The "cowboy" waiter (doing a two-step for the camera) at this steakhouse delivered ribeye steaks that were 2.5 inches thick and weighed in at more than a pound apiece.
I'd been warned that nobody goes to Costa Rica for the cuisine. The American palate for assertive flavors is bound to be disappointed. The primary seasoning agent is salt, and the myriad picante chilies employed in Mexican menus are nowhere to be found here.
However, dining in Costa Rica is hardly torturous. The beef is excellent -- completely range-fed and organic. It's much leaner than US beef, too, which means the meat is not quite as tender but it's healthier for the consumer.
The tourist dollar is king, and Costa Ricans work hard catering to foreign tastes that they don't always fully grasp. As a rule, the simpler the food, the more likely it is to match one's expectations. A steak, grilled rare, may be superb, where a Beef Wellington would be a major disappointment, with something bizarre like tamerind paste mixed with vinegar being substituted for the pate.
The "cowboy" waiter (doing a two-step for the camera) at this steakhouse
delivered ribeye steaks that were 2.5 inches thick and weighed in at more
than a pound apiece.
The "Salsa Tomate Ketchup" in these tear-open packages was more like sugar
syrup than catsup, but the presentation -- with scissors to cut open the
packets -- was delightful, and the burger delicious.