One of the tour guides on the day trips I took made much about the quality of Costa Rican beef. At the end of the day I asked him (I know, wrong person to ask) where he'd recommend I go to have a good steak. He told me I should go to "The Wooden Kitchen" (La Cocina Lena, en espanol, I think) in an area called "El Pueblo." Maybe I was just really tired, but it didn't occur to me that this very helpful and knowledgable Tico, even if he was a tour guide, would send me to a gringo tourist trap area, which is what El Pueblo turned out to be. Anyway, I jumped in a taxi and headed for the place.
Entering the dark restaurant, I was greeted by the maitre d, who was very old world and was also just very old. He reminded me of a Costa Rican Vincent Price. I considered asking for a table next to the dungeon.
Anyway, I sat down, noticing the place was full of just the kind of gringos I thought I'd left back in Norte America. The prices were gringo prices, too, although not bad by U.S. standards. I think I got out for less than $20 for a steak and a beer. The steak, in any event, was really excellent, as was the service.
The rest of El Pueblo consisted of shops selling tourist trinkets and a couple of really lame looking disco-type joints. There were a couple of cheap Tico fast food places, too, but they didn't look very good.
When I tried to get a taxi to leave, I had a hard time finding a driver to take me to Sportsmen's, because as Sportsmen's is new, they didn't know it, and would not accept "Calle 13 y Avenida 9." Basically, as soon as they realized I could speak a little Spanish and/or that I wanted to go to a place they didn't know, they became assholes. Very odd. I guess they prefer clueless tourists who pay big bucks for a ride to the Holliday Inn. Finally, I found one old codger who would take me - for 4K Colones. What a pisser.
I'll bet I would have had just as good a steak right there at Sportsmen's or at one of the other recommended places in this section - saved some hassle, too. Live and learn, no?
Yeah right and let you have all the fun. I have never eaten there. But what energy. The place rocks.
. Our cab from El Publo to Hotel Don Carlos last September was around c. 1100. i think we argued the guy down to a red bill and then tipped him the c. 100, much to his amusement. You were taken for a ride, sir.