Restaurants

In broad terms, Costa Rican cuisine is easily disparaged and dismissed. Rice and beans are served at nearly every meal, the selection of other dishes is minimal, and Ticos generally don't go for spicy food. In recent years, though, some contemporary and creative chefs have been trying to educate and enlighten the Costa Rican palate, particularly in San José, and the results are promising. Still, most visitors to the capital city quickly tire of Tico fare, even in its more chichi incarnations, and start seeking out the many local restaurants serving international cuisines. They are richly rewarded.

San José has a rather amazing variety of restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world. Most restaurants fall into the moderate price range, although prices have crept up in recent years, and unless you stick to simple local joints, you probably won't find many true bargains. Service can be indifferent at many restaurants because the gratuity is already tacked on to the check, and tipping is not common among locals.

Local Cuisine -- If you'd really like to sample the local flavor, head to a soda, the equivalent of a diner in the United States, where you can get good, cheap, filling Tico food. Rice and beans are the staples and show up at breakfast, lunch, and dinner (when mixed together, they're called gallo pinto). For breakfast, they're garnished with everything from fried eggs to steak. At lunch and dinner, rice and beans are the main components of a casado (which means "married"), the Costa Rican equivalent of a "blue-plate special." A casado generally is served with a salad of cabbage and tomatoes; fried plantains; and steak, chicken, or fish. A plate of gallo pinto might cost $2 (£1), and a casado might cost $2.50 to $4 (£1.25-£2), usually with a fresco (a fresh-fruit drink) thrown into the bargain.

While in Costa Rica, be sure to taste a few frescos. They're a bit like a fresh-fruit milkshake without the ice cream, and when made with mangoes, papayas, bananas, or any of the other delicious tropical fruits of Costa Rica, they're pure ambrosia. Frescos can be made with water (con agua) or with milk (con leche), and preferences vary. Certain fruits such as carambola (star fruit), maracuyá (a type of passion fruit), and cas (you'll just have to try it) are used only with water. But remember, although the water in Costa Rica is generally very safe to drink, those with tender stomachs or intestinal tracts should stick to frescos made with milk because it's pasteurized.

Fruit Vendors -- There's a fruit vendor on almost every street corner in downtown San José. If you're lucky enough to be in town between April and June, you can sample more varieties of mangoes than you ever knew existed. I like buying them already cut up in a little bag; they cost a little more this way, but you don't get nearly as messy. Be sure to try a green mango with salt and chili peppers -- it's guaranteed to wake up your taste buds. Another common street food that you might be wondering about is called pejibaye, a bright orange palm nut about the size of a plum. They're boiled in big pots on carts, you eat them in much the same way you eat an avocado, and they taste a bit like squash.

Late-Night Bites -- San José has quite a few 24-hour restaurants. The best of these is Cafeteria 1830, which is described below. Another popular place, which is definitely a bit seedier, is Chelles, on Avenida Central and Calle 9. Then there's Del Mar, which belongs to and is across from the Hotel Del Rey; with stained-glass windows and efficient service, this is a good option, although the food is rather pedestrian and uninspired. Finally, you'll find a Denny's (tel. 2231-3500), at the Best Western Irazú, on the highway out to the airport (there's another beside the Hampton Inn at the airport).

Shameless Plug -- If you want a more comprehensive guide to the restaurant scene in San José and around the country, pick up a copy of my Tico Times Restaurant Guide to Costa Rica, which is now in its third edition and features reviews of some 400 restaurants around Costa Rica, indexed by location, cuisine type, and overall quality. The guide is available in local bookstores, supermarkets, and gift shops, as well as online at www.ticotimes.net.