www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I just returned from CR and wanted to say that the new management of Las Palmas (formerly The Gardens) has really done a great job in cleaning up the place. The floors are clean, there are new cloth tablecloths on the tables, many new nice potted plants etc. The best part it that the staff are all thoroughly professional. That includes the chef, waiters and bartender at the back garden bar. I ate four meals there last week and all were superior. The ceviche was sublime, lomito, tender, shrimp in picante sauce etc, were all great. Las Palmas is trying to develope the place for upscale clients. In my judgement, they are on the right track. Give them a try.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Can you give us a general idea of their pricing?

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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 hope they do away with the "booth like" seating in the rear patio section.

I paid about $6 for a great ceviche lunch. Full dinners with salad, corvina or lomito ran about $20 in total ( including extra propina.) Lunches about $10-11 for entrees and a beverage and tip and tax.

Not cheap, but clearly superior in quality to the former Gardens.

Also, note, you could bring a nicely dressed chica there and be treated well, but they subtly discourage lone chicas from walking onto the back bar. As I mentioned, they are trying to upscale the place. I heard them tell one lone chica in Spanish at the bar that "This isn't the del Rey".....hint hint.

I watched them unload very very fresh seafood and fish on ice last Friday and it would be sushi grade in my humble opinion. For you Castillo fans, it is hard to beat.

_________________
Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

P.S. Live Oak ( who never posts ) told me that a lull breakfast of juice, coffee and great Eggs Benedict with all the fixins ran about $8 in total. That is certainly almost a full US price, but beats hard boiled eggs and gallo pinto at Castillo if that floats your boat.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

For some inexplicable reason desayuno has become outrageously overpriced in Costa Rica. A couple of us use to go out to breakfast every Saturday morning. When it started costing $10.00 at almost every place we switched to lunch. We find we get more food & better variety for about 60 - 70% of the price.

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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

So they are open for breakfast, that is wonderful and eggs benedict my favorite breakfast dish. I usually have to walk over to the sportman for an american style breakfast I sure wish some one would scan their menu with prices and post it for us.

I've always thought the Castillo should have a person cooking eggs in the morning for us ,just for even two hours. Nobody likes the hard boiled eggs and If I do'nt feel like walking some place I just have a couple of slices of toast. Got real tired of that. For what they pay those employees, two hours to cook some eggs and potatoes for guests would be a big draw.

Does anybody know what happened to Tom, the previous owner ( gardens )?

Yeah....I'd be curious as to what has become of Tom as well. He came to Costa Rica from Wisconsin......had a greenhouse business there. When I was in Costa Rica this past July, Tom told me that he may need surgery for his eye that was injured when he got mugged by the Colombianos.

Zebra

I asked several people what happened to Tom (including Elena the former colombiana bartender). Nobody knew. Too bad, I brought down a small bqg of dog bisquits foor Tom's dog Charlie.
Sweet pup.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Yes, the breakfast was a welcome change. Good omlets, Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros, and your basic American style breakfast. Prices in the 3000 to 3300 colones range. Restaurant opens at 7:30, which allows time for a cup of coffee in the back area. Xavier is the manager and service is good.

Lunch and dinner were equally good.

Xavier, formerly of Dos Gringos fame, is a good guy. I think if anybody can make the place work....it's him.

Now, if he can only get the gorgeous Hazel to work for him at Las Palmas. Hazel worked with Xavier at Dos Gringos......beautiful girl; U.S. model material, in my opinion.

Holy cow Live Oak, you finally made a post! Stay in touch
Bud, If I get to to your part of the country, I'll look you up.

Regards EV

PS Boy I'd sure love to work my way down the new Las Palmas menu, cause that would mean that I was in CR and not at home.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Zebra, is Xavier the older waiter with the moustache? If so, he is a class act!

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

El,

The last time I had seen Xavier, was shortly after Tom had taken over the Gardens. Xavier was working for Tom as the bar/restaurant manager, and I thought, doing a good job. Apparently, Tom and Xavier must have had a "falling out" of sorts, and Xavier left.

To answer your question, it's been awhile since I've seen Xavier, but I don't recall him ever having a moustache. Also, I can't imagine Xavier working as a waiter......he's the type that would delegate those jobs, while he devotes his time to managerial duties and being a great host.

From what I remember, Xavier is of medium height, stocky, short black hair, usually with a friendly smile on his face.

Zebra