Oh hello December 🥰. It is that time of the year where we all get to power down, indulge and spend time with our loved ones! How’s your December been so far Garmanvsfood family? Have you lot been good? made it on Santa’s good list? I know I have (mostly)😉! After a winter break with my people in Punta Cana, here I am in Costa Rica trying to get my pura vida experience and it has been delish! These guys take breakfast bowls to a whole new level!
Ouu the freshness of it all, and I am L O V I N G IT! Explored down town San Jose today and ended up in Isolina, a contemporary gastronomy restaurant serving up scrumptious food! With over 5 dishes in the small plates section, oh you know it went down! I had to apply my cardinal rule ‘if a menu has a selection of small plates from 5 or more, you try all or a selection 🤷♂️ because the chef stays ON IT! And boiiii! My theory remains correct because the food here was fire! Starting with the local charcuterie board & pickles which was not served on a board but a great selection of cold cut meats. Seasonal Burrata with jam (pleasant surprise) as never thought burrata with jam would work but it did, it absolutely did. The chicken and chips must have been the bougiest chicken ever! Stewed chicken thighs, squash cream and corn chips.. first off, when I saw the ‘stewed’ I assumed some kind of broth / stew? Well wrong ha! However, this chicken thigh been marinating in a sauce / stew for days because the flavour & aroma?
Phewwww! It was giving chef used all the seasonings .. ALL okay?! Then came the oyster mushrooms? One time for the mushrooms in these Costa Rica streets because they most certainly are different in colour, taste and texture from the ones I am used to and I am here for it. These oyster mushrooms were served with haricot cream and toasted kale. When the dish was presented I was like 🤔? Mushroom where? Because I don’t know about you lot, but the mushrooms be looking like crispy chicken skin
and I was not mad at all! It has got to be the crunchiest mushrooms I have ever had! Mushrooms, to me, probably one of the hardest things to get crispy but these guys got it down to a T! The seabass was pan fried with sake and yuzu reduction, apazote which was cauliflower rice cous cous and curry sauce on the side! The pork belly was equally amazing
Sampled 2 puddings. First was some sort of deconstructed mango, with sourdough bread, a scoop of ice cream. The second was a chocolate tartlet, salted caramel grenache, paired with ice wine… honestly, by this point I didn’t care because it was too GOODT😋!
Isolina, came for a drink and stayed for the amazing food! Thank you for the fantastic service as well as the fantastic playlist that had such good choones! Vibe is on 100!
Pura Vida
Ndidi
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