www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Price no object. Traditional food.

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MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Unless it's gone downhill recently, my pick would be Jurgen's. Good food, good service, rather pricey. L'ile de France is also pretty good for traditional French menu.
I alos like the place in Playa Herradura marina (El Galeon). I think that has some of the best food in CR.

Cerutti also gets some nods, particularly since Invernadero closed down. I'm not a huge fan.

The total package for me is the Montisore which is up on the side of a mountian where you can see the whole city. It is a half hour ride to get there though from the gulch.

Secound would be the French resturant next to the New York bar about 1/2 a block from the DR. I had veal there and it was great. And snails. CRT has a discount there now. It is between the Presedente and the DR. You have to show your card first before you order.

That is like asking what is the best restaurant in Manhattan. There simply is no correct answer as everyone, including restaurant reviewers, will have a different opinion.

The hills of Escazu are filled with mirador restaurants. Le Monastere is just one of them. I think La Luz in the Hotel Alta has better food. Good view but not as high up as Le Monastere. They recently added a chef who was driven out of New Orleans by Katrina and he has added some "big easy" influenced foods to the menu. Have not tried them yet but good reviews.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

2 of the best are mariscar and resteraunt wing on cheap and good also try CSI pick taco bell Happy New Year

For Spanish food,think the restaurant across from the Aparthotel in Sabana is excellent. I forget the name of the place,but Papichullo intrduced me to it. I always start with a Gazbacho that they spoon in the fresh vegetables.Next I like the white marinated cold asparagus. For a main course,their Paella with Mariscos is wonderful. The waiters are in tuxedos and serve quite nice. (but plan on spending some time) With a With a shared bottle of wine,dinner for two is around $60-70.

I believe that place is called La Masia and I believe it closed down not too long ago. It set the standard for Spanish food for the longest time.

I've always found Monastere overpriced and the food overrated. The view is great though. An alternative is to head down to their Cava for the grill menu. You still get a nice view and a simpler, carnivore friendly menu.

Speaking of expensive and good views. Capitol Grill up at the Whit House hotel has an awesome view and great steaks (menu is a replica of the legit Capital Grille). Be prepared for sticker shock, though, as the menu wasn't the only thing they copied. Prices are sky high.

Try Lenny Karpman's reviews as a place to start:

http://www.amcostarica.com/food.htm

Sadly Lenny Karpman will no longer be producing these restaurant reviews, I don't know why but they have dropped this feature.

From Dr. Lenny's column last week:



In plain language Dr. Lenny got canned. Thats how well his reviews were received by the readers of AM Costa Rica.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I didn't always agree with his reviews, but he definitely helped me try out some restaurants that would have gone unnoticed otherwise. I wonder what tack AM Costa Rica takes: fluffier food section or hard hitting. I do think there's a great space online for a good dining web site with more complete information.

I agree with DD that this is an impossible question to answer. For one thing, who here has eaten everywhere in is really in a postion to compare? For another, it really depends on your personal tastes. And finally, places come and go in terms of quality.

A great example of this last point is the place I believe Redman was referring - the Balcon D'Europa (or Balcon de Franco). In addition to a name change, it has undergone changes in chefs. When I last ate there a year ago (I believe before the current chef) it was actually one of the WORST meals I've ever had in CR.

Like Florida, I really like Mariscar, but as much because it is cheap as because of the food there. Since manifesto said that price was not a factor I'd honestly have to scratch that one from the list of possibilities too.

I haven't eaten at all the various mirador restaurants. At these places the views are as much if not more of the appeal than the food itself. I've also heard that the Monastere is very good but overpriced. Since price is not a consideration, that might qualify for manisfesto's quest but I personally would never plan to go there (I don't mind occasionally splurging on a meal but I still like to get my money's worth). Based on DD's recommendation I might have to give La Luz a try.

Like Postupright, I'm a big fan of Machu Pichu and think a good case could be made for that place even though it ALSO happens to be very reasonably priced. Interestingly, I don't know if he was canned or if so why, but Dr. Lenny's column on friday was actually on Machu Pichu. One thing he left out of his article was my favorite item on their menu - a desert called Suspira de Limena.

Not to far from there, just north of Sabana Park is the place VB mentioned. The full name is (or was) actually La Masia de Triquel. Now that is an upper class restaurant I HAVE eaten at and would include at or near the top of my list of "best restaurants I've tried costs aside". Too bad it closed if that's really the case.

A good point is to feel your chica out before dining. A lot of them don't have the palette (sic) for the better restaurants. So, sometimes you are spending the big bucks and they don't even like the food.

No mention is made if he is looking for a restaurant for a true novia or a working girl he calls his novia when in CR.

As Thirdworld correctly pointed out some of these girls are so unsophisticated that fancy restaurant with 5 star food and a mirador view of the valley is really a waste of time and money.

A pizza and giving them the cash you saved on the meal is their idea of a romantic dining experience.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

3rdW, you were right to sic yourself. It's palate. Palette is a range of colors. However, I think you were absolutely right about expensive food being a waste for some of these girls. Well, maybe not absolutely. I sometimes thinks its not how good the food tastes that matters to them as how much it represents you're spending on them, which is why so many of them are so quick to order things like the shrimp cocktail (hint: CR exports its best shrimp and that found in most local restaurants leaves much to be be desired).

I'm also not so sure about DD's interpretation that the mirador city view is also a waste of time and money. You don't really need any sophistication to appreciate the beauty of the city lights. BTW, there are somewhat less expensive miradors that cater more to local clientele than to the tourist crowd, including the Donde Alcides, just a little ways beyond the popular Ram Luna. If they don't appreciate the romantic city lights, its not from any lack of sophistication as much as a lack of romance. If they'd prefer simple pizza and a larger propina at the end of the night, or a quick dinner and hanging out with their amigas at the BM over shlepping up to Asserri or Santa Ana for a fancy meal and a romantic view, it is just the "working girl" part of their personality winning out over the "novia".