Refined Palate’s roving reporter from San Jose, Costa Rica.
The husband whose normal responsibilities within the Refined Palate organization are [1] drive [2] take photos, and [3] pay was in San Jose, Costa Rica this week.
Normally, there are very few meals of interest when John visits Costa Rica. The food is not bad, the value is generally good, but there are very few places he would take Liz or recommend to her readers.
For many years he has enjoyed Casa Luisa, a small, almost exclusively locals sophisticated restaurant in an old house. He found it several years ago through some web research. Meals there have been very good with great service and some unique dishes.
When John asked YoYo Fernandez, their travel coordinator in San Jose to make a reservation, she was unable to get an answer on the phone. Information and the web had nothing to contribute. What to do? Yoyo said, “let’s drive by, perhaps we can find out something”
We got lucky and met up with a security guard who told YoYo where they had moved to. He did not know that the name had changed also. Because Ms. Fernandez is a local she was able to figure out the address for our driver and we drove a few miles to check it out.
Maria Jose Guzman Mora who looks like a teenager, explained the situation that she and fiancé Francisco [not sure he is business partner] had a “situation” with the former owner. Obviously, things got a bit “nasty” and the former owner would not let Maria Jose keep the phone number or put a sign on the building directing people like us to the new location.
Maria Jose Guzman Mora
We made a reservation and asked for the mixed Paella for 8:30 that evening.
Menu – Estacion Atocha is the old commuter railroad station in Madrid
A wine deal, 2005 Marques de Caceres Rioja from Spain. Buy the 750 ml and get the 350 ml FREE. John brought the baby bottle home to share with Liz this week. Excellent and a good value at $ 44.00 (My editorial comment – at least I didn’t get a lousy T-shirt).
Appetizer–tomato spread and tuna spread… Roving reporter was slow so no photo. This was served as 2 pieces each for a party of 3…very simple and nice start
Mixed salad–huge, we all shared
Superb lentil soup with egg and croutons
Soup with the eggs and croutons added by the diner
Paella–mixed seafood, pork, chicken…done beautifully and quite a value at $ 26.00 for 2 — you must order 24 hours ahead.
Sea Bass for another guest
The result, a superb meal well served in a beautiful setting. A top recommendation for San Jose if you are in the neighborhood.
Refined Palate 