Restaurants
Antojitos Cancun , in the Centro Comercial Cocori, 50m west of the Fuente de la Hispanidad roundabout, Los Yoses. Cheap, filling, Mexican food, not wholly authentic, but good for late-night snacks and cheap all-you-can-eat buffets. There's also draught beer and an outside terrace where you can sit and watch the 4WDs whizz round the fountain, plus live Mariachi on Fri and Sat from 10pm. Daily 11am-midnight. Balcon de Europa , C 9, Av 0/1 (tel 221-4841). City landmark: the food, largely pasta and Italian staples, is nothing special, but the atmosphere is great. Sepia photos of the early days line the wood-panelled wall, along with annoying snippets of "wisdom". Monster cheeses dominate the dining room, as does the game strummer who serenades each table. Closed Sat. Cafe Mundo , Av 9, C 15, Barrio Otoya. The best food in San Jose, served amidst beautiful decor and a relaxed European atmosphere. The subtle and delicately cooked food is Italian influenced, and includes a variety of pasta dishes - the fetuccini with camarones (US$14) is good - as well as great puddings. The Caesar (US$4) and nicoise (US$8) salads are large but a bit overpriced - if you're on a budget, go for the pizza, or just come for a cappuccino (US$2). At night the bar attracts a largely gay clientele. Closed Sat & Sun. Cocina de Lena , Centro Comercial El Pueblo (tel 255-1360). Tipico food, superbly prepared and served in rustic surroundings with big wooden tables, gingham tablecloths and menus on paper bags. Most meals are cooked in a wood oven - the succulent chicken dishes are recommended. Good for a quiet, upmarket night out. Dinner for two costs around US$35. Grano d'Oro , Casa 251, C 3, Av 2/4 (tel 253-3322). Upmarket restaurant with beautifully spare decor and a changing menu. Breakfast (from 6am) includes fresh fruit, eggs benedict and banana macadamia pancakes. Soups are excellent - try the classic black bean or corn chowder. Among the main courses, the beef is consistently delicious, as is white sea bass breaded with toasted macadamia nuts. Amazing desserts, including tiramisu and strawberry cream cheese. Book ahead and bring plenty of funds. Il Pomodoro , San Pedro, 150m east of the entrance to UCR. One of the best pizza places in the city, with large pizzas - including a great vegetarian special - and cheap draught beer served in mugs and pitchers in a large and cheerful restaurant popular with the university crowd. Around US$18 for two. Machu Picchu , C 32, Av 1 (tel 222-7384). A consistent San Jose favourite, and the only truly South American place in town (the velvet llamas on the walls help) - though the appetizers, including ceviche and Peruvian bocas , tend to be more interesting than the main dishes. Count on around US$30 for two with beer or wine. Closed Sun. Marisqueria La Princesa , north side of Parque la Sabana. One of San Jose's best restaurants, though it doesn't look much from the outside, with very cheap seafood - the shrimps with garlic ( camarones con ajillo ) are about half the price you'll find elsewhere. Mazorca , 200m east and 100m north of San Pedro church. Macrobiotic restaurant just east of the entrance to UCR with homely, simple decor and menu (lunch is US$5; takeaways are also available). The tasty bread, soups, peanut-butter sandwiches and macrobiotic cakes make a welcome change from greasy arroz con pollo . Closed Sun. Tin-Jo , C 11, Av 6/8 (tel 221-7605). Quiet, popular and fairly formal Chinese-Thai place - the lemongrass soup, bean-thread salad in lime juice and coconut milk curries are particularly good. Dinner with wine is around US$40 for two; skip the alcohol, or go for lunch, and you'll get away with half that.
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