An Adventure in Costa Rica

Okay, so when I mention to people that I have to go to Costa Rica for work they think it comes along with a "wink, wink" and a "nudge nudge" kind of deal but it really doesn't.  Do I get to extend my trips by two to three days to enjoy it? Yes.  But most of the time we are getting stuff done and not for a normal work day of 8 hours but for 10 to 12 hours a day, we work hard and then we totally play hard.  Also, I didn't just luck into getting to do this project.  It took a lot of phone calls, emails, meetings and when finally in the country driving around like mad (which as you know is not hard for me), more meetings and lots of selling to get it pieced together.  We lucked out that we had a great supporter on our side pushing for it every minute and helping with the networking: my mom.  

But I digress (what else is new?), this last trip came with a bunch of stuff loaded into it.  First, we were busy for the past 4 months putting together a 9Health Fair which is a ton of work, coordination and logistics - then a team of 4 Costa Ricans came to observe and participate in the fair and not even 24hours after the fair was over a team of 5 of us plus a spouse made our way to the airport for a week at the XXV International Congress on Psychiatry to present - see why this is a crazy post?

After a long, long day of presenting the 4 women on the team (my friend K, la Jefa, Betsy and myself) decided to go out to dinner.  Betsy said that she found this place called Park Cafe in her library-owned Frommer's Guide that was right around the corner from the hotel, and the staff at the reception confirmed that it was really close by.

We had a hard time finding it had to finally stop and ask for directions, the answer we got was: "You see that house that you passed way over there on the other side of the street with an Antiques sign hanging out front? That's it." Huh? Yeah, the restaurant is housed in the middle of an Antiques store... so we walk back to the place and there are two men standing outside.  One dressed like a waiter looks very friendly, the other is wearing a winter jacket on a warm night with his hand stuck into it in a Napoleon Bonaparte-like stance, wonder what he is holding in that hand... but don't ask.  We ask the waiter guy if this is the restaurant and if we can come in, reservations you say? Nope, we don't have those.  So he asks us to wait for a minute while he checks.  

Out comes a dude dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, hair totally messed up and scruffy looking instead of the waiter - this is the chef and owner who starts rambling in a British accent about not having reservations and this is why all the restaurants in Costa Rica are going out of business and serving awful frozen food because no one makes reservations and if they do they don't keep them and he is waiting for a party of 16 people and they aren't here and he is hesitant to let us in but he will and we will just get the lovely food he has set aside to prepare for the large party that hasn't arrived on time (can we say "take it easy on the coke as in cocaine" class?)... and by this point the 4 of us are looking at each other like we really don't want to go in and yet WE FOLLOW HIM INTO THE RESTAURANT.

As he continues rambling, we walk past beautiful looking antiques to the center of the house where they have an inner courtyard with a water fountain and a few four-people tables.  We get seated in one corner of the courtyard, the chef gives us his suggestions for what to order and when the staff gives us our menus and leave for us to consider our options in whispers we start to discuss what the H we have gotten into and how we might be slightly terrified with what is going on but looking at the menu it all sounds so GOOD so we do the most logical thing: we order.  Two appetizers to share to start with and although we exercised restrain I think we would have all been more than happy to lick the plates clean: the food was phenomenal. 

We are feeling really happy with deliciousness in our bellies and the chef comes back to help clear the table (slight terror feeling coming back), we starting telling him how awesome the apps were and he's all: I'm not fishing for compliments, sorry about earlier I'm just a little stressed, more ramblings (Did he coke-it up some more?!? And did he maybe add something "extra" to our dishes?!?)... and off he goes back to the kitchen - phew!

Our main dishes arrive and are mostly wonderful (my duck was not the best ever but still good), this is turning into a total roller coaster of emotions, from happy/blissful to terrorized/worried and back to happy.  We discuss how it is quite possible that our food is spiked, that tomorrow we will wake up and this will have been a dream OR we will come by the restaurant and find that it's gone and was never here... can you tell we were a wee bit out of it?  And mind you, alcohol was not involved in this situation at all.

The dessert was a flight of the most flavorful things I have ever tasted, the souffle was nicknamed "chocolate flavored air that melts in your mouth", the pear tart was divine and the bread pudding was something that I could happily eat at every meal, every day of the week.

The quality of these pics is terrible since they were taken on my phone's camera - but you get the gist of it.

Ravioli of Crab with Curry Sauce and Spicy Mango Salad, Zucchini Tempura

Roasted Scallops wrapped in Prosciutto with Risotto of Wild Mushrooms and fresh Parmesan

Red Snapper on a bed of Asparagus served with Salmon Gnocchi 

After....

A Dessert Flight includes: Strawberry Shortcake, Bread Pudding and a Chocolate Souffle, not pictured: Passion Fruit Creme Brulee and the best Pear Tart in the world!

Yeah, it's not like we liked it or anything...

As we were taking off the chef asked: "are you sure you'll be okay and safe walking to the hotel"? We just ate at your restaurant sitting on the edge of our seats in apprehension, unease and alarm - yeah, I think we can handle the walk back to the hotel.  And the craziest part of all? I can't wait to go back...