www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hello Folks

Moving along quickly on the Hotel Catillo and Restaurant. We are going to have the all inclusive model as well at the Castillo with the ability to move between the two restaurants/bars regardless of which hotel you are staying.

We are considering an Asian Fusion/Sushi bar at the Castillo and are looking for feedback. We are looking to provide upscale food/drinks that are not already represented in the area. Please let us know what you think.

And since i know everyone is going to ask, The rooms are finished and starting to be furnished at the end of September, the bar restaurant structure is built, finish work will start at the end of this month. Still not sure on an opening date - depends on final inspections but will keep people posted. We invite everyone to call Darren or Don for a tour when in town.

Regards
Matt

I love sushi but I am very picky on it. I am a nigiri and shashimi person and do not care for the sauces (only exception is on the upsidedown shrimp), so there is no hiding bad fish for me. I have been to a couple of sushi places in Costa Rica and have not been impressed. Whatever you do I will check it out though.

Is there really a demand for upscale Asian fusion cuisine and drinks in the gulch? I would lean towards more of a pub-type establishment with a variety of beer, nothing-too-exotic drinks, and good pub food. Opening up the bar area, making the bar larger, and building a lounge adjacent to the bar are some of my thoughts. Configure the old dining areas to accommodate both inside and outside dining. Revamp the outside bar area, and maybe put in a pizza oven or sandwich bar there.

Good luck, Matt. I know whatever you decide, you will make it a success.

Anything but Asian/Sushi would interest me. Gourmet burgers and Pizza. Not like the crap they serve at Taormina! Micro Brewery type food with microbrew beer on tap.

Martini Bar and small batch Single Malt Scotch for the Snobby Mongers

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

First, let me say that I hope everybody appreciates the fact that Matt is asking opinions from this board. That tells me that he wants to built something that will appeal to the members here.

I don't have any suggestions for the overall restaurant theme. I will generally try anything, especially if I know the food quality and service is good. Since there is a bar and there will be people coming in just to have a drink and maybe a quick bite, every bar needs to have a quality burger, nice 6-8 oz size and good quality beef (that may be tough in CR), on a large hamburger bun. Other ideas: Philly cheesesteak, pulled pork sandiwch, hot roast beef sandwich, pizza.

The reason that some other things are not available in the gulch is because possibly there is little demand for it or it may be too difficult/costly to source raw ingredients to make the food.

Good luck.

How about using all that delicious seafood down there in Paella, Scampi, Thai, and Peruvian seafood dishes?

Someone who will pay well for sushi will demand GOOD sushi.

It is easy to mess up - surprisingly. I would not hang your hat on it as the mainstay. A good variety of foods with sushi included is fine. Establish it as a hit and move from there.

With a name like that, I'm thinking this guy knows a thing or two about Sushi. Personally, I know nothing about eating raw fish/seafood. No pun intended.

But, In all seriousness, I don't know how a Sushi place would go over in the Gulch. Welcome to the board gf!

Forget about the specialty foods, Shrimp, sushi etc...

When on vacation I just want good comfort food to get me through the trip and I can get specialty stuff when I get home like the very best tex-mex back in Texas.

When in SJ I search for quality pasta, ( fettucini alfredo or with meat sauce, usually sportsman, the pasta w/ meat sauce at the Amistad is to die for...Outstanding). Fried Chicken ( usually KFC). Pizza, ( the street below HDR ) Burger (Del Rey Cheese Burger). Good Chili ( PaPi's) rest in peace. Hotdog. Good Club Sandwich made to order, ham and cheese etc. ( usually Subway). A good beef and chicken fried rice would be nice to have in the gulch. (high quality rice is needed, I make the best, this side and the other side of Laredo ).

Meatball sub, Philly cheese steak. etc... Do all of these well and I'll have all of my meals there

Just think good Humpin food ... P.S. Please post Don's personal phone number for the tours, the chica's all want to know (nevermind I forgot, they already have it.)

Complementary Boca's at El Rancho.. (small bowl of salted nuts like they serve at the bar in Mexico.)

Just my thoughts....

Lot's of good ideas. Not sure the gulch needs more bar n' grill food, but I guess if that's what sells.

A tapas place would be really cool. Not sure if there's anything quite like that nearby.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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how about a large lawn in the bar area
when the old codgers get pissed about the crowd
matt gets to decide who gets to turn on the hose

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

How about a restaurant featuring Costa Rican cuisine and other Latin dishes.

Whatever you do please make sure the service is on point. SL food is good but the servers and bartenders are the best around. That is why I keep going back. The teamwork and comradarie are great.

Sorry for all of the recent posts from the new guy, but I just found out this board existed yesterday. I've been coming to CR for 15 years and have lived here for 5 years. I'm a retired airline pilot and semi-retired travel geek. I monger on occasion, but I got most of that out of my system a few years ago. I don't get downtown very often but I always enjoy my time there. I usually drop by the SL for a pint or two, then bar-hop my way down Avenida Central. My only real hangout place downtown was Zona Blue, when Eddie was running the place, and a short while while Boyd was there. I don't really know anyone else in the gulch. End of resume.

Personally, I like the idea of a sushi bar/asian food joint in the downtown area. But the reality is that would probably turn the Castillo into a non-monger location if the restaurant/bar is successful with that theme. The monger crowd is just not a sushi crowd, at least not with the numbers needed to keep the place hoppin'. Personally, I'd love a good sushi joint, and I don't really care about the monger aspect. People could still stay at Castillo, but they'd probably have to go out to find girls, and they'd probably get a few strange looks from the other customers at the bar.

In my opinion, the gulch doesn't need another place serving bar food or típico, either. The crowd can easily find a burger or quesadilla at Chubbs, SL, or any of a dozen other places within walking distance of the Del Rey. Here's my idea: A pizza joint. A real pizza place, like New York style, by the slice or by the whole pie. The cuisine fits in with the monger/sports bar crowd. People who are ready to party tend to drink beer and eat pizza, not shoot sake with their nigiri. As much as I would personally love a sushi place, I'd love a good pizza place, too, and I think it would fit the clientele better.

I see pizza posted multiple times. I have posted in the past that Amistad can make the best pizza. Matt's chef has a great recipe. I might suggest Matt do a survey poll on the board. Then he woulnt have to read all the extra comments.