www.CostaRicaTicas.com

It wasn't too expensive. Last time I went, I took my girlfriend and another couple. Me and him both had steaks, the girls had pasta and a veggie platter, and we all shared a bottle of wine, and the total came to right at $100. Very good restaurant, nice ambience, good service. Dimly light, a very romantic place. If only it was located up on a hill or in the mountains, to provide a beautiful view, it would be the perfect restaurant.

Andrea at Zona Blue, haven't tried it yet, but everone says she's tender and tasty!

Nuestra Tierra, Avenida 2 is great and open 24/7

I like Nuestra Tierra as well....though I think some here will disagree. I always get the chuarro [sp?] steak. It comes with a baked potato and steamed vegetables. It's a large sirloin. It has always been very tender and tasty when I've gotten it. During a one month stay in San Jose, I will eat there and get this steak about once a week. The bill comes to about $20 [including a small tip, over and above that included in the bill ].

Zebra

I enjoy Esquina de Buenos Aires (I walk there after a session at
Bar Idem, in the same neighborhood).

They have various cuts of beef, but I go for the churrasco, which is
a skirt steak with ultimate beef flavor. I douse it with the chimichurri
sauce.

USDA tenderloins and porterhouses at U. S. steakhouses are luxurious
and approach foie gras in texture and butteriness. They are delicious, I agree.
But an honest churrasco has more deep beefy flavor than the loins of the
fatted steers, IMHO. OK, you have to chew a little on skirt steak, but that
can be half the fun.

La Esquina will give you a discount for the CRT card, the last I checked.

_________________
Same river, new water

Toledoguy

I have walked by Esquina de Buenos Aires and it looks nice. How is the service? What are the prices like for a NY strip steak or something similar?

I can answer one of two, with confidence. The service is the best I
have received in Costa Rica. Service is prompt. Helpful suggestions
are made. The place just has a feel of being organized. The same
fellow always serves me -- sorry, I can't remember his name. He
is about 35 with just a little pot belly from all the good food and
a receding hairline. His father works the cash register only (his father is a
grumpy old guy -- but he does not get in the way).

I can't remember their prices. But I can tell you that their prices
are in the same league as Balcon de Europa and Macchu Picchu.
OK, I will guess that steak is about 6500 colones -- just a guess.

_________________
Same river, new water

I had heard that the father passed away a year or so ago. Maybe someone can confirm this.

Yes, I have to agree that Esquina de Buenos Aires is very good....food, service, atmosphere, etc. They have a steak called Vasso [sp?]...strips of very tender and tasty beef. It's my favorite.

If you like spaghetti....it is very good here as well. Just about anything you order, you will be pleased with.

Zebra

Zebra,
I can confirm that the father did die. When I was there in December, I asked the waiter where the old man was and I got a prompt one word reply..............."muerto".

I think Esquina is the best restaurant in/around the Gulch. Not cheap but not overly expensive, great service, great food and you can get Stella Artois there. The vacio (house steak specialty) is highly regarded by all those I know who have had it.

I will continue to eat there each trip.

Lanrac2......Hey amigo, we'll try some of that vacio in July. ....Zebra

Zebra......I look forward to it.

Yep, the old man died last year. The right spelling is vacio, from vaca, or cow.

Esquina de Argentina

Did they changed their name? It always was Esquina de Buenos Aires...

Esquina de Buenos Aires....you are correct sir! My bad.....NEVER had a bad meal there!