www.CostaRicaTicas.com

On another thread we are debating whether or not the SL has good food or not. Rather than continuning to bash the SL food let me pose another question. Assuming you were going to spend up to $10 for lunch , and you were going to eat in the gulch, where would you eat and why?

My top three choices would be El Patio at Bal Moral because they have a large selection and food is priced modestly. HLH because they have good sandwhiches at a reasonable price. Del Mar food is pretty good and I like the location.

Go to the central market....roam around......find the longest line of Ticos......sit down at that soda and order two meals.

the little Columbian soda just down the street from the SL, two blocks from El Parque Morazon on the way to HLH. Excellent comida tipica de Columbia

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no mas leche

I definitely second the HLH. I found their sandwiches to be way above average!!

Staratio, are you talking about a couple of doors down from Bar Poas? I walk by there when I am coming back from the bus and there are two little places that look good. Another close spot is Soda Peru, and I can't believe I haven't made it over there in all the time I've been living in the neighborhood. I'm eating very healthy now, so I do a lot of meals at home. When I don't have anything around the house I eat 3-4 times a week at SL. I pretty much go back and forth between the casado and the sopa de mariscos. Too many little hole in the walls around the gulch to remember them all.

My favorite lunch spots in the gulch are: Soda Peru, Bar Poas, Criollos (great breakfast, too) & Chelles. Outside the gulch, the lower level of Mercado Central has some good little sodas.

The Peruvian restaurant on the opposite end of HLH. Best calamari and ceviche

Tico casados (platters) are usually pretty big. Why do you need 2?

+1.. especially lunch at Soda Peru.. and breakfast at Criolittas

i gotta say the hamburgers at ricks cafe have been the best ive had down there. i also enjoy the seabass in white wine sauce with shrimp at ricks

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You do costa rica your way and I'll do it my way

+ 1

Don't know if I agree with ordering two meals, but I love going to this place. El Silencioso introduced me to Mercado Central about 3 years ago, and since then I try to go there for lunch at least once per trip. Some of the little food places in there are phenomenal, and you can usually walk out of there with a full belly for around $5 or $6 bucks, sometimes less! Lots of hidden gems in there!

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Lower level? I have to admit I got lost in the maze but is there a "basement" or 2nd floor that I completely missed? I only walked around the street level.

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I aim to misbehave. -Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

LOL. It is a maze. The market's foundation is more like a terrace. So, make like a drop of water, and seek the lowest level.

The question was where was the best place to get lunch for ten dollars......you can get two lunches for ten bucks at many of the sodas in the Mercado. No way could I eat two of them. They do pile it high and the hot relish stuff is awesome.

Just checked my pics.....Its Soda Tala in the Mercado....