In
San José, you’ll find practically every type of
cuisine represented –Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican,
Peruvian, etc – and restaurants to satisfy the most and
the least demanding tastes. “Tipico” food in Costa
Rica is varied and distinct, simple and delicious. Following
is a sampling of some you’ll come across .
Tipping in Restaurants
It is not a custom
to tip waiters / waitresses here. In a restaurant situation,
there is 10% automatically added on your bill as a service charge.
However, this should not stop you from showing your appreciation
of a service received if you feel it deserves merit. In addition,
there is a 13% tax levied by the government on all restaurant
bills besides the 10%.
Fruits and Vegetables
The
fertile ground and near perfect weather provide for an amazing
variety of delicious fruits and vegetables not often seen in
North America or Europe. Make sure they have been cleaned properly
before ingesting time.
The fruits are fresh
and hold tantalizing tropical flavours for the tongue of the
beholder. Examples of these are: papaya; piña (pineapple);
sandía (watermelon); melón (cantaloupe); mango;
mora (blackberry); granadilla and maracuya (related to the passion
fruit); mamon and mamon chino (related to the rambutan); carambola
(star fruit); guayaba (guava); cas (a type of bitter guava);
tamarindo (tamarind); marañón (fruit of the cashew
nut); nísperos (loquat); and pipas (green coconuts).
Vegetables are not
as widely varied as are the fruits. Yet, they are treats at
a meal for those new to their textures, colors, and flavours.
Examples of these are: pejibaye (relative of the 
coconut,
with a taste that’s similar to a combination of chestnut
and pumpkin); palmito (heart of palm); aguacate (avocado, actually
a fruit but is used as a vegetable); chayote (waterpear); raíz
de chayote (root of the waterpear plant); ayote (squash); guineo
and platano (related to the family of the banana); yuca (yucca
of manioc); and camote (sweet potato).
Water
There is little concern
for the cleanliness and purity of your drinking water in San
José, major towns, or tourism complexes outside of the
Meseta Central. If in doubt, it is easy to come by bottled water
or just stick to pop, coffee, or beer. Soda Blanca is mineral
water.
Common Menu Terms
Al carbon……………....Charcoal
broiled
Asado……………….....Broiled
Batidos…………….......Milk shakes
Coctel……………….....Cocktail
En temporada ………..In season
Gaseosos……………..Soft drinks
Coteleta………………..Cutlet
Empanizado…………..Breaded
“Soda” is an unpretentious cafe
where a limited menu provides
inexpensive meals .
Menu Items
- Arreglados
- Sandwiches, usually made
of meat, on a tasty but greasy bun.
- Arroz con pollo -
Rice with chicken and vegetables.
- Cajeta de coco -
Delicious fudge made of coconut, tapa dulce, and orange
peel.
- Casados -
Includes gallo pinto, salad, meat /chicken /pork, and fried
plantains.
- Ceviche -
Marinated sea bass with cilantro, onion, and red pepper.
- Empanadas -
Corn turnovers filled with beans, cheese, or potatoes and
meat.
- Gallos -
Meat, beans, or cheese between two tortillas.
- Gallo pinto -
The national breakfast dish: rice and beans fried together
with spices.
- Tortilla de queso
- A large, thick tortilla with
cheese mixed into the dough.
- Tortilla -
Means the Costa Rican thin, small, corn tortilla.
- Patacones -
Fried, mashed plantains, served like french fries with meals.
- Picadillo -
Ground meat, potatoes and chayote fried together with spices.
- Sopa negra -
Soup made from bean gravy, with hard boiled egg and vegetables
added.
- Tamales -
Cornmeal usually stuffed with pork or chicken, wrapped in
banana leaves and boiled. A Christmas time tradition.
- Torta chilena -
A many-layered cake filled with dulce de leche.
- Tortas -
Sandwiches on a bread roll.
- Ensalada de palmito
- Salad with lightly pickled heart
of palm.
