Soda Jaco Rustico

It was the best kind of discovery, the instinctual whim. Wandering down a side street less than a block from the beach we stopped at Jaco Rustico, a traditional soda that radiates with authenticity. It was well presented and clean but it felt worn in and deeply rooted. It felt real.

They serve the epitome of home cooked Costa Rican food. Choose what you want cafeteria style from options that change daily, the staff will serve you from behind a glass counter. Gallo Pinto or sometimes it is the rice and beans prepared separately, plus fried plantains, sweet and hot, almost caramelized, are a must. One day we get an expertly fried sea bass with crispy skin encasing mild, flaky flesh. Another afternoon provides roasted pork marinated in local flavors. There are fresh vegetables: tender carrots and green beans laced with strips of salty ham. A vibrant scoop of beet and potato salad. Another day, glorious tiny shelled mac-n-cheese!
If the Taco Bar was inexpensive, meals at this local soda were literally a steal. It cost $4 for a casado (translates loosely to a heaping plate of food) and $1 for a fresh Guanabana juice. Guanabana is my favorite!! Sometimes forgoing the research and discovering hidden gems like this laid back fresh-off-a-morning-surf-session locals spot is what it's all about. Jaco Rustico easily provided some of my favorite meals of the trip.