Vern.

Foodie Report

Restaurante Caracolas, Mal País, Costa Rica

Food lovers are constantly searching for that hidden gem; that out-of-the-way establishment that is as much a delight to find as it is a pleasure to dine.  We stumbled across one of those nuggets today, in the tiny hamlet of Mal País on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula.

Restaurante Caracolas is a small, eclectic collection of seaside tables sheltered by palm trees.   All are located a few feet from the beach and provide diners with a spectacular view of the Pacific.  

I started out with the “Superceviche”.  Ceviche is a popular appetizer throughout Costa Rica and I had sampled a number of reasonable versions over the past weeks.   Caracolas’ superceviche surpasses them all.  The chef’s succulent blend of lime, olive oil, chives, tomato and spices is mouth watering.  The dish is uniquely presented as a seafood tower, accompanied by fried plantain.  This is nice touch considering ceviche is normally served with tortilla chips or plain bread.

The unexpectedly generous portion of appetizer had me worried about personal capacity for my next course.   However, the description of the “Pollo Barrigon” had grabbed my attention from the get-go, and I was not about to surrender:  “chicken fillet stuffed with gouda cheese, basil & apple with mushroom sauce”.   

The chicken was cooked to perfection.  The gouda combined beautifully with the apple, lending both a creaminess and sweetness to the dish, while the mushroom and basil provided the perfect balance of savoury seasoning.

In spite of the inauspicious name Mal País (literally “bad country”), if you ever find yourself within a half-day’s drive of the place it’s worth the trip to Restaurante Caracolas.