Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
Last week I wrote about all the amazing exotic fruits I tried on my recent trip to Costa Rica. But, of course, that is not all I ate.
Most of my favorite meals were at local restaurants (known as sodas) where we had classic Costa Rican home cooked meals. Lots of rice, beans, and grilled meats.
But we also took ourselves out to a nice dinner or two. The cuisine in Costa Rica is evolving and many fine dining chefs are using local ingredients and traditional dishes to create an elevated meal.
Even though most bloggers and guide books recommend it, I initially wrote off Don Rufino in La Fortuna as a high-priced tourist destination. But when we looked a little closer at the menu, it sounded quite innovative but still rooted in tradition – similar to many restaurants we visited in Lima, Peru.
And it was one of the best meals we had on our trip.
My absolute favorite dish tasted like a home cooked grandma style slow cooked chicken, but with bold flavors taken to another level. My grandmother certainly didn’t have this level of seasoning.
In fact, the Pollo al Horno (or Roasted Chicken) is listed on the menu as being in the style of grandma. Wish my grandma made food this good.
An entire half chicken is rubbed with earthy spices along with coffee, chocolate, and tarragon. Then it is wrapped in a banana leaf so it steams as it roasts and every morsel of meat becomes full of its own flavor
A honey BBQ glaze brings a nice level of sweetness that is irresistible. Similar to Mexican molé and other Latin American roast chicken dishes, these flavors are both familiar and surprising all at once.
And the flavors of both local chocolate and coffee (two of the most delicious products from Costa Rica) actually make their way into the chicken and linger there like a dream.
Since there was so much food here, I had some leftovers and we brought it back to our hotel room. I was sure to gobble up every last bit the next day and I practically skipped lunch, which is something I never do on vacation. It was that good!! Price: ¢11 500 (about $18)
| DON RUFINO |
| 142 94, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica +506 2479 9997 |
| donrufino.comr |
