Costa Rica Food & Drink – Costa Rica has built a remarkable reputation as a vivid, lively and colorful country. However, most people who have visited this place often complain about the food. It’s either too dull, bland or down-right hot. Still, there have been travelers willing to explore the Costa Rican menus. After a lot of experimenting, these travelers were seen leaving with a much sweeter taste in their mouths, which is why we’ve decided to present you the meals that made that possible.
Some of the most famous Costa Rican dishes might turn out to be completely unknown to foreigners, which is why a first-hand approach is exactly what you need. All you need to do is leave your skepticism behind and replace it with a healthy appetite.
Chifrijo
This is not a widely popularized meal, yet if you visit Costa Rica, you should be able to order it almost anywhere even if it’s not part of the menu. It’s made of rice, beans, fried pork, pico de gallo and guacamole. Throw in some beer and chips, mix it up with betting tips for tonight’s football match at the local beach bar and you’ve got yourself a perfect snack for a Costa Rican night out!
Olla de Carne
Although soups are a rare occasion in Costa Rica, there are several recipes which simply reflect the country’s light-hearted spirit. This dish is made of beef broth containing beef, corn, yucca, taro, yam and green plantain. Some chefs add carrots and potatoes for an even more varied taste.
Even though you might not feel like eating soup in that weather, you might want to endure some extra heat to taste this masterpiece.
Taco
You’ve definitely heard of this, right? Well, not really. You see, Costa Rican tacos are quite different from their Mexican counterparts. Here, they put the filling and roll the tortilla completely before deep frying it. If you thought this is strange, wait ‘till you see the garnish – shredded cabbage covered with ketchup and mayonnaise, and naturally fries!
Patacones con Guacamole
This nation uses guacamole sauce for almost any dish, but when it comes to patacones, it is a part of the main dish. The patacones part, on the other hand, is made of plantains which have been smashed and deep fried until they turn into some kind of chips-like form. Simply dip them in guacamole and hold the country’s most recognizable flavor between your fingers.
Macadamia Encrusted Sea Bass
Finally, you haven’t truly been to Costa Rica unless you’ve tried one of their specialties from the deep blue waters. This is a refined meal which consists of sea bass fillet fried in olive oil with macadamia, small pieces of garlic, onion, basil and spinach until it gets just the right combination of flavors.
It is served over a kind of sauce made of butter, onion and garlic mostly, with a touch of lemon juice and some cream in order to reach the perfect texture.
