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

Comments

[Judge Wapner]

Went to Doris, was very disappointed with the poor quality of the local beef. Very nice presentation however, but for the price I'd expect a good steak. Much prefer Esquina De Buenos Aires

[Lenny Karpman]

George,
Thanks for the feedback. When you come to La Guacima, look for La Milonga, not Milagro.
Lenny

[George Sanders]

My friend and I agree totally with your take on Doris Metropolitan. We had tender, juicy steaks there. Can't wait to try Fusion in Grecia or Milagro in Guacima.
George S

[Paul M.]

LK,

Based upon your comments about La Milonga we went last week and tried it out. Great stuff; tasty and well prepared. We were too full -even though we ordered the smaller steak options- to opt for the cheesecake. (An excuse, of course, to go back.)

I have only one 'complaint' and that is that the china that the food was served on would have benefitted greatly from being warmed so it did not cool the food off so quickly, as it did mine. The warmth of the food fled rapidly into the cool china.

Apart from that my friend and I were very pleased and agreed that a second and even third visit to try other selections are in order.

Hope this place gets patronized properly and pronto, so it persists.
==

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