La Alacena Escazú — Restaurant in San Rafael

Maybe we were there on an off night. I say that because we went with friends whose foodie opinion we trust and most of what we had was mediocre.

The aioli and bread are wonderful and set us up for great expectations.

We had four appetizers, the octopus which was perfectly cooked to be mouthwatering tender but was barely seasoned at all beyond paprika, the artichoke hearts which were also lackluster. The menu said grilled but there was little flavor beyond the can other than the ham bits.

The absolute standout were the oxtails which were served in a long simmered red wine sauce and were AMAZING. We then had the seafood paella for four which once again had very little flavor and way too much rice. We shared a piece of manchechego cheesecake which was brilliant and I tasted a friends chocolate cake, which was also very good.

The service and the Cava and Tempranillo we shared all were very good.

Overall, the meal was disappointing and expensive. With the outstanding ox tail tapa, the nice wines, the great service and the good desserts tell me that the restaurant can serve up a great meal. This...

La Alacena Escazú is a vibrant - cozy restaurant with an outstanding service, that offers an excellent selection of Spanish Wines, although you can also bring your own wine and pay the corkage fee. But provably the best thing about La Alacena Escazú is that offers authentic Spanish Cuisine, including classic tapas like “Gazpacho”, “Croquetas”, “Callos”, or “Chipirones”, as well as traditional main courses such as “Cochinillo” or “Chuletón”; or some innovations like the “Brownie de Rabo”, just to mention a few. Last but not least, the kitchen is led by Luis Alberdi, who is probably the best Spanish Chef residing in Costa Rica, nowdays. Totally...

Cute little Italian restaurant hidden in this little Plaza. The dishes looked small when they arrived but surprisingly very filling!! We had the vegetarian pizza that came with an abundance of olives if you're into olives! And the lasagna bolgnesa was just delicious!!! The tiramisu also hit the perfect dessert sweet spot afterwards as well! If you're craving for some Italian flavors, definitly check this...