Foodie Guide to Costa Rica

Some claim that Costa Rican cuisine is non-existent. The truth is that we had a really hard time finding it and several times it was far from exciting. Its greatest downfall is lack of variety.

First thing you should know is that Ticos traditionally don't go out for dinner. Sodas, typical restaurants, close after lunch time.

Orosi
After visiting Tapanti National Park, we stopped by Soda La Casa del Sabor (Road 224, in front of the gas station). It was recommended by our lodge. They told us that we could get a fresh and delicious whole trout for less than $10. And they were right. It was flavorful.
It came with a complimentary chicken soup with veggies on a fatty and appetizing broth.

River trout

Grecia
We stayed in this great B&B where we met the owners, Ronaldo and Illeana. They are experts in hospitality. They made us feel at home in Grecia. Illeana cooked for us some of the best meals we had in Costa Rica. We tasted homemade tamales prepared by Ronaldo's aunt for Christmas! For the first time we enjoyed eating tamales. They were filled with chicken and pork meat and some veggies.
Tico breakfasts are to die for. They include gallo pinto, Costa Rica specialty: rice with beans. Some mouthwatering pork sausage, scrambled eggs and plantains.
The chicken soup was also good. It's tomato based with tortilla and on top Illeana added chunks of white cheese and avocado.

Ronald's aunt homemade tamales

Illeana's Tico breakfast

Illeana's chicken soup with white cheese, avocado and tortilla

Naranjo
During a stopover in Naranjo to take a bus to another village, we ended up having some food and juices in a soda.
I had this juice called chan. Supposedely this is an Aztec drink. It's made with dry seeds of lamiaceae herb. The seeds are soaked in water until they forming a gelatinous texture. It's weird but surprisingly refreshing and good.

Chan juice

Zarcero
While exploring the Valley area, we went to Zarcero, a village located in the mountains known for its high quality ingredients. Basically, it is Costa Rica's organic city. We saw several food stalls along the road with breathtaking views over the mountains.
The fresh white cheese (palmito cheese) is very famous here. It looks like a mozzarella but tougher and drier. And more intense/salty flavor. It's not cheap. A smaller one can cost $5.

Palmito cheese

Palmito cheese

Palmito cheese

Cano Negro

Everything we tasted at Jabiru (Cano Negro lodge's restaurant) was scrumptious. The cooker, a gifted lady, makes everything  from scratch and you can tell that she uses fresh ingredients.
The fish with palmito sauce and tostones was terrific. Just perfectly cooked. We had the rice with meat and the rice with chicken, they were very simple but tasty.
In our last night there I ordered a local soup, frijoles (beans) with hard boil egg and some tostones. It was filling.

Fish with palmito and tostones

Frijoles soup with boiled egg

In another restaurant in Cano Negro, we had these exquisite tropical juices, maranon and borojo.

According to Wikipedia, maranon is the fleshy part of the cashew fruit that is attached to the cashew nut. Borojo fruit grows in the rainforests.

Both had a very unique and intense flavor. I would have to try it more often to get used to the flavor. 

Marano and borojo juices