Guest Hook Travel Guides Costa Rica's Southern Zone | Page 6

3 FOODIE EXPERIENCES NOT TO MISS... 1 Exotica Restaurant... 2 Citrus Restaurant... 3 Ylang Ylang Restaurant... Exotica Restaurant: A culinary experience not to be missed is dinner at Exotica Restaurant. Hidden in the village of Ojochal, down a jungle road, we highly recommend this fabulous restaurant that serves a fusion of international fare with a French accent. This is a 5-star foodie experience to please even the most discerning of world travelers. This is one of the best culinary experiences I have had in Costa Rica and abroad. The ambiance is magical and you will be enchanted by Lucy, your very gracious hostess. Be sure to make reservations in the high season. It is a small restaurant and fills up quickly. Another hidden jewel in Southern Pacific Costa Rica, Citrus Restaurant is tucked away off the road in Ojochal on a river bank. This sophisticated restaurant is immediately inviting, with its upscale decor and garden patio with twinkling lights in the trees by the river. A diverse menu of Mediterranean Fusion cuisine with Moroccan inspired dishes is all tempting. Marcella and Sylvain are wonderful hosts with very friendly and attentive staff. While not the least expensive, it is worth it. You will not be disappointed! Yet another hidden gem in the southern zone of Costa Rica, Ylang Ylang Restaurant is perched on a ridge above the Pacific Ocean. This small exquisite open air restaurant offers a lovely ocean view. It is worth going early to watch the sunset from this vantage point. This intimate setting is a remarkable place to experience authentic Indonesian cuisine. Our guests have said it is the best Indonesian food they have eaten outside of Indonesia. If you have never had Indonesian food you are in store for a unique and spicy experience prepared by a talented chief Caroline, who was born in Jakarta. Ellen's Best of the Rest The Best Shrimp Ceviche... Croissants For Breakfast... Beach Club Sunday Brunch... For a tropical delicacy, fabulous fish marinated in lime juice, stop at Ceviche Piñuela, a roadside restaurant run by a local Tico family, located north of Ojochal near the entrance to Playa Piñuela on the coastal highway. The shrimp ceviche is the best I've ever had! A very authentic French bakery just inside the highway entrance to Ojochal owned by Philippe and Mireille from Southern France, offers excellent pastries, sandwiches and bread plus a nice bistro atmosphere in which to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and fresh baked croissant. Restaurant Villa Leonor at Ballena Beach Club offers a Sunday BBQ brunch that draws both locals and visitors. The owner Cliff makes you feel right at home. I recommend you combine brunch there any day of the week with a trip to their beach. The food is excellent, try the ribs or the fresh seafood!