www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just finished my meal at La Estancia de Argentina, which is located around the corner from NF Well, if you can't find it, good. You are not missing anything.
Where to begin?....
1. I was expecting to have some bread to munch on before my steak. Instead of bread, they provided some sort of fried thingy, sort of like the crab rangoon commonly found at in cheap Chinese restaurants the US Midwest, without the cheese.

2. The chinchulin I ordered was very very greasy. Looked like it's deep fried. I asked for it to be grilled further.

3. The baked (grilled) potato that came with my steak was very under cooked. I could hardly sink my fork into it. I showed it to the waiter and he understandingly took it back. 5 min later, it cam back but appeared to have shrunk 25% because they put it in the microwave as a solution. :-O

4. My medium steak was completely cooked. Somewhat resemble a beef jerky. But at this point I didn't bother to say a thing any more.

For shits and giggles, there were a few things showing how this place might need lots of luck to keep it running:
- There were no napkins available on the table.
- I asked for tooth pick, they don't have them in the restaurant.
- The place is about 30' x 15', probably can seat 40 person at best, but they have 3 waiters, each man about 1 to 2 tables.

And believe it or not, they also have a "Punto de reunion" (meeting point) at the establishment. I presume it's either a result of building regulation, or over optimism.

Enter at your own risk. Just thought I shall warn my CRT brothers here.

I had a very similar experience. The steak could have been used as a puck in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I seriously don't know Why they stay in business.

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" Omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition."

yeah, their steak should be placed in the gum ball machine together with jaw-breakers.

The best steak place downtown and most of Central Valley for that matter , is Esquina de buenos aires , it's over by Tin Ho , about a 2-3 dollar taxi ride from any downtown hotel. Great food and service. All the waiters are good my favorite is Walter , good English and friendly , he makes great food even a better experience !!


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La Esquina de Buenos Aires indeed, best steak in town, or this part of the earth!

I suggest vetting these places on trip-advisor. It's not foolproof, but in this case La Esquina de Buenos Aires is 4.5 stars and la estancia is 3.5. Also, La Estancia de BA is kind of a clumsy name that they are using to attract people who confuse it with La Esquina. There are no estancias (ranches) in Buenos Aires (it's a metropolitan city!). But there are plenty of esquinas (corners). They are just playing off the name of a better, more well known restaurant.

And! La Esquina de BA is excellent.

this must be Miamihellers favorite spot

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

I suspect the OP has the name wrong and is talking about La Esquina de Buenas Aires

No matter, Donde Carlos is better IMO - and a short cab ride away located in Los Yoses - have eaten at both - and while La Esquina is not bad <and has location on its side - you can walk from most places in the Gulch> DC is better - and a CRT sponsor.

I don't want to open this can of worms again, but good steak - like at a Mortons, Capital Grill, etc - is difficult to find in Costa Rica. And what steak houses they have are not inexpensive - I mostly stick to chicken, pork <actually very good> or fish in CR.

Scuba, it IS two different restaurants! One is located not far from New Fantasy-la ESTANCIA de Argentina-and is not good!! The other is La ESQUINA DE Buenos Aires and is located next to the back of the Soladad church in Barrio Chino!! OH, and is much better!!!

I agree Don Carlos is very good and another that gets little talk here is Fogo Brazil, about 1/2 block east of the northeast corner of Sabana Park.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

No, scuba, I did not mix them up.
The bad one is la Esatacia Argentina. It is a wannabe Argentinian restaurant. Its name shall not be brought in the same sentence with any reputable restaurants.

And the location of this joint is 50m west of new Fantacy, 50m south. Building look nice, but that's about it.

Thanks guys - looks like another one I need to avoid

I was wrong in my first paragraph, but I'll stand behind my comments in the next two!

(The ironic thing is I was at a Superbowl party - in Jaco, a few months ago - and the host got the meat from Don Fernando - and it was excellent - so good beef actually exists in Costa Rica, but the majority of places don't have it).

Came across this restaurant notice by accident. It's in a hotel in Escazu: http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Re ... _Jose.html

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED