Alimento - Food

 I've tried to include some food photos in the previous posts, but I wanted to isolate them, in case that's all you're really interested in. And it brings back wonderful memories. At both Tortuga and Monteverde they had 'regular' menus, but also plant based and vegetarian options, which I took total advantage of, liberally moving between menus as the mood took me.

A welcome drink - fresh coconut

My own chocolate bar, flavored with chili and vanilla. Really tasty

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I never knew I could enjoy fruit as much as I did this morning deliciousness - watermelon, bananas, pineapple, strawberries, mango and a little fruit I never could identify.

Avocado toast with eggs and Costa Rican cheese, Turrialba (it squeaked like Wisconsin cheese curds). 

Sorry, I took a bite of my fish tacos before I took the picture. The fish was so tender and wonderful. I have to mention that it was heavenly eating all of my meals outside. 

A refreshing pina smoothie

It's a little dark, but this was arroz con camarones, rice and shrimp.

I'm sure I sound like a weirdo, but this is the most beautiful yogurt and granola I have ever seen or eaten. A good option when I wanted to feel less guilty about my gluttony.

No, he wasn't on the menu, but he was just crawling around the restaurant. Nobody seemed to mind one bit.

Mini chicken sliders with some different chips. In my mind the chips seemed healthier than potato chips, and I'm sticking with that.

Tres leches cake, coconut-milk cake (at least I think it is). Tres leches may be my new favorite postre (dessert).

There is no filter on this, this was the color of the evening sky at dinner.

 This is the seafood soup, which was good, but I have not gotten used to eating octopus on such a big scale. It was tasty, but sadly, probably my least favorite meal.

This little delight is chocolate cake. How gorgeous is that? 

El Jardin has a regular menu and a plant based menu which satisfied all my taste cravings.

El Jardin pasta with mushrooms, asparagus and spinach

This is the mozzarella burrata with beetroot and balsamic. I actually ate the beets and enjoyed every last bite of the mozzarella. This was the night I ate dinner in the orchid room.

This delightful dish is the sea bass.

If my memory serves, this is the coffee flan. Just the right size.

Just look at that fruit. It was a breakfast appetizer. Honestly.

Salmon eggs Benedict, not a bad way to start the day.

A view of the dining area; I usually enjoyed the space by myself for breakfast and lunch, dinner was a little busier. I tried to snag tables by the windows.

A shrimp tostada. I don't even know how I ate that, but I remember that the shrimp was delicious.

This is handmade agnolotti filled with roasted pumpkin in a sage sauce. Simply decadent. And that crisp? That's parmesan. Mmmmm.

Lava cake. My mouth is watering and it's almost a month later.

Last breakfast in Monteverde starting out with some fruit.

I generally skipped toast while I was here because there was so much other food, I didn't need to fill up on bread, but I kind of thought it would be a while before my next meal in San Jose (I didn't realize HOW long). The marmalade was yummy as well. You might not be able to see, but in the background is fresh fruit juice and it was a combination of three or four juices. I was not sure what it would taste like, but it was really good.

Yogurt, granola and fruit (you don't know me, but generally I stay away from fruits and vegetables, so these are memories worth recording). 

This is my last supper in San Jose, arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) and fries. The perfect size to end the night.

I asked for a Bailey's and coffee, and I thought we had worked through the language barrier, but it wasn't quite what I expected; I prefer more coffee to Bailey's because I am a wimpy drinker. The glass was rimmed in coconut and topped with a marshmallow.

I needed my sweets and I had read a review of the churros. They were tasty, I probably only needed two. 

I have been asked more than once what my favorite meal was, and I have no answer. There were so many new foods and they were prepared so well, some complicated and some simple, but all delicious. I savored the fruits because they were so fresh; the shrimp were plump, and desserts made me so happy.

I pretty much stuck to the food prepared at the lodges because they were included with my stay and it was easier. Maybe next time I'll be a little braver and venture out. I did have empanadas at the airport if that gets me any credibility. 

I can't wait to return.