Costa Rica Cuisine

One of the very best things about traveling, is the idea of being able to indulge all your senses in the local flavors of food. There is no way to fully experience what Costa Rica is about until you venture out and with a brave heart try the food offerings.

So what kind of food do Costa Ricans eat? The traditional and most common food fare is Gallo Pinto or rice with beans ( some places prepare this with coconut milk and is delicious). It is combined with spices like coriander and sautéed with onions and served with eggs along side a beverage known as Agua Dolce (pure cane sugar and water). Another traditional dish is Casados. Served in one dish containing rice and beans, but includes meat such as pork or chicken, topped with fried plantains, and a cabbage-lettuce mix. Chorizo is a hot meal ticket, a Mexican type spicy sausage they combine with eggs and potatoes. Costa Ricans love to show off their local available flavors, such as mangos, plantains, papaya and yucca. If your brave in edibles, they also have a dish called Mondongo, also known as, beef stomach soup, or you can indulge your palette in something called Barbudos, a string bean omelet. They use a variety of local spices such as saffron and annatto, seasoning their dishes only mildly. Many Costa Rican restaurants have taken the traditional dishes and fused other influences into the menu. You will see dishes of French or African culture in a lot of meals. Where else can you find sweetened spaghetti squash as a dessert or a slice of French bread layered with jelly and cheese as breakfast ? Costa Ricans know how to take advantage of all the seafood available to them as well. For a fraction of a price of what you would pay for seafood anywhere else, Costa Rica is liberal in their seafood cuisine, offering up shrimp and tuna in a multiple of inexpensive, tasty dishes.

Learning about culture is an integral part of any vacation, especially if the culture is so unique from your own. If you launch out to check out the nightlife or local clubs, you can usually get what is called a ‘boca’. This is a small bite platter of edibles to go along with your drinks. Many of the boca’s served are mouth watering and a satisfying companion with your drink. Most commonly, Ceviche is the boca offered, but chicken and beans sometimes accompanies alcohol as well. And even turtle eggs, which is not advised due to poaching issues in Costa Rica. Alcoholic drinks are best bought as local beers, as mixed concoctions are said to get pricey. Also, it is encouraged to avoid the wines produced locally due to headaches and stomach upsets. Imported wines are expensive. For tasty non alcoholic drinks, pick a local known favorite, such as Horchata. Horchata is a cornmeal and cinnamon mix. Fresco de Frutas is as popular as it is tasty. It is a fruit topped kola diluted with water. And of course, coffee. Costa Rican coffee is typically brewed strong and served with warm milk.

Costa Rica offers so much in diverse cultural cuisine, that simply sticking with what you know becomes only a faint option. Explore all the different flavors in meals and beverages available to you while visiting Costa Rica.