Costa Rican cuisine — Pura Vida at the table. Gallo pinto, casado, olla de carne. Simple, fresh, ecological.
Gallo Pinto
Gallo pinto — national breakfast. Rice + black beans (San José) or red (Guanacaste) sautéed with onion + culantro coyote + Lizano sauce. Identity symbol.
Casado
Casado — typical lunch. Rice + beans + sweet plantain + salad + meat (chicken, beef, fish) + tortilla. Restaurant plato del día.
Olla de Carne
Olla de carne — national soup. Beef + potato + yuca + chayote + squash + plantain + carrot + corn. Sunday traditional family.
Tamales
Christmas tamal — corn dough + meat (pork, chicken) + potato + carrot + rice + olives + sweet pepper, wrapped in banana leaf. Christmas mandatory.
Picadillos
Picadillos — chopped vegetables with ground meat and spices (chayote, potato, arracache, green beans, squash, plantain). Accompany casado.
Sweets
Tres leches (Nicaragua-Costa Rica), rice pudding, queque seco, melcocha, chiverre (angel hair, Lent), torta chilena (mille-feuille).
Drinks
Costa Rican coffee — world top. Agua dulce (panela + water), agua de sapo (ginger + sugar + lime), fresco natural (juice). Imperial, Pilsen beer. Cacique guaro (sugar cane).