www.CostaRicaTicas.com

One problem that the traveler may encounter in San Jose is the apparent lack of late-night dining opportunities. Thanks to a tip from a local, we found Nuestra Tierra ("Our Land") on Av. 2 at Calle 15. Nuestra Tierra is open 24 hours and provides very decent, reasonably-priced "tipico" food.
Pros: Open 24 hours. Large, complete menu. Big portions. Really great service, considering the restaurant's size (large) and traffic flow.
Cons: Uncomfortable tables/benches (hard wood). High noise level at peak times. Street musicians/vendors.
Watch for the two elderly guys sharing one marimba just outside the front door, and the older gent in a threadbare suit with guitar wandering from table to table. The flower vendor, a young boy in a very neat suitcoat and tie was neither persistent nor invasive, however his roses at 1,000 colones each are quite expensive.
Our waiter, an expatriate Cuban trying to work his way to the united States spoke no English, but was solicitous and helpful. The price for a complete dinner for four was under U.S. $24.00, including a couple glasses of poor-quality red wine and better-than-average coffee. Try this one, if you find yourself hungry for something other than pink snapper at 3:00 a.m.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Enjoy your writting style. I believe you may be the example of "You do not need eyes to see" and how the sighted can be so blind....
Looking forward to your posts mi Amigo....

That is very close to an old seamen's hostel that a friend took me to after we had a few beers at the Beatle Bar (it's been a while). He said an old Swedish sea captain ran it about 10 years ago. At the time of our visit it was a bar that had rooms and ladies for about 7000 colones. I was not impressed.

I've avoided the general area for a while since I got mugged right down from the Bella Vista one Sunday afternoon, but the Turkish place on the corner of Avenida Central and Calle 21(?) and the Russo-Peruvian place at Avenida Central and Calle 19(?) were interesting. The cook at the latter was from Moscow, but had lived in Peru for a while, so she made Stroganoff and Anticuchos equally well. She was fun to talk to, since her Spanish was good, but still wasn't a first language, so she didn't talk too fast.

Note (12/5/04): Both restaurants mentioned above are now gone.

There is also a nice Tico bar with good bocas across from Bella Vista and about 70(?) M. east.

Nuestra Tierra is the location where the old Beatle Bar used to be at until it moved to Jaco. It is mostly a gringo place but the food is decent.

there is also Chelle's at Presidente down corner

Mente

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Tico and Panama, let me know if you need any help down here.
Panamaexplorers.com

Ohhh also I forgot about TIPICO COSTA RICA, all kind of tipical and non tipical foods, right next to Centro comercial del sur, 5 min drive form the Gulch

Mente

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Tico and Panama, let me know if you need any help down here.
Panamaexplorers.com