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.
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