donut white peaches for the first time and avoided poutine judiciously.

Back home I began again to search anew for Asian alternatives. First stop, Hibachi. Since about a year ago, the Korean owners of Benihana in Sabana Norte replaced it with Hibachi and began advertising Japanese and Korean food. Other Korean options have disappointed me in the past. The flavors have been diluted down for Tico palates. I had heard that the Japanese portion of the menu was good, albeit a little pricey. The Korean menu offers more than most of the competition. I was impressed and ordered be-bim-bop, the quintessential rice dish of Korea. At worst, it has been lackluster plates of white rice with a little shaved beef and a few veggies.  At Habachi, it was authentic and delicious – a superheated stone bowl that formed a thin crisp crust on the edge of the rice touching the bowl, the appropriate colorful additions of beef , carrot, cabbage and spinach under a fried egg on top and a generous helping of dark rust-colored hot sauce gochu-jang and tasty kimchi alongside. The kimchi may have been a little less hot than its typical Korean cousin, but the balance of red pepper, garlic and fermentation hit the spot. From the Japanese menu, Joan enjoyed her miso shiru, California roll and tempura-fried banana triangles with ice cream. As an added bonus, I got a 40% discount when I paid with my BCR card. Hours Monday through Friday: 11 to 3 and 6 to 11, Saturday: 12 to 4 and 6 to 11, Sunday 1 to 10. Telephone:  2296-0071. Location: Sabana Norte, 100 meters west of ICE .

Food in China consists of at least a dozen distinctly different cuisines and the composite is undoubtedly the most magnificent in the world. My second favorite Asian cuisine is Vietnamese because it combines aromatic and spicy parts of Thai food with many Chinese techniques and ingredients and French touches always served to be visually appealing and to contrast flavors, colors and textures. I heard of a gelato, coffee, crepe and pastry shop that served a few Vietnamese dishes, but a lukewarm review by a sophisticated food writer whom I greatly respect left me disappointed. After our trip, I missed it so, that I tried Sweet, expecting little. What a pleasant surprise.  Pho is eaten for breakfast by most Vietnamese, particularly in Hanoi, but also can be served for lunch or dinner. It is a meal in a bowl that is nutritious, visually appealing, and wonderfully aromatic. There is considerable variation, but basic pho is made in the following fashion: neck bones, knuckles, and/or oxtails are simmered in large pots of water for several hours with cinnamon, star anise, shallots, garlic, and white pepper. The broth is strained and skimmed of all fat so that no globules are visible on its shiny surface. It is ladled over a large helping of cooked white thin rice noodles. Thin slices of beef brisket, tenderloin, and tendon are traditionally added, but you can request pork, chicken, or seafood instead. The bowl is accompanied by a plate of fresh bean sprouts, Asian purple basil, cilantro, lime wedges, mint and thinly sliced dark green chili peppers. It was close enough to satisfy. Pho is pronounced  FAH, like a New Yorker saying FUR or FAR without sounding the R. The goi cuan, pronounced GAH KOON, is a nearly transparent roll of thin pliable rice wrapper around a filling of rice noodles, pork, shrimp and greens. Missing from the classic combination were mint and basil leaves. The Hoisin dipping sauce complimented the rolls well and the dish was satisfying. Cha gio, fried Vietnamese spring rolls are pronounced JA YO. These crispy little bundles are a treat. They also contain rice noodles, pork and greens. Their classic dipping sauce is called nuoc cham and is made from water, sugar, white vinegar, lime juice, shredded carrot and nuoc mam, fermented fish sauce. Bun means rice noodle. Bun cha gio is a classic lunch in a bowl. This four-layered dish has a crisp cold salad of cucumber, sprouts, scallions, cilantro and shredded carrots on the bottom covered by a layer of cold thin bun noodles. The top solid layer is made of cha gio logs and shaved pork. Technically it should include Bo, the word for pork, on the menu. The fourth layer is the same as the dipping sauce for spring rolls, nuoc chom. Many diners simply pour it over the top. There are nine different Vietnamese choices on the menu. We also shared an order of nicely charcoal-grilled pork pieces called thit nuong. Beverages include a host of well-executed fruit combo smoothies, classic Vietnamese coffee dripped into sweet condensed milk and a new marvelous combination for me, iced puree of cucumber and lime juice. With a decadent dessert crepe (one of eight choices) who could ask for more? The batter tasted just like my mother’s. The prices are rock-bottom. Except for the pho and bun cha gio (C4500), every other dish cost between C1500 and 2500. Monday through Friday they also serve six different breakfast specials in the same price range beginning at 7:30 AM. They open at 11 on weekends, close at 9 PM everyday. Location: behind Scotia Bank, in Boulevard Lindora, the smaller mall next to Momentum on the Santa Ana Radial. Phone:  2203-6969.  

Café De Las Artistas is closed, I assume for a makeover by its new owners who have a barbecue restaurant in South Florida.

Also gone is Tilapia Park near Turrucares where kids used to catch tilapia and have them prepared in the poolside restaurant for lunch. My grandchildren will be heartbroken.

 

September 2011 Update

This truncated blog is being posted as Joan and I are returning from vacation in BC, the Yukon and Southeastern Alaska where we spent the last three weeks watching grizzlies and black bears eat salmon, stone sheep descend from the mountains to look for food from passing motorists, moose stare blankly from marshes and caribou cross our path in large numbers. Add sightings of wolves, foxes, beavers, porcupines, three kinds of deer, eagles, owls, bison, porpoises and orcas and we were happy travelers despite about five hours in the car each day.  Tomorrow it will be warm weather and gallo pinto time. Pura vida!

Susan lived in Mexico and is always on the lookout for good Mexican food and friendly Mexicanos. She told us about Mexico Lindo in San Isidro de General and their delicious mole while we were enjoying Norman’s charm and good food at Jalapeños Central in Alajuela.

Another small restaurant with some decent Mexican selections is Takitos Y Picantitos in La Guacima Centro across the street from Ferreteria Materiales Los Principes. It is a family run business with bright young Allison who runs the cash register while her mom cooks.  Their limited menu offers some samples of Mexican street and snack food mixed with a few Chinese offerings and Tico standards.

Only a few miles east, the road from La Guacima enters San Rafael de Alajuela. At a T intersection there is an ATM and a small Mexican Restaurant run by two people from different parts of Mexico. The food at Fonda Cielito Lindo is simply prepared, authentic and inexpensive. Choices include sopa Azteca, tacos, tortas, burritos, flautas, gringas, churrasco, alambres, quesadillas, nachos, chilaquiles and more. I like having simple huevos rancheros there in the morning. A grilled pair of tortillas topped with a pair of fried eggs and warm green chili sauce comes with refritos on the side. Nothing fancy – simple and tasty. Most of the menu items cost C1800 and all the others except for the steak cost only a little more.  They open at 8 am and close at 7 pm Monday thru Thursday, and at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. They are closed on Sunday. 2438-3723. They are located about halfway from the La Guacima exit on the new pista and the Panasonic corner where the Santa Ana Radial reaches Belen.

For another Mexican option, try Puriscal. As you enter the town on the main road from Ciudad Colon look for the street that runs in front of the old earthquake-damaged church. It is a one way. Where it crosses the main road, turn right. El Burrito Enchilao is down the hill a block and a half on the left side. The prices are about a third more than Fonda Cielito Lindo, but the portions are large and the seasoning is very nice and spicier than most places in Costa Rica. 2416-0201

Turnabout is fair play. Vickie Skinner has often posted parts or all of my blogs on her site, with my blessings. This piece of news is from her Facebook post. The prime rib dinners at the White House atop Escazu are back, but the hotel is now completely remodeled, its new name is the Tara Grand and roast beef night is still a bargain but it is now on Friday night rather than Tuesday.

 

AUGUST 2011 UPDATE

It's time for a bargain basement update.

 Thanks to Ron and Gail for the tip about paella at Banco de Marina in Ciruelas, Alajuela. “Paella for two” costs about C9000 and is so large that the take home uneaten portion after two huge plates-full is enough for at least four more generous servings – it's tasty and redolent with shrimp, clams, octopus, pork and chicken. My wife has an aversion to peas and loves that this rendition is pea-free.

Hal is a fast food junkie. He touts the cole slaw and biscuits at KFC and Popeye’s. Yes we did try them and have the chutzpa to admit it. KFC’s biscuits and slaw were fine, but the slaw was a little too sweet for me. Popeye’s was a little less sweet. Both biscuits were great. I prefer the “Louisiana” spicier flavor of Popeye’s chicken over the Colonel’s. Popeye’s cocktail sauce served with fried shrimp actually has an appealing balance of horseradish and tomato. The only negative was an order of fried fish, so cardboard dry that I suspect freezer burn.

 My favorite Asian market is Sony in San Jose. Lovely Carolina, the daughter of the owners recommended Wong’s for dim sum. She was absolutely right when she said, “Their dishes are as good as anybody’s and their prices are a lot cheaper.” They are located at the base of the hill on Avenida One on the eastside of downtown San Jose just across the street from the arcade of artisan crafts and souvenir stalls that run between Paseo Colon and First Avenue. The sidewalk face of Wong’s is a little scruffy but the interior is clean and functional. We were there on a busy Saturday late morning and the dining room was full of smiling Asian faces. To my delight, servers wheeled carts loaded with steamer baskets and small plates among the diners. That’s the style in Honk Kong, Shanghai and my favorite places in San Francisco. We selected so many of their thirty different offerings for just the two of us that the surface of our large table disappeared beneath them. The steamed cha siu bao were perfect. The usual har gow, siu mai, fan gor, shrimp and scallion dumplings, noodle rolls, tiny spareribs, sesame balls and chicken feet were wonderful. Yes I actually do love chicken feet and their portion was huge and far tastier than the simple soy sauce version. It included just the right amount of five-spice. The hot sauce on the table was indeed hot. It was authentic – mashed chili peppers, fermented black beans and oil, not the usual commercial bottled stuff. When we waddled out smiling an hour and a half later, we got change from a ten-thousand-colon bill. There has been some talk that the government might try to appropriate the property. I hope they don’t.  

Ruth asked why I, a former cardiologist, never offer healthier alternatives to standard dishes. Her email coincided with this recipe from my past medical affiliate, Northern California Kaiser Permanente:  

Serves 6    Ingredients for a healthier hamburger:

1½ pounds ground turkey or beef (or a mixture of both)

10 ounces baby spinach leaves

zest of one lemon

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Fire up the grill. Sauté the spinach in olive oil until it wilts. In a large bowl, mix the turkey or beef, spinach, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can make healthier quarter pounders using a half-cup measuring cup to get an equal amount per burger and flattening them on waxed paper. Grill the burgers until done. Serve them on whole-grain buns.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (does not include bun or additional toppings):
Calories: 183
Fat: 10 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 90 mg
Carbohydrate: 2 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 338 mg
Protein: 21 gm

If you want an even better nutritional profile, I suggest you substitute non-fat pan spray for the olive oil and serve the burger wrapped in a leaf of ice-burg lettuce rather than on a bun. Add unsweetened pickles or pickle relish and mustard instead of cheese, mayonnaise or catsup. If you choose all or part beef for the patty, look for the lower fat variety. If firing up the grill is a problem, use a non-stick skillet with the above-mentioned spray. Buen provecho.

 

JULY 2011 UPDATE

Outstanding chefs are precious commodities. At times one performs admirably but the restaurant doesn`t survive because of prices, location or an unsustainable business plan. So it seemed when master chef Giuseppe Galuppo lost his kitchen at Antonio's in Plaza Lindora. Fortunately for us, he has reemerged at D'amalfi in Centro Comercial Plaza Atlantis in Escazu, up the hill from Scotia Bank. The tastefully appointed restaurant with al fresco seating out front opened six months ago and has seen its popularity increase steadily despite the number of good Italian restaurants in the area. Chef Galuppo has a staff of four cooks and a kitchen that turns out attractive, creative, very nicely seasoned food at prices that seem reasonable and are below the more expensive of his competitors. Gita and Sandy have been having lunch there for a few months on the days that they paint together. Both have high food standards and both are fans. So too are the thirty-three members of the Wine Club who descended in force at the end of May. The service is polished, professional and attentive. My favorites on the menu are linguini with clams and mussels in a sauce that is light and deliciously reflective of the sea; eggplant Parmesan with paper thin slices and a perfect balance of texture and taste; Cesar salad with enough anchovy in the dressing to achieve authenticity; and caprese salad made with buffalo mozzarella. Telephone 2228-6270.  They open at noon every day and close at 9 p.m. on Sunday, at 11 p.m. on Saturday and at 10 p.m. the other five days.

The owners of the Beacon Hotel bought the White House and are doing a large room renovation. In the meantime, the restaurant and Thursday night prime rib special remains intact. Café de Las Artistas has changed hands. The owners of Sonny's Barbecue in South Florida bought it.

It is easy enough to make authentic tasting Italian sausage. All you do is season ground pork or a mixture of pork and beef with salt, red chili pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Still, I can’t buy any other than frozen packages from the States. We had lunch at Il Padrino a few weeks ago and I noticed Italian sausage calzone on the menu. I badgered the poor waitress about my desire for real Italian sausage before ordering. She assured me that I would get the real stuff. Alas, it was typical Tico ground sausage meat seasoned with a little oregano, salt and pepper and the calzone pastry was under-done. Even the “Italian sausage” at Tom Tom in Escazu just past  Sorretto`s Market and Zum Shinckenpeter in its new digs across the parking lot from HSBC on the Santa Ana or Lindora Radial disappoint. Both make decent German-style sausage.

La Ribera shopping center in Belen has witnessed the demise of a number of restaurants in the past decade including two French, two Japanese, an Italian, a coffee and pastry shop, a chicken place that served paella and a pupuseria. If memory serves me correctly, about two years ago there were three Japanese venues, Sensu, Ichiban and a lounge run by Ichiban two doors away. Only the lounge location survived. In its current incarnation of about a year and a half, it has been Novoa Living Sushi. I hope it prospers long term because it deserves to. I believe that the young woman who owned Ichiban and the lounge still owns it. The imaginative menu design and recipes of original chef Jorge Ortiz have been preserved. Roger, the young chef on the premises does a fine job. His tempura is outstanding. I found no fault with sushi, sashimi or bento boxes. His presentations are artistic. Ingredients were fresh. The prices are a little lower than the competition, the venue pristine and service excellent. 2560-8020. Monday and Thursday from 12:00 m.d. to 3:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday from 12 m.d. to 11 p.m. Sunday from 12 m.d. to 10:00 p.m.

In the little strip mall on the road in Santa Ana that runs from the Pista del Sol to Cruz Roja, Bufalo Grill and Market shares the limited parking with Product C and Lo Spago. The meat is all from Asian water buffalos by way of Guatemala, raised in Guanacaste. The lean flavorful steaks, chops and burgers have only half the saturated fat and cholesterol as cows. Like all other grass fed lean meat, it isn’t as juicy or tender as corn fed American beef.  If that is a problem for you, try the very well prepared burgers or the short ribs. The ribs I ate were fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs, smoked  and flavored perfectly with a spice rub and sprayed with tamarind sauce. They were so good that my mostly-vegetarian wife took about half a dozen bites. The order was quite large with enough leftover for a generous sandwich the next day. I chose an ear of corn and a baked potato as my two sides. Both were fine. Joan had a large salad of fresh greens, toasted pecans, buffalo mozzarella and pears bathed in grape oil, honey, rice vinegar dressing. Rosemary flat bread came to the table in a basket. With one beverage, the bill came to C11000. The setting is simple and tasteful. They carry Chilean, Argentinean and Italian wines.  Their market sells a variety of buffalo meats including the same lean short ribs for C4100 per kilo. The owner, Luis Gomez from Venezuela, is most pleasant. The menu is quite varied and most imaginative. Four salads, two soups and a bevy of appetizers complement the usual variety of cuts of beef one finds in the upscale steak house at comparable cost. The appetizers, sandwiches and side dishes carry Italian/Mediterranean overtones, but even include a Philly steak sandwich. It is seven ounces of juicy buffalo meat, sliced ​​into julienne strips, which are grilled, topped with melted cheddar cheese and caramelized onions served with rustic potatoes or French fries. The desserts sounded interesting as well.  Telephone:  2282-4122.  Open Mon-Thurs. 12 m.d. to 3 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  Friday-Saturday 12:00 m.d. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 m.d. to 9:00 p.m.

JUNE 2011 UPDATE

My friend Guillermo Castro has a fledgling business called Know How Costa Rica (www.knowhowcostarica.com), and he does know how to help ex-pats circumvent tramites. He took me to a back street I could never have found on my own in a difficult neighborhood of San Jose to get a form I needed to renew my driver`s license after my cedula number had been changed. It took less than two hours. He also told me about a great place for Sunday brunch. New Day Café & Bookstore is in Ciudad Colón. I am indebted to him on both accounts. The immaculate tastefully decorated little restaurant attached to a 4000-volume mostly English language bookstore is a jewel. Monday through Thursday it stays open from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M., Fridays 8 – 2 and Sunday 10-2. We had very good eggs Benedict with crisp hash browns and fresh orange juice for only C3000 each. The rest of the menu includes omelets, waffles, gallo pinto, wraps, hamburgers, sandwiches, salad, soup, spaghetti, batidos and hot plates, all very reasonably priced. Check out the pastries at the counter. Yes the food, service, décor and bookstore are very nice, but the star attraction is Angela Haggerty, the delightful owner. She is thoughtful, knowledgeable, bright and interesting. 2249-2874. As you enter Ciudad Colon from the east, the main street becomes one way the wrong way. Go right when you are forced to do so, then take the first left, parallel to the main street, then left again on Third Street across the main street plus one more block. Turn right. The restaurant is half way up the block on the left side of the street.

Sisso, “A Taste of Jerusalem” is moving to a larger location across the way in Florencia Mall, Escazú. In the spot previously occupied by Spoon, Sisso will have more seating and a grand pizza oven to bake their own pita, flatbreads, baguettes and Middle Eastern pizzas. In addition to a new line of homemade baked goods, they are going to offer lamb kabobs and lamb chops plus a breakfast menu. They should be in the new place by early June. I am really excited about having shakshuka, a cast iron skillet on a wooden board with two fried eggs sitting in a sauce of red pepper, tomato, onion, garlic and spices. The last time I had it was in Tunis about a decade ago. It is far superior to huevos rancheros. Incidentally, their falafel and hummus are great. 

Burt from Oregon is coming to Santa Ana when his young teenagers finish school in early June. He and his wife have been here before. He asked for a recommendation for a steak house close by, not as formal or pricey as Doris Metropolitan or as rustic and rowdy as bar-oriented Old West. He asks for a place with enough class for his wife to enjoy, surroundings suitable for his boys, good food and prices that won`t necessitate a second mortgage. Touting the right steak house for someone is daunting. Many people insist on corn-fed American beef because it so tender, albeit with less flavor and only twice the price. Others like good cuts of local beef aged enough to be less tough than butcher shop fresh cuts from grass-fed animals. I told Burt to try Bonanza in Mall Santa Ana directly across the new Pista Del Sol from the Forum.

It is a huge improvement over the sports bar that used to be there. The look is rustic with great attention to detail. Dark wood, somber tile, red brick, vaulted ceiling hung with huge fans, cushioned chairs with the letter “B” embossed on the backs, place mats with maps of the Ponderosa Ranch above Lake Tahoe at each place, bales of hay, straw hats, a wagon wheel, a slide show of all the Cartwrights and their horses and mood music including the theme from the Bonanza TVshow all combine to set the mood for steak. My favorite cut is local rib eye. It is well seasoned, reasonably tender for Costa Rican beef, nicely presented and properly cooked. I always suggest that gringos who want their meat medium-rare order it “medium” in Costa Rica to get it pink and juicy but not purple. My steak was large enough for a leftover sandwich portion at home. It came with real mashed potatoes with a few small welcomed lumps and a large green salad dressed in mild vinaigrette accented with a bit of Dijon. The bill came to C7700 including everything but I added an extra tip for very attentive service. 2282-5504. Open from noon to midnight every day but Monday.

My favorite vegetarian restaurant in Costa Rica was Earthly Delights in Ciudad Colon. After it closed, chef/owner Marco Gonzales continued to star as chef for special events for corporations and private parties. He designed menus and acted as a consultant for new and changing restaurants. He wrote food columns and recipes for magazines, newspapers and for his flagship Delicias Terrícolas. The most recent feather in his cap is probably a Costa Rican first. He catered a very successful vegan wedding. Good job Marco! You can see photos at facebook.com/DeliciasTerricolas or reach him via ticochef.blogspot.com.

MAY 2011 UPDATE

 

Semana Santa has passed, our TEN houseguests have retreated to the states and the afternoon rains have returned. Our oranges and mandarins are gone. We still have dozens of mangos on the trees. Two papaya trees, dragonfruit boughs and a starfruit are nearing harvest time.

 

Our visitors hail from Virginia and Pennsylvania. Those who have been here before loved the post-earthquake additions to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and enjoyed lunch again at Colbert in Vara Blanca. (Side Note - Through the end of May, La Paz Waterfall Gardens is offering free entrance if you go to their Facebook page and click that you "Like" the page.  This can save you a bundle of money if you are going in a group.  Check it out.)

 

Together with the newbies, we went back a week later and eleven of us had very large well-prepared casados plus ten drinks and eight desserts for 44,000 colones including tip and tax at Freddo Fresas in Fraijanes. Lucas, the pastry chef, produced fine Napoleons and a variety of quality sweet breads. Grilled chicken, pork cutlets and corvina starred on plates of rice, red beans, maduras and salad. Charming Juan Carlos speaks English. 2482-2800.

 

Back in the Central Valley, they thought that the coffee-root-roasted chicken at Pollos Del Monte in Belen was “the very best ever.” They praised the onion rings and batidos as well. Seafood lunch at D` La Costa in El Roble for ten people received raves and the bill was only 30,000 colones. During their stay they had very nice seafood at El Pelicano in Herradura and fine dinners at Don Rufino in La Fortuna.

 

Good news for those of you who voted Casona de Laly the best Tico restaurant in the land. You don`t have to struggle with difficult parking on the small street in old Escazú any more. Rancho de Laly has its own parking lot for effortless access about 80 meters west of Cruz Roja in Santa Ana, on the north side of the road where Los Picantes used to be. The menu boasts 60 bocas all of which are larger than ordinary bocas and approach meal size in most cases. You`ll love the prices. They average 1700 colones and none exceed 2500. Jairo, a friend of mine, is a very good friend of Laly. He shared that several people have suggested that Laly raise his prices to match the competition. He steadfastly refuses, maintaining a modest markup over cost and delighting his clientele of appreciative unpretentious people. He also offers German, Mexican and Nicaraguan beer in addition to local brew. For those of us who bemoan the absence of decent Mexican food here, he has included about ten Mexican items among his sixty. The service is efficient and friendly. Tuesday – Sunday, 11 A.M. to 2A.M.  2203-4214

 

It has been a while since I have touted a restaurant in Alajuela despite the fact that I have a mailbox there and visit at least weekly. There are several good coffee shops and charismatic Norman`s nice Tex-Mex Jalapeños Central. Years ago, I enjoyed a slightly dingy Peruvian restaurant, which underwent a makeover and name change a year or two ago. Now it draws contented crowds of locals for lunch and dinner. Its name is Restaurante Chiwake. If you know the one way street that runs from central Alajuela and becomes two way at the intersection bounded by McDonald's, Taco Bell, a bank and a gas station, the restaurant is a block back up the one way street (unfortunately it runs in the opposite direction so you have to circle the block). If you like stuffed or layered potato dishes in authentic Peruvian style, you will enjoy the entire first page of the menu, which offers eight delectable choices all for about $4 or $5. My wife called the papa a la Huancaino as good as any she has ever had and proclaimed Chiwake her new favorite Peruvian Restaurant. My favorites include chicharron de pulpo and picante de mariscos.  

 

2011 April Update

 As a result of the confusion that I caused, very little consensus could be garnered from this list of restaurants that received a vote or more on the poll from two months ago. As I mentioned last month, Pecora Nera, Sunspot and Ginger received the most votes for best restaurant outside the Central Valley. Time Out Tavern was the most popular American restaurant in a runaway. Chez Cristoph was the most popular bakery and received a few breakfast votes. The Marriott Sunday Brunch in Belen was a winner. Machu Picchu came in first among Peruvian places. Casa China prevailed for dim sum and Taj Mahal for Indian food.

 more than one category = x, more than one vote in a category = z

Agua Azul  x   Bacchus x, z   Bistro at Hotel La Finisterra   Caballo Blanco          Cantarranas Tacos    Casa China z   Casa Luisa    Cha Cha Cha   Chancay  CitrusClub Aleman     Coconutz Bar & Eatery   Comida Para Sentir   Cristoph x, z   D’Costa   Flor de Loto   Giardino Tropicale   Gil’s Place   Ginger z   Gino’s      Grano de Oro  x, z            Il Panino   Inka Grill     Intercontinental Hotel    Jurgens     La Caueja La Luz   La Fabricca   L’Angullo Allegre x      Las Cebollinas   Lluna de Valencia  L’Oliva   Long Board BBQ      Machu Picchu z,x    Mata Limon   Marlin   Marriott in Belen  z    Miss Edith’s   Mono Azul x   Nibbana Beach Bar & Restaurant   Ocotal Beach Resort & Hotel   Panaderia Alemana   Paradissus Conchal x    Paraiso Tropical    Paso Real   Pato Loco Inn   Pecora Nera z   Pescado Loco   Pizza Hut    Plinio z   Robin’s Kitchen    Saga x    Sunspot x, z    Tacontento      Taj Mahal z     Time Out Tavern  z, x

 A friend left a tour book at our house that I had never seen before. It was loaded with information about dining along the south Pacific coast. My wife and I made a road trip to check out the facts. First stop – Restaurant at the Samoa Hotel in Golfito. Tasty congrio. -- not bad, but not a bargain. Next stop – straight up 3000 feet to San Vito – this “Italian town where Italian is still spoken” no longer seems to be Italian. We only heard Spanish spoken over two days. The pastas, pizzas and scaloppinis were pedestrian at best. Wilson Botanical Gardens had gorgeous vistas in and out of town in both directions (via Paseo Real and via Ciudad Neily) made the trip worthwhile. Heading back up the coast past Palmar Sur we overnighted at Lookout, a lovely reasonably priced hotel in Playa Tortuga with an excellent buffet style breakfast, 11 km south of Uvita, high on a hill with ocean vistas; toucans, parrots and trogons in the trees; spotless air-conditioned rooms and charming hosts from Germany, Brigid and Uwe. (2786-5074). They still have space for Easter Week as a result of a cancellation by a large group. The road up to hotel is directly across the highway from Ferreteria Ventanas de Osa.

Just a few minutes south, Ojochal is a small town on an unpaved road on the inland side of the highway. Remarkably, this little dusty valley is home to two fine restaurants and a French bakery. At the far end of the valley, Exotica is an unpretentious fusion restaurant with German owners and chefs. Vicki, their daughter, is the charismatic hostess. We shared our lunch of seared rare tuna and a sauce of coconut milk, ginger and a hint of sweet and piquant, which we guessed to be sriracha sauce, and a fabulous coquille St. Jacques called concha de la mar on the menu. They are open for lunch and dinner and are a favorite of an international potpourri of ex-pats. Vicki’s mom makes great desserts, but she has never made the profiteroles described in the misguided guide book. (2786-5050)

 The other restaurant, Citrus, not mentioned in the book, is a romantic, elegant, well-established dinner house perfect for a candlelight feast under vaulted ceilings or in the garden. It is also open for lunch. Service is impeccable. The Parisian owners have lived in the area for many years and were the original owners of Exotica. We shared a chicken breast stuffed with Spanish chiles marron, napped in gorgonzola and a seafood platter of lobster, shrimp and calamari. Both were exquisitely sauced. For dessert, we shared as tasty a mousse as I have ever had, of Belgian chocolate and brandy. It would have been perfect had the chef completely melted the sugar to eliminate the bit of grainy texture. Dinner at Citrus was twice the price of lunch at Exotica. Both were outstanding.

 Last stop before heading home was dusty beachside Dominical. The book also touted the restaurant at Hotel Domilocos as an elegant Italian restaurant. That information is correct insofar as the very nice restaurant does have pasta, risotto and pizza on the menu, but it is also the most popular tápas restaurant within hours in any direction. Choices range from garlic mushrooms to escargot to small towers of veggies and cheese. Steaks, fish and a panoply of desserts also grace the menu. Nothing costs more than C4800 and tápas begin at C1300. (2787-02440).

Gan Bei has been one of my favorites, but some diners said the head chef left and his replacement tends to season everything with Costa Rican (sweet) catsup. A second pair of sophisticated diners, one of whom used to live in Asia, said it wasn’t too bad, but down a peg from previous visits. 

Nichon closed.

 

 

 

 

 

                             

 

,

MARCH 2011 UPDATE



Thanks to all of you who weighed on my latest poll. I designed the questions so poorly that most of you thought I was only interested in restaurants outside the Central Valley. My intention was that just one category “favorite restaurant outside the Central Valley” addressed location. When I placed that item first, I created mass confusion. Mea culpa.

Nonetheless, the wisdom you all shared was very informative. Most of you respondents seldom dine outside the Central Valley. Those who do, sing the praises of quality restaurants I know like Pecora Nera in Playa Cocles on the southern Caribbean coast, Sunspot Grill in Quepos, Ginger in Playa Hermosa. Other one vote restaurants named outside the Central Valley were so numerous that I am going to have to do some investigating before I report back.

Jo Stewart is my favorite columnist in Costa Rica. She is also a friend and source of great dining tips. She touted Food, Inc. Café  – a tiny restaurant in Plaza Oeste, directly across the six-lane street from the American Embassy in Pavas. Joan and I love the food. The chef, Rodrigo, studied at the culinary arts and chef training school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, attended a French culinary institute and cooked in New York and New Jersey before returning home to Costa Rica three years ago. He is a charming man and a very talented chef. The menu is impressive for such a small venue. You can order breakfast all day and choose from Tuscan eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, crisp pancetta and hashbrowns for $9.50; an American medley of eggs, hashbrowns, toast, orange juice, pancetta and coffee for $7.50; gallo pinto; French toast or a continental breakfast. Add to that small or meal-size Caesar, Catalan or Greek salads; five pasta; very nice fish and chips served with tartar sauce and malt vinegar; a vegetarian delight of fried avocado served with spicy mango sauce and a house salad; five very large paninis; three fancy hot dog choices; and a bevy of homemade desserts including organic truffles. On our last visit, I had a surf and turf of five large crispy fried prawns atop a juicy pink, perfectly cooked pork tenderloin served with a tart mora sauce, rice, salad and a cantaloupe fresco for about $10.50. Pork tenderloin can’t be served rare. Too often it is cooked dry. Rodrigo managed to prepare it light pink and juicy. Bravo. It was nicely seasoned. Joan loved her fish and chips. I see why it got mentioned in the category of best new restaurants of the last year. It is eight months old and offers a variety of catering options. Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8—6. Sat., Sun. 10 – 4. Telephone:2296-4337. 

Don and Sanny took me to Fusion in Grecia last year. They report that the talented chef I praised has moved to Quepos. Their new favorite restaurant, Los Cerros, is in Naranjo. Is it worth a special trip? I think so. To get there on the Pan-American Highway, continue northwest past the Grecia exit six kilometers and exit toward Naranjo. As you reach the center of the town, you run into a traffic circle. Turn right as if you were heading into Sarchí. The restaurant is about three or four hundred meters down on the left side. Khaled Allaf is a talented chef and charming man. His Tica wife, psychologist Rosina, is also lovely and gracious. Khaled is originally from Amman, Jordan. After 23 years in the States, he came to his wife’s native land to live. Lucky for us. They call their cuisine international, and technically it is. While we were dining there recently, I noticed people eating typical Tico fried fish, Italian pasta, a steak covered in onions, and what looked like a burrito. I didn’t formally quiz them, but as I passed their tables, we exchanged very brief pleasantries. I heard Que rico! and Pura vida! in response to Ustedes le gusta esta comida? Four of us covered our table with wonderful Middle Eastern delights – hummus, falafel, tabooli, kefte, Lamb kabobs, beautiful elastic home-baked pita, coffees and a walnut filled fried pastry drizzled in simple syrup. We ordered too much food and gladly took home doggie bags. Still the total bill including the usual tip and tax plus an additional generous tip came to less than $15 per person. Were it located more centrally, I think Los Cerros might challenge Aya Sophia for Middle Eastern culinary supremacy.  Telephone: 2450-5074. They are open for lunch and dinner every day.

 

FEBRUARY 2011 UPDATE

Congratulations to Park Café, MYA, Doris Metropolitan, Bella Italia, L’Ile de France, Kianti, Tin Jo, Sushi Kai, Aya Sophia and La Esquina de Buenos Aires. I sent surveys or asked friends and acquaintances in the Central Valley to share the names their favorite restaurants. There were a few surprises.

Favorite restaurant of any kind: These were the top vote-getters in descending order with nine down to three votes each.

1)    Park Café

2)    Doris Metropolitan

3)    MYA

4)    El Grano de Oro

5)    La Esquina de Buenos Aires

6)    L’Ile de France

Others receiving a vote or two were Jurgens, Le Chandelier, Novillo Alegre, Saga, La Luz, Cerutti, Tin Jo, Bacchus, El Dorado, Kianti, Medalla de Oro, El Balcón de Mariscos, La Bastille, Time Out Tavern, Samurai and Fusion.

In the category of best new restaurants, MYA first, Doris Metropolitan and Bella Italia (tied for second) were the run-away winners with Fusion, Food Inc., Mushrooms & Nuts, and Product C the only other multiple vote-getters. Bambai Mongolian Grill and Eclectico received a vote each.

Bella Italia also topped the list of favorite Italian restaurants by a wide margin, followed by Da Marco, Cerutti, Bacchus, L’Olivo and Sale e Pepe. The last two were favored by people who craved consistency rather than flair. Single votes went to De Bartolo. Il Padrino, Pomadoro, L’Ancora, Family Pizza, Pizza Gino, Andiamo’la and El Balcón de Europa

L’Ile de France lapped the field of French restaurants. Only Colbert and Christophe received more than one vote.

The Costa Rican cuisine favorites varied but Kianti was the outright winner. Los Anonos and La Casona de Laly were tied for second. Others with one or two votes were Chalitos, Higueron Soda, La Cascada, Café Mundo, La Tiquisia, El Grano de Oro, Kai Café, El Tropezón, El Balcón de Mariscos, Soda Isabel and Soda Montealegre.

The new champion of steakhouses is Doris Metropolitan by a remarkably wide margin for a new restaurant. El Novillo Alegre, La Cascada and Donde Carlos clustered at three to four votes each. La Esquina de Buenos Aires and Lone Star received two votes each.

Among Pan-Asian entries, Tin Jo had a dozen votes, Taj Mahal a handful and Saisaki two.

Among Chinese restaurants, the balloting favored Chef Oriental, Tin Jo, Villa Bonita, Flor de Loto, Lotus, King’s Garden, Villa Rey and Medalla de Oro in that order.

None of the Japanese restaurants ran away from the pack. Only Sushi-Kai got four votes. Samurai, Sensu, Fuji, Sakura, Bambu and Saisaki got a vote or two each.

Aya Sophia emerged as the favorite Middle Eastern restaurant by a wide margin. Lubnan and Sash were the only other multiple vote getters. Nikklas, the Greek gyro restaurant and Beirut each got a single vote.

La Esquina de Buenos Aires is the most popular Argentinean restaurant and it even received a few votes for best restaurant of any kind and best steakhouse. El Novillo Alegre and Donde Carlos were tied for second, with Teruño and Patagonia fourth, but Patagonia is now closed.

The response was so animated that I think we can do the same for the following categories in the future:

1.  Best restaurant outside the Central Valley

2.  Best American, Peruvian, Mexican, Salvadoran, German, Spanish, vegetarian and others

3.  Best Dim Sum, pizza, seafood, buffet, Sunday brunch, bocas, breakfasts, burgers, pastries.

Revolving doors: Tzu Jan Vegetarian House plans to move to Sabana Sur next to Bambu around the end of the month. The Waffle Place which used to be downstairs, is now next to La Divina Comedia.

January 2011 Update

Happy New Year

How have I missed Tzu Jan Vegetarian House for the past nine months? Am I the only one here who loves the Taiwanese flavors of a sake-like rice wine called mijui, sesame oil and soy sauce in equal amounts as a sauce or marinade and wonderful steamed pot-stickers (xia lon pao)?  I also miss artistic Chinese vegetarian food made from soy, gluten and a host of starches to look and taste like pork ribs, succulent shrimp, crispy duck and beef sausage. Jose (his Spanish name), the waiter and proprietor is from Taipei. I can not pronounce much less spell his Mandarin name. His mother is the chef and creator of all the faux meats and standard vegetarian plates of her native land.  Their small restaurant is on the second floor at the back end of Golden Plaza in Escazù, opposite Auto Star, the same location as La Patagonia, Sol O Mio and the Waffle House. Most of their dishes cost from C3000 to C4000 and are generous enough to stand alone for lunch or dinner. For the purist, of their more than three dozen menu items, tze chao, chow mi fun and shi jin su tza ken are most typically Taiwanese. Open daily from 11am to 9pm. 2289-4695.

“Dear Dr. K,

My daughter lives in Alajuela and we visit her and the grand children every January. In your November update, you rekindled memories of a dirt-cheap seafood soda in Alajuela’s central market that you touted in a column once 4-5 years ago. We looked for it on our last visit and couldn’t find. Its name was Mariscos #1. The most expensive thing there was C1500 and their ceviche was unique and delicious. Is it still there? Can you help us find it?

Thanks, Rose, Daytona Fla.”  

Good news and thanks for the memory. Mariscos Numero Uno is still there. After a sign fell on someone’s head in the market, the municipality made everyone remove hanging signs. The most expensive items are now C1850. Marlin, short for Marleni, continues to run the tiny spot in the middle of the market as she has for thirty years. For her “unique” ceviche, she uses the firm flesh of her namesake fish, marlin. To the lime juice she adds ginger ale. I love the ceviche and the seafood cascada which contains enough Salsa Lizano to render it unique as well. The market occupies an entire block. If you enter in the middle of the side closest to the park, you’ll see a potato-chip maker just inside the entrance. From there, head down the nearest aisle toward the center of the market, away from the street about 15 meters. The small faded green soda on the left is Mariscos # 1 without a sign. They have jars of cinnamon-flavored horchata (rice drink), fruit juices and chan on the counter. Chan is a gelatinous drink with tiny black seeds in it. It goes well with seafood and supposedly cures upset stomachs and heals kidney ailments. I drink it because I like the flavor.

At the back end of Plaza Florencia, the Japanese restaurant has departed. An Italian deli named Guayoyo now occupies the spacious digs with charming outdoor seating adjacent to the marble fountains. They offer pizzas, pastries, specialty coffees, jars of antipasto ingredients, Italian cold cuts, boutique vinegars and imported wines. 2289-7006. They join neighbors Bagelman’s, Soda Tapia and the Israeli deli, Sisso, to make the little plaza in Escazú, just north of Paco on the road towards Piadades, a nice location for lunch or a snack.

Bill thinks the baby beef at Kianti, a block in from the Mormon Temple in Belen, is the best steak in the country. Janet likes the steak at Patagonia in Escazú. Will, Randi, Jane and George vote for Doris Metrpolitan in Santa Ana. Jaime prefers Donde Carlos in Barrio Escalante. Several people mention the Thursday night prime rib at The White House high above Escazú as their favorite beef dish. Often mentioned as well are their Idaho baked potatoes that come with it – a great improvement over the thin-skinned local variety. If only they would bake them without the aluminum-foil wrap and let the skin get crisp and crunchy. Sandy, Gita, Bruno and Joan join the ranks of those who love MYA in Escazù. They are planning to open Sundays and close Mondays, rather than the other way around. Ali will create a Sunday brunch menu as well. Tom likes Café de Balcon, a second floor German restaurant in Atenas. I can’t wait to try it.

Closed: Vaca Loca on the former site of Saga, Crepe Suzette in Momentum

Moved: Il Gourmet from Paco to Momentum

Gone: Jean Pierre has left The Muse

La Guácima is now more accessible than it has ever been. The new entrance and exit off the Pista del Sol is only about ten minutes west of Santa Ana. As you exit, go east (right turn if you are coming from San Jose, Escazù, Santa Ana or Ciudad Colon). As you approach the river that divides La Guácima from San Rafael, there is an imposing hexagonal structure of bamboo and wrap around glass windows. Its name is Nichon’s  there is a sign and a banner on its fence advertising Mediterranean food and executive lunches at C3200. Over the course of the next few months, the rustic large restaurant will morph into a dual location  - a sports bar with the usual chicken wings, fried shrimp and other bocas to go with cold beer on tap, and a sophisticated dining emporium offering a gourmet Mediterranean menu. The proprietor, Carmen, is a charming woman who has lived and cooked in France, Spain, Italy and North Africa. She will create specialties for groups herself – bouillabaisse, rabbit, lobster, duck, etc. The regular menu is prepared by her staff. The executive lunch is well worth the price which includes service, tax and a fresh fruit beverage. Recently we had a lightly vinaigrette-dressed crisp salad, perfectly seasoned succulent skate wings as well prepared as any I have ever tasted, served with a medley of julienned vegetables grilled through but still maintaining a bit of crunch, mashed potatoes, warm French bread, our fruit drinks and chocolate cake, nearly as rich and moist as a ganache. The lunch was well worth twice the price. Unfortunately the skate was a special predicated on a fresh catch. It is not on the regular menu which includes a host of appetizer salads, soups, mussels, and cheeses from C3500 to C5800. The main courses include tenderloins with Roquefort, porcini mushrooms in a red wine reduction or a wild mushroom sauce. All are C8600, all inclusive. The salmon, corvina, chicken and pasta options cost less. We went a second time with friends Kay and Gus. Once again we had three courses and a beverage for C3200 each. We all chose and enjoyed the same main course, a chicken dish similar to coq au vin, but made with white wine. They are currently open six days a week, 11-8 on Sundays, 11-11 Tuesday thru Thursday and 11 – midnight Friday and Saturday. 2438-6618.

December 2010 Update

Wow! We had a perfect meal in a lovely restaurant at a reasonable price and met the fabulous chef and vivacious hostess. MYA in Plaza Obalisco in Escazù has only been open for a few weeks, yet I got calls from three different people raving about it. The name is an anagram of the first names of the hostess and chef owners, Milena y Ali. Ali de Paz is an absolute charmer who exudes sparkle, warmth, expertise and passion for her food. The cuisine is playful, flavors and textures exquisitely balanced, ingredients superb, presentations artistic and combinations creative. Her concept is to use the best available components from the New World, from Alaska to Patagonia, add Caribbean and local tropical lushness and fuse the food cultures of the Americas with those of Asia and Europe. Born in Puerto Rico the daughter of a master baker, she ran a highly acclaimed restaurant in Gainesville, Florida for 27 years after graduating from the University of Florida with a pre-law degree and succeeding as a collegiate volleyball player despite her diminutive stature. Her sous chef Jeff came with her.

 

We started with two amazing appetizers. I love calamari and know to cook it for only seconds in boiling water to maintain its tenderness, but I never had it as tender as in the calamari ceviche. Scored in impeccable diamonds, five pieces came with a sweet sake and balsamic dipping sauce, a combination superior to the usual mirin-soy or soy-Asian vinegar dips. When I discovered Jamaican pepper sauce in a bottle forty years ago, I started to put it on everything. Ali’s seventeen ingredient home-made dark tangy sauce on her jerk shrimp is so superior to anything in a bottle that I may never be able to enjoy the commercial stuff again. Perfectly cooked fresh shrimp awash in the spicy sauce sat on ripe plantain disc adding sweet and soft counterbalances. Joan’s main course was an exotic looking vegetarian Napoleon stacked with corn arepas as good as Colombia’s finest, layered with eggplant, portobelo mushroom, zucchini, sweet red peppers, edam, ginger, garlic aoli, tamarind and balsamic jam. For contrasting crunch and visual flare, she decorated the top with fried yucca threads. What a medley of sweet, sour, salty and even umami. I had Tuna “Coco loco”, medium rare grilled tuna that had been marinated in ginger and lime. A cylindrical portion of soft calabaza fortified with slices of caramelized apple sat along side. I too had crisp yucca threads.We shared a dessert of a gorgeous lacy spun sugar and sesame brittle crèpe topped with fried wontons filled with decadent chocolate nut cream aside vanilla ice cream. Our bill was under 25,000 C. The service was impeccable. Milena and Ali designed the tasteful diningroom and upstairs bar in cream, black, brown and grey shades. Glorious modern art is spot-lighted on the two-story walls. They created the cubic dramatic light fixtures of metal and gauze that carry shoji lanterns to the next level. Ali seems destined to join the likes of Camille Ratton and Richard Neet in the select group of Costa Rica’s finest chefs. Closed Sundays. 2288-0569.

 

A charming couple sat next to me at a birthday party at Doris Metropolitan. They met when he was working and living in her native Japan decades ago. From a previous Wine Club dinner, I gained a world of respect for her opinions about food and restaurants. When she mentioned Bambu, her favorite sushi restaurant, I took notice and we went there for lunch the very next day. It is an unadorned hole-in-the-wall around the corner from Beso, off the main road along Sabana South (a block west of the Contraloria, turn at AM/PM and go about twenty meters). It’s on the right side two doors down from Dr. Brown’s Gourmet Hamburgers. Three tables were occupied by Japanese customers who were exchanging friendly banter with the husband and wife sushi makers and the waitress. What makes a trip to a Japanese restaurant/sushi bar memorable for me are impeccably fresh fish; a variety of species; contrasting colors, textures and tastes; authentic décor and artistic presentation of ingredients carved with the knife skills of a master artisan. Sadly, all were lacking. The attraction may be the charm of the hosts and family feel of a gathering place for ex-pat Japanese who possess a better knowledge than mine of what are the best choices for a given day. Or perhaps we came on the wrong day – a Saturday, when all three of the raw fish in my chirashi sushi  – salmon, red tuna and white tuna – lacked the firm texture, sheen and flavor of fresh catch. The white tuna in particular was soggy, soft and flavorless. When I have had albacore (white tuna) in the past, the chef seared the outside slightly to firm up the raw center. Even the avocado had brown age spots. My wife’s salmon teriyaki and California roll were OK. Bambu clearly has a draw for some sophisticated diners that escapes me. For those of you who have had a different experience there, pass it on to educate me and I will share it. 2290-1156.

 

Aya Sofia, one of antiquity’s great edifices, is in Istanbul. Previously it was a Christian Temple adorned with spectacular religious murals and mosaics, plastered over when it became a holy mosque, then restored when it turned into a museum. Its namesake restaurant in Barrio Escalante, 150 meters up the street north from Bagelman’s, may not be a UNESCO site, but the food is monumental. Mehmet Onurlap, the charming host and co-owner bubbles with justified pride in the Mediterranean cuisine that is true to Turkish standards and encompasses dishes reflecting Greek and Italian expertise in the kitchen as well (yes, the pasta is fresh).. I even saw an authentic dessert covered with stands of filo, kadayif, that I loved in Syria. You can see their basic menu on the website www.sofiamediterraneo.com, but there is an entire chalkboard of additional daily specials that virtually doubles the options. The air is filled with scents of rosemary, roasted lamb and cumin. The lamb is young and tender. Mehmet buys lambs from the Monge farm in Guanacaste, never larger than eleven kilos, perhaps the best lamb in Costa Rica. He and his chefs are passionate about their food. On a recent lunchtime visit, three of us were seated at the last available table next to old friends, gourmands Susan and David, who love the place and have eaten there about twice a month for two years. On their recommendation I tried the lamb and bulgar wheat grilled meatballs served with rosemary roasted potatoes and baby green beans cooked with sesame and soy. If it were closer to my home I, too, would be a happy regular. 2224-5050.

 

Norma Lenkowski, my favorite nonagenarian and the former grande dame of the Women’s Club of Costa Rica “out to lunch bunch” is at CIMA with a bleeding ulcer. Please, all you O Negative donors under 60, give her a pint. Speedy recovery, Darling.

 

I used to have Monday night dinner at Rock ‘n Roll Pollo with a group of Canadian and American ex-pats. The food improved greatly when the most amiable Elkin Flores became chef. When the management self-destructed the first time, Flores moved to Old West and the group happily followed. George Bradbury told me over Thanksgiving turkey at a friend’s home that Elkin is now the chef and manager of Brad’s in Momentum. For dessert, Kay’s pumpkin pie had a flakier crust than the one my wife made, but hers was quite good too. Kay’s husband, Tom Costello, is cooking up meals at Kay’s Kitchen in Atenas. He is as youthful and sweet an eighty-year-old as you may ever meet. He had a steakhouse in Rapid City, South Dakota decades ago.

 

May your Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa  and New Year be happy.

 

November 2010 Update

Nikklas

“Lenny, the Greek restaurant in south Sabana (Nikklas) is actually a gyro-kebab type of place. It has the feel of a fast food place and the menu reflects that vibe (nice nonetheless). So do not expect full-Greek menu. Having said that, the gyros are quite good and their hummus is definitely one of the best in town.    Rodolfo Ulloa”

 

Thanks Rodolfo. Joan and I went there and agree with your assessment. During a week-day lunchtime, the place was packed. Service was rapid. All the ingredients were fresh. We had lamb and beef gyros with crispy French fries, a side of hummus and a piece of baklava. Everyone was pleasant. The diners around us were an animated and happy yuppie crowd. The menu is restricted to the gyros we enjoyed, pork leg wraps, vegetarian wraps, hamburgers, hummus, baklava and drinks. Phone:  2220-0913. Location:  Sabana South opposite the park, west of the Contraloria by about three or four blocks.

 

Ali Baba 

Samir’s Ali Baba restaurant on the main street in Puerto Viejo has a good reputation for quality Lebanese food and friendly service. Fran from Delaware recommended it to me and raved about Bread and Chocolate, also in Puerto Viejo, for “fabulous breakfasts and lunches”. 

When another Ali Baba opened it Itzkatzú, I had high expectations. However, it is not run or owned by Samir in Puerto Viejo.  My first visit was very disappointing. I am an unabashed lamb lover. The only lamb dish available that day was an appetizer of roasted lamb ribs. The waiter assured me that the order was large enough to satisfy the average diner. It was. The ribs were large for a lamb, tough as leather, and seasoned only with salt and so much sour-lime juice that any lamb flavor was totally hidden. I asked the pleasant waiter to ask the chef if indeed salt and lime juice were the only seasonings. They were.

My wife and I went a second time and the results were better. She had two appetizers, fatoush (a salad made with toasted pita bread) and lamb chawarma wraps. The fatoush was exactly as it was served to us in Syria –  lettuce, bits of cucumber, tomato, mint, lemon juice, olive oil and crunchy toasted bits of pita. She loved it. The chawarmas were only ok. Two large wraps were filled with lamb bits and pickles (standard dill slices - an odd choice), tomatoes and hummus. Both dishes cost about $10 each. I had roast lamb ($23); tender tasty pieces, well seasoned and surrounded by roasted carrots, tomatoes and zucchini with a mound of rice and lentil pilaf scented with cumin and turmeric. The waiters were very attentive, but we were the only diners at 12:30 on a Friday. The appetizers average C5000 and main courses about C10000. Portion sizes are large. Plating is moderately attractive.

 

  Lots of money and skill have gone into décor. The dining-room is well appointed in Middle Eastern design. The prices are beyond what most lunch-time workers can afford. If they can attract enough affluent patrons from the area, they may do well. Phone:  2588-0024

 

D’La Costa #2

A family of siblings has a successful restaurant in Santa Barbara, D’La Costa,  featuring seafood. I have never been there because Banco de Mariscos in the same town has been a longtime favorite of mine. When the second D'La Costa restaurant opened only a few miles from my home, I drove to El Roble to try it. It is everything one hopes for in a local eatery: the place is spotlessm though hardly fancy, service friendly, food well prepared, portions large and cost very low – so low in fact, that I doubt I could match cost and quality at home. Among my favorites are seafood spaghetti in a tasty white sauce with corvina, octopus, shrimp and conch (C3000) and corvina empanizada (C2450). My wife loves the corvina meuniere (C2600). As a true test of the capacity of the kitchen, we arrived in a party of eight on a fairly busy Friday night, were seated and attended to promptly. Our group enjoyed an assortment of drinks including a fancy fruit punch ($2), Chilean Frontera, ($3 per glass or $11 by the bottle), light and dark beer and an Absolut vodka tonic. All eight of us enjoyed our meals of shrimp, corvina, and spaghetti in seafood sauce. The menu offers seafood in about thirty different ways, plus modest choices of chicken, pork, steak, hamburgers and more than a dozen appetizers. They plan to offer desserts in the near future. They open at 11:30 every morning and close at 10 PM, 9 PM on Sunday. They have parking in front. The location is 200 meters west oh Hogar Crea in the town of El Roble, Alajuela. D’La Costa #3 is planned for Ciruelas by the end of the year.

 

Burton from California misses his favorite Chinese noodle dish, chow fun. He asked a lot; where can one find good noodles, tasty, large portions and inexpensive food. Good news, Burton. I am also a chow fun fan. Here, the dish goes by the name sa ho fan in many places. Restaurante Fuente de Fortuna in Montecillos near Alajuela fits all your requirements. My favorite sa ho fan is with strips of lomito. This is another high volume bargain eatery that I have mentioned in previous blos. The restaurant also offers non-Chinese standards. Their fried shrimp are legendary among local Tico friends for portion size and bargain price.

 

My wife adores our neighborhood bakery, Pan & Sabor, in La Guácima’s Mall Castillo. Their Italian loaves, cinnamon rolls, pizza, moist cakes – beautifully decorated and empanadas are indeed far batter than most. She asked that I applaud them and invite you to praise your local favorites. Praise, please.

 

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

October 2010 Update

Will commented on my description of the fine food at Fusion in Grécia. “Sounds wonderful, especially the whole fish. I’ll have to see how it compares with my favorite rendition of the same dish at The Red Stripe Café in Puerto Viejo.”  Well, Will, I wish you luck. My notes may be wrong, but I wrote that the once very popular café in Puerto Viejo closed at least a few years ago. If you have information to the contrary, please let us know.

The new Greek restaurant on the service road south of La Sabana is a welcome addition to the panoply of ethnic eateries. Thus far it hasn’t dazzled any of three diners who reported to me, but it is too early for me to judge. I’ll give it another month and try it.

Two blocks east on the same street sits the architecturally stunning Beso, with a striking collection of modern art. Its kitchen is currently in disarray to the frustration of the owner, clientele and amiable wait-staff. I’ll give it another few months and try it again.

Aya Sofia, another new Mediterranean restaurant has impressed a few diners. We are planning to try it soon. It is located in Barrio Escalante, 170 meters north of Bagelman’s.

Bobbie likes the improved cuisine at Patagonia in Escazú, 500 meters south of Multiplaza in Golden Plaza. “Try it again,” he suggests. We shall.

Janet loves the breakfasts and baked goods at Robin’s Kitchen in old Escazú, across the street and fifty meters west of the Beacon Hotel. Look for the sign that says “Coffee Shop”. Janet says that all five options are very tasty. Robin’s desserts, salads, quiche, eggplant and lasagna are all praiseworthy. I haven’t tasted her chicken curry yet, but her mocha pie seems to be everyone’s favorite. I ordered a piece and was not disappointed.  My favorites are her eggs Benedict and ginger cookies.

While on the subject of the Beacon and its gorgeous restaurant The Muse, two lovers of Jean Pierre’s food, confided that they would go there more often if he were to vary the menu a bit.

Two other couples agree that Avi’s cuisine at Gloria Metropolitan in Santa Ana is exceptional. As far as I know, Avi is the third Israeli chef in Costa Rica. The other two are Na’ama and David. She prepares fabulous food at Loveat, the vegetarian restaurant at the animal-friendly Lands of Love resort on the road between San Ramon and La Fortuna. She even offers vegan, gluten-free and Jewish-style options. David does the cooking at Sisso, Taste of Jerusalem in Florencia Mall in Escazú, south of Paco towards Guachipelen. His food is as authentic Israeli as any I have had in Latin America, with excellent falafel, shipood kabob, chicken shuwerma, hummus, eggplant and baklava. All the plates are less than C4000 and come with pita, salad and either fries or turmeric scented rice. Telephone 2288-4737.

Ron and Lee were disappointed in their evening meals at Café des Artistas. They described the food as “pedestrian”. Reviews are mixed. Carol and Nancy had positive lunch experiences. Two other friends were less complimentary. The consensus still raves about breakfasts and weekend brunches.

I have been blessed to have eaten at some of the world’s best restaurants including  Taillevent and Le Grand Véfour in Paris, Troisgros in Roanne, the French Laundry in Yountville, Daniel in New York City, Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, the original Masa’s in San Francisco and Steirereck in Vienna. When I encounter a new world class restaurant, I feel compelled to share, even if this one is in Medellin, Colombia.

Mystique is owned by fabulous young chef Juan Pablo Valencia Duque. Despite his youth (31 years old), he is a well-traveled, superbly-trained chef and choreographer of a kitchen that has the precision of a ballet. His studies have taken him to Paris, Croatia, Barcelona, Beijing, Miami, New York and Washington in a bevy of famous and award-winning restaurants. He considers Jordi Vallès from Barcelona his mentor. Vallès has worked with three leaders of the culinary revolution in Catalunia and nearby Basque country, Ms. Pedro Subijana - author teacher and creator of groundbreaking new recipes in her restaurant, Juan Mari Arzak – the scion of New Basque cuisine, and Ferrán Adrià -the most acclaimed molecular chef in the world. We let Juan Pablo choose our menu.

Cream of petit pois, arugula and asparagus soup topped with vanilla bean oil, some pecorino cheese and black sesame seeds; served in small demitasse cup with a piece of homemade brioche, toasted and served with a butter of carrot, pancetta and a sweet chili infused oil.

Ceviche of robalo (snook) marinated in mandarin lime juice for only four minutes, cut into perfect cubes with retained firm texture, combined with cilantro, red onion, sweet chile and smoked fresh corn kernels; topped with smoked corn foam and a dusting of cayenne; served in a martini glass on a Villery and Boche plate studded with red and peach colored flowers on a gold background.  The foam was warm and the ceviche was cold. I have never tasted better. The variety of textures and layers of flavor were amazing.

A very generous portion of foie gras served on a brioche round surrounded by porcini cream on the bottom of bowl; topped by  a reduction of demiglace with fig pieces that had been cooked in cognac and a half of a marinated fig, topped with a candied crisp leaf from a brussel sprout and fleur de sal. A palate cleanser of grape and cointreau sorbet followed.

The four of us (Juan and Nancy – Colombian ex-pats living in Costa Rica) shared four main plates, two of hamachi tataki and two of osso bucco. The yellow tail was topped with a vinaigrette of lime, lobster stock, tarragon and parsley. It was served with a small tureen of a mix of basmati rice and toasted white rice perfumed with orange blossom water and plated with roasted slices of baby artichoke hearts that looked like miniature soft-shell crabs.

The osso bucco was slow-cooked for fourteen hours, then placed in a hot oven for 20 minutes to crisp the top skin. The fat under the skin melted into sensuous liquid in my mouth. Served on a bed of caramelized onions decorated with baby brussel sprouts and carrot cubes cooked in ghee, the meat was butter-tender and deliciously flavored. The combination of textures and flavors were mouth-tingling.   

Dessert came in two parts: First a granita of yerba buena and cubes of rum-infused gelatin layered with mojito/lime foam in small glass ringed with sugar, and second, dried thin slices of apple wrapped to look like tiny ice cream cones and filled with a chocolate mousse.

We sat at the chef’s table and witnessed the plating of each dish by Chef Juan Pablo and 21 year-old sous chef  Sebastian. They clearly have the manual dexterity of neurosurgeons and the eyes of artists.

With a bottle of good Chilean red and a complimentary after-dinner drink, the tariff for the four of us came to $75 each, truly a great value for a memorable meal. We applauded the chef when he came to our table at end of three hours of gustatory orgasms.

The night before our meal, Chef Juan Pablo was chosen to cook a special banquet for President Santos. He was selected by the Culinary Academie de France to participate in the 2010 international competition, the Trophee Passion, where he will represent Columbia.  Mandatory course is a tubot souffle (a type of fish not available in Colombia).  He is allowed to bring three ingredients and so he is bringing Columbian coffee, raspberries from Bogota and Russian beluga caviar.  The competition will be held from October 9-12.

Are you going to put Medellin on your next itinerary? If so, book a table at Mystique.  You won’t be disappointed.  The address and phone are: Carrera 33 # 7 - 55, Medellin, Columbia; Phone:  (0)311 82 21
 

September 2010 Update

My gourmet friend Mij is not very familiar with Grécia. She asked to me to take her to Fusion for lunch, my recent great little find (thanks to Don and Sanny). Vicki went with us. We ordered fish, beef and chicken entrées and tasted from each others plates. All three were less than C5000. The jalapeño steak with flat noodles and a medley of baby vegetables was, according to Vicki, “the best meal I have had in all my years in Costa Rica.” The presentation was elegant – served on a piece of black slate and adorned with star fruit and a tiny cherry tomato cut like a flower. My whole grilled red snapper was served in similar fashion and prepared perfectly. Mij loved the juicy plump chicken breast she ordered. Because of the rich butter, cream and mushroom sauce, her plate needed sides. It was a shallow rectangle, equally artistic. We were all too full to try one of Andres’ exotic deserts. Mij plans to return without me now that she knows the way (from the Pan American highway, exit at the Grécia off ramp, straight into town, past the church up the hill, left at the second stop sign and it is on the right two and a half blocks later just past the butcher and motorcycle shop).

 

JR Ribs closed.

 

Another tiny diamond in the rough opened walking distance from my home in La Guácima. How lucky for me. La Milonga is on the main road through our town only a few hundred meters west of the minimalist town center in the direction of Los Reyes and the Butterfly Farm. The small front parking area is backed by a brightly colored mural. Chef Rodrigo studied to be an engineer but decided to follow his heart instead. He labored for months without salary in a fine restaurant in Cordova, Argentina, graduated to paid-staff status, and received a scholarship to the culinary institute. Needless to say, his steaks are the centerpiece of the menu. They arrive cooked exactly as ordered, well seasoned, generous portions and accompanied by a crisp salad with flavorful vinaigrette and baby roast potatoes napped in butter and rosemary. He also makes his own fettuccini, sweet or savory Argentinean empanadas and a few other interesting choices. I like the beef milanesa. He made cheesecake rounds artistically drizzled in his own blackberry sauce which was very good. His prices are mid-range, not cheap. I hope there is enough local wealth to support his fine efforts. Because he had been open for only a week and was still training kitchen assistants and wait-staff, I asked my friends to go in small groups. They invited us along. They didn’t listen. We were thirteen and occupied two thirds of all the seats. Remarkably, he and his staff performed flawlessly. Every one of our group was delighted, particularly when Bill picked up the total tab in honor of Myrna’s birthday. In a month or two, La Guácima will have its own entrance and exit on the pista to the beach. It will be just 20 minutes from Escazú, 15 minutes from Santa Ana and 10 minutes from Ciudad Colón. La Milonga will be very accessible to the masses. Currently he is open Thursday through Sunday.

 

The baker at Ka-Kau in Centro Comercial, Escazù is a very talented German pastry maker. His snail-shell shaped sticky cinnamon rolls are the best I have ever had. I tasted one of his rich brownies and a fruit tart, both quite good. They offer lunch combos as well. When he discovers a source for rye flour, he will offer crusty bread as well.

 

What was Hotel Villa Antigua and before that Tex-Mex on the street behind the church in Santa Ana, is now a fabulous restaurant perfect for a gastronomic splurge. Doris Metropolitan is a tastefully decorated steak house with the finest aged Guanacaste beef from their own ranch. Minimum aging time is 21 days. They have a butcher shop near the front entrance, an elaborate wine display to the right and the restaurant to the left. The steaks may be the best in Costa Rica, but that is not the whole story. First to appear on our table were home-baked focaccia and sesame-crusted bread with coin-shaped dollops of garlic butter, herb butter, paprika butter, parsley-mint puree and olive oil dotted with balsamic vinegar, the consistency of honey. The vinegar had been reduced to intensify its marvelous flavor and to give it a honey consistency. Chef Avi, one of three Israeli owners, already had garnered my attention and respect. We had two perfect appetizers: 1) a “Doris salad” of rich sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, arugula, Roquefort cheese, stringless celery spears, almonds and walnuts dressed nicely and 2) fire-roasted eggplant and an extraordinary homemade tahini done with a mix of three fragrant oils, smoky and sumptuous. Both appetizers were large enough to have served a couple. Yes, the steaks are well seasoned, seared to point, juicy and tender and very large. They are served in cast iron skillets. What came with them were half a grilled tomato covered with a minuscule dice of fresh garlic, a charred half of a sweet onion and creamy mashed potatoes. The wait staff merits mention. For two weeks before the restaurant opened, they learned about every ingredient and preparation technique, and they tasted every dish. They are justifiably proud of their ability to assist diners. Jason, our delightful waiter, recommends the butcher cut, three hundred grams of the single best cut of beef (C 14900). It is obvious he loves the food and is proud to be part of the team. When another diner ordered a porterhouse, we could hear the buzz of the saw removing it from the aged side of beef.

Other appetizers that I intend to try in the future include lamb kebabs, veal carpaccio and tongue in caramelized beets. We may never make it to the fabulous-sounding dessert menu. A diner at the next table loved her crumble of marscapone and fresh strawberries. Wine and liquor choices abound. FIVE STARS. 2282-2221. Check their website for special events – www.dorismetropolitan.com

August 2010 Update

The pista to Caldera reopened for a few days and we ate paella at Costa del Sol. It was tasty and redolent with seafood, chicken pieces and chunks of fish. Two of us took home enough for a third leftover portion. At C14000 for two, it did not seem overpriced with half a lobster each, lots of small shrimp, baby clams and octopus pieces. Our third diner had lenguado on my recommendation, in a butter-lime sauce. She loved the flavor, but her piece didn’t have the perfect texture that mine had had the time before. I suggest that you try it when the waiter can reassure you that it is the same day’s catch or out of the live tank. Their coconut flan was unusually fine.

 

Two more converts now consider Trattoria Bell’Italia their favorite Italian Restaurant and a mention that the only couple who didn’t like it may be impossible to please on occasion. “I sat near her once at a Wine Club event at a fabulous restaurant and she sent her salad back to the kitchen three times” quoth anon.

 

Tony Alaimo’s third restaurant reincarnation is on the Santa Ana Radial, just behind Scotia Bank. Its name is Tres Scalini. Tony, as you may recall, presided over the popular Ponte Vecchio, then went to Peoria, Illinois for a few years. He returned in 2003  to open the popular Il Retorno in Casa Italia. When his lease wasn’t renewed he moved from the east end of the Central Valley to the west side. His new restaurant is nicely appointed. The wait staff are quite professional. His same lengthy menu contains an entire page of veal choices. Portions are generous, plates attractive and prices well below other venues like Bacchus, Di Bartolo and Cerutti. He still manages to leave the kitchen periodically to greet his guests in his chef’s jacket and multicolored pants. When we went on a week night, there were about twenty diners enjoying their food.

 

Really good hot dogs are a rarity in Costa Rica. Marvin from New York tried dozens of different ones and suggested that the huge steamed all meat ones at Price Smart were the best, unless you buy Hebrew National or Nathan’s at Auto Mercado or Little Israel and grill them at home. I agree with him.

 

Café Des Artistas is drawing raves from old customers who feel that the new chef/owner Chris Reeves has raised the quality of the American fare.

 

Want to know how to make vegan and vegetarian food delicious? Radha at the Sat Yoga Institute gives five-hour cooking classes for about $80 quarterly. The recipes my wife has learned to prepare there are fabulous. For information contact Radha's Kitchen at 2288-3294.

 

Marsha and Tom travel from San Jose to Jacó frequently in the company of a Tico couple who live on their block. They asked for a recommendation for lunch along the way which  had at least a few Tico dishes and some upscale options. I steered them to Tropical in Orotina next to the gas station in the center of town, a block and a half north of the market plaza They loved the festive tipico environment, the food and the prices. There were about thirty local people eating lunch there on a weekday. All four enjoyed their hearty basic food. Marsha particularly praised the white sauce on her chicken cordon blue. Tom’s lengua en salsa was “butter tender.” C2700 casados, pastas, fajitas and ceviches seemed to be the most popular large plates flowing out of the kitchen when we were there. They have a well stocked bar. Rogelio, the proprietor, is muy amable.  Telephone number: 2428-7755.

 

Adios to Pasta y Vino in Belen. Your chicken parmigiana and tomato sauce were very nice. I hope chef Martin Allen finds a place for his talents.

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JULY 2010 UPDATE

Bear with me on my new favorite tiny gem. It is Fusion in Grecia. The chef, Andrés Pineda, is very talented, creative and artistic. He studied for several years at the Costa Rican Culinary Institute. His presentations are lovely and mélanges of flavors are very well balanced. He is young and charming. The prices are remarkably low for the quality of the ingredients and effort in preparation. The pluses outweigh the minuses, but the minuses need be mentioned. There are only four tables of four in this tiny space. Since everything is cooked to order, you must be willing to wait as long as an hour to be served. The chairs are hard. Parking is limited to space for three cars. Four of us had main courses, drinks and desserts for a total of 28000 C including a generous tip. We had  chicken breast in mushroom sauce, pork kabobs, barbecued pork ribs and a scrumptious vegetarian Mexican dish. The first three were served on beds of fetuccini alongside pan-grilled baby zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, cauliflower and onions adorned with curly sprigs of snow pea plants. Dessert was roasted kiwi, cored and filled with other fruits, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Be sure to look at the lovely collection of art on the walls. Directions: As you enter Grecia from the Pan American Highway, go past the church, past the stop sign atop the hill and take the next left. Go straight past the next stop sign and it is on the right just past the butcher and motorcycle shops. Phone:  2444-0170.

 

A few months ago, I described a lunch we had at Leda in Caldera. Since then, two readers have chided me for mentioning what they considered only the second best seafood restaurant on the same block. The best, according to the contributors, is Costa Del Sol, a hotel and restaurant three hundred meters farther south on the same side of the same street. In 1988, I spent a lovely month on the Dalmatian Coast of former Yugoslavia and loved how the Croats prepared seafood. Back in San Francisco, two of my favorite seafood chefs were also Croatian. Their specialty was sole meunière, in a simple butter, parsley and lemon sauce. “Willy” Vinko Lastro, the owner and original chef at Costa del Sol, is Croatian. His wife is from Spain.. Lenguado is the local sole-sized half kilo member of the flounder family. It has never been a Costa Rican favorite,  like the inexplicably tasteless tilapia. The lenguado here is plentiful and inexpensive. Very large members of the flounder family in the 6-8 kilo range are not very good in tropical waters, but lenguado are delicious, white, flakey, moist and tasty when fresh. They tend to soften and get watery when frozen. At Costa del Sol, the lenguado meunière was fresh and cooked perfectly. Served with fries and a simple salad, it cost 3500 C. The restaurant also has a reputation for outstanding paella Valenciana 14000 C for two, loaded with seafood including lobster, clams, calamari and shrimp. When the Caldera pista reopens, we are going to try it.  Phone:  2634-4008

 

L’Ile De France opened to happy crowds of its long-time faithful clientele and many new comers in its new location on architecturally rich Avenida Escazú. Amidst dark textured walls, lovely cushioned chairs and banquettes and a back-lighted onyx bar, Jean Claude Fromont resumes his tried and true French classics that reigned supreme at the Hotel Bergerac in the past. Kudos to the management team for the seamless transformation and the fixed price luncheon options. The options include two of three courses or all three – appetizer, main dish and dessert for much less than the ala carte dinner costs.

 

Mushroom and Nuts is nestled in tiny Plaza Trejos in Escazú along with a fish place, a sushi restaurant, a pharmacy and a bakery. It is on the road heading west from Tony Roma’s past Hypermas, on the left side opposite the turn that leads to EPA and the pista. Parking can be a little tight, particularly at lunch time. Most of the cars are headed for Mushrooms and Nuts because of very nice executive specials at great prices in a clean indoor / outdoor setting with efficient and gracious service. The owners, Allen and his partner Rocia speak English as does one of the waiters. Business people from buildings across the way love the food and convenience. Leave it to Mij, to have made another quality discovery, albeit on her four-footed cane. My two lunches there were each 2900 C including tip and tax for three courses and a fruit drink. I had a salad of mixed tiny crisp greens in mild vinaigrette followed by linguini in a creamy mushroom sauce and a dessert of white chocolate cream with a fresh large mug of pineapple juice. On the second visit I chose a cup of garbanzo and pork soup, chicken curry with rice and a pair of fried banana fritters and a hazelnut pastry. Everything was reasonably well prepared and presented. They are open from 8am to 7:30pm.Monday – Wednesday, 8am to 9pm Thursday thru Saturday. Closed Sunday. 2288-9044.

 

 

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2010 JUNE UPDATE

Sorry friends. I passed along some information that was wrong. When David raved about the lunch special of corvina for less than 2000 C at Time Out, I hadn’t checked it out. Indeed Time Out has some very nice hot lunchtime specials, usually for about 4000-6000C, a fine assortment of sandwiches, thick rich flavorful chili and even poutine for you Eastern Canadians. They like to serve fish as fresh as possible, so they only serve it once a week, on Fridays. Their fish and chips are quite popular, for about $10. All their Friday offerings from the sea are about the same price except salmon which is more. For those of you who don’t know this friendly ex-pat hangout / sports bar, as you head up the hill past the Costa Rica Country Club in Escazù, it is a few blocks farther up on the left. There is a sign that reads This is the Place.

 

While on the subject of fish, there is a new sign in front of the Fish Market on the road from the Forum to Santa Ana, next to Lo Spago. It reads Concept C. Inside, it is still the same Fish Market with an array of fresh fish to take home or have prepared nicely for on-site dining. The menu hasn’t changed. Recently I had five plump mussels served in a light tasty tomato sauce for 3400 C. Delicious.

 

White Tuna in Itskatzú, disappointed three of four of us on a recent Saturday night. I felt badly for calling it Blue Tuna in a recent blog and hoped to make amends with a positive review. It wasn’t to be. Two of us ordered congrejo, a flakey, firm whitefish with marvelous flavor when fresh. Ours was wet, mushy and bland as if it had been frozen and thawed at least a few times. I ordered it al Diablo and my hot sauce tasted like plain Tabasco from the bottle. We sampled another diner’s trout and found it bland and overcooked. The wisest of our four ordered corvina. Two of us had soft drinks, two had tap water with ice. The price for just the four dishes and two beverages was 33,500 C. From 6-8PM on that Saturday, there was only one other patron in restaurant.

 

Since I recommended Trattoria Bell’Italia, I have had four other comments – three raves and a major disappointment. The score card with 7/8 is overwhelmingly on the side of the raves. Ray and his wife shared an antipasto that neither liked and missed typical trattoria soft lights and homey kitchen aromas.  Pedro is one of the seven who loved it, but he has four ravenous teenagers who could run up a huge bill at any upscale locale. He asked for an inexpensive Asian alternative and I recommended Restaurante Fuente de Fortuna in Montecillos. The six of them had huge portions of basic Cantonese and Tico food for less than 15000 C. Not gourmet fare, but enjoyed by all. Can’t beat the prices.

 

The wine club experience at JR Ribs was positive.

 

I have heard about a new German restaurant in Heredia that makes great bread, but my informant couldn’t supply its name or location. Help me, please.

 

Flavor, the new restaurant in Belén that replaced the steak house that replaced the vegetarian restaurant a block east of PeKiss, is owned by nice people from the Dominican Republic. Their menu contains a few items from their Caribbean island home. The empanadas are very nice – chicken, pork, egg, garlic, onion, red peppers and raisins well seasoned. I ordered sancocho. It was not bad but it was much more like Costa Rican olla de carne than Caribbean robust stew. The restaurant is lovely and staff very friendly. We plan to go back and try other Dominican specialties.

 

Also in Belén, Eclectico has hooked four of my friends who are Colombian ex-pats. One of the owners of the restaurant is from Colombia, and they apparently have special events that feature Colombian cuisine. I’ll have to ask to be included on their Colombian newsletter mailing list.

 

Sky reports from Tamarindo that El Coconut remains his favorite restaurant. It is among my favorite seafood venues in the country. It is only open for dinner. Lazy Wave is again a very popular eclectic upscale restaurant after a period when it became more bar than restaurant. La Laguna de Cocodrillo, once very expensive, now offers much more moderately priced specials. Sky likes Nogui’s Sunset Café for typical cuisine at fair prices, right on the beach. We talked at Gen Ki in the food court on Avenida Escazù, adjacent to CIMA Hospital. His mother and my wife were both on the mend. His mom and my wife were discharged the next day. He tells me that there are now five sushi places in Tamarindo.

 

Sushi Kai did re-open as planned in mid April in Via Lindora.