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EATING AND DRINKING |
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Eating out in Costa Rica can be pricey. Main dishes can easily cost
US$7-9, not including the service charge (10 percent) and the sales tax
(15 percent). Tipping, however, is not necessary
Where to eat
The cheapest places to eat in Costa Rica, and where most workers eat
lunch, their main meal, are the ubiquitous sodas , halfway between the
North American diner and the British greasy cafe. Sodas offer filling
set platos del día ...
The cheapest places to eat in Costa Rica, and where most workers eat
lunch, their main meal, are the ubiquitous sodas , halfway between the
North American diner and the British greasy cafe. Sodas offer filling
set platos del día (daily specials) and casados , combinations of rice,
beans, salad and meat or fish, for about US$3. Many - at least in San
José - are vegetarian , and in general vegetarians do quite well in
Costa Rica. Most menus will have a vegetable option, and asking for
dishes to be served without meat is perfectly acceptable.
Because Costa Ricans start the day early, they are less likely to hang
about late in restaurants in the evening , and establishments are
usually empty or closed by 10 or 10.30pm. Waiters tend to leave you
alone unless they are called for. Non-smoking sections are uncommon, to
say the least, except in the most expensive establishments; if you're
looking for a smoke-free environment, try the vegetarian sodas.
What to eat
Ticos call their cuisine comida típica ("native" or "local" food).
Simple it may be, but tasty nonetheless, especially when it comes to
interesting regional variations on the Caribbean coast (Creole cooking)...
Ticos call their cuisine comida típica ("native" or "local" food).
Simple it may be, but tasty nonetheless, especially when it comes to
interesting regional variations on the Caribbean coast (Creole cooking)
and in Guanacaste (where there are vestiges of the ancient indigenous
peoples' love of maize, or corn).
Dishes you'll find all over Costa Rica usually include rice and some
kind of meat or fish, often served as part of a special plate with
coleslaw salad, in which case it is called a casado (literally, "married
person"). The ubiquitous gallo pinto ("painted rooster") is a breakfast
combination of red and white beans with rice, sometimes served with
huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs). You should also try ceviche (raw fish
"cooked" in lime juice with coriander and peppers), pargo (red snapper),
corvina (sea bass), and fresh fruit , either by itself or drunk in
refrescos . Papayas, pineapple and bananas are all cheap and plentiful,
along with some less familiar fruits like mamones chinos (a kind of
lychee), anona (which tastes like custard) and marañón , whose seed is
the cashew nut.
Drinking
Mellow-tasting Costa Rican coffee is among the best in the world, and
it's usual to end a meal with a small cup - the coffee is traditionally
served in a pitcher with a separate pitcher of heated milk. The best
blends are export, which you can...
Mellow-tasting Costa Rican coffee is among the best in the world, and
it's usual to end a meal with a small cup - the coffee is traditionally
served in a pitcher with a separate pitcher of heated milk. The best
blends are export, which you can buy in stores and are served at some
cafés. Also good are refrescos , cool drinks made with milk ( leche ) or
water ( agua ), fruit and ice, all whipped up in a blender. You can buy
them at stalls or in cartons, though the latter tend to be sugary.
You'll find herb teas throughout the country; those served in Limón are
especially good. In Guanacaste you can get the distinctive corn-based
drinks horchata and pinolillo , made with milk and sugar and with a
grainy consistency.
In addition to the many imported American beers , Costa Rica has a few
local brands, which are not bad at all. Most popular is Imperial (light
draught, American-style), followed by Bavaria (sweeter, more substantial
and slightly nutty). Of the local low-alcohol beers, Bavaria Light is a
good option; Tropical is a bit more watery.
There is an indigenous hard-liquor drink, guaro , of which Cacique is
the most popular brand. It's a bit rough, but good with lime sodas. For
an after-dinner drink, try Café Rica, a creamy liqueur made with the
local coffee.
Costa Rica has a variety of places to drink , from shady macho domains
to pretty beachside bars, with some particularly cosmopolitan
establishments in San José. The capital is also the place to find the
country's last remaining boca bars , atmospheric places which serve
bocas (tasty little snacks) with drinks. Gringo grottos abound,
especially in the beach towns, while in many places, especially port
cities like Limón, Puntarenas and Golfito, there are the usual
contingent of rough, rowdy bars, their seediness advertised by the giant
Imperial placards parked right in front of the doors to block views of
the inside.
In general, Sunday night is dead: many bars don't open at all, while
those that do, tend to close at around 10pm or so. Though Friday and
Saturday nights are, as usual, the busiest, the best nights to go are
often during the week, when you can enjoy live music, happy hours and
other specials. The drinking age in Costa Rica is 18, and many bars will
only admit those with ID. A photocopy of your passport page is
acceptable.
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