No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveHealthy stuff also delectable at Alquimia

Healthy stuff also delectable at Alquimia

From the print edition

In our increasingly urbanized surroundings, it makes a pleasant change to find somewhere to eat out with views over fields and trees instead of busy roads or shopping mall parking lots. Alquimia is a modest little restaurant tucked away off the road from Santa Ana to Lindora, west of San José.

It’s an oasis away from city bustle and noise, and its theme is an eclectic mix of healthful dishes emphasizing locally sourced produce where possible. Not quite vegetarian, it offers some chicken and fish plates, but no red meats, pork or shellfish. Eight wooden tables are arranged with colorful cloths on two levels of the open-sided dining terrace, with comfortable upholstered seating and a couple more outside tables set by the glass-fronted entry.

Alquimia 2

Causa limeña with fish filling.


Vicky Longland

A first visit coincided with one of Alquimia’s all-you-can-eat sushi deals (Sun., noon-3 p.m., Sat. and Wed. 7-10 p.m.). The  ₡8,500 ($17) menu includes miso soup, salad and a constant supply of sushi rolls.

These are combined with traditional rolls such as California and salmon skin, but there are also some interesting twists using trout, fruit, cream cheese, heart of palm, cucumber and crispy yucca. Instead of imported sushi vinegar, the rice is flavored with local banana vinegar. 

Tico chef and owner Julio Alpizar is adamant about a 0 km-approach for his supplies in Alquimia. He studied cooking near Parma, Italy, where the trend is to support regional foods and neighborhood farmers instead of imported goods from thousands of kilometers away. “Our chicken dishes use free-range hens from next door, so it doesn’t come much closer than that,” Alpizar explains with a smile. 

During my second visit, our group went for the exotic juices of ginger, orange and honey. The Chlorophyll (₡1,100/$2.20), with its orange, basil and honey, was particularly refreshing. Alquimia has no liquor license but is happy to open your bottle of wine or beer at no extra charge.

For appetizers, we selected causa limeña with tilapia and onion-stuffed mashed potato, accompanied with a tangy orange sauce (₡1,800/$3.60), a mound of crispy battered tempura vegetables over fried rice noodles with dipping sauce (₡2,600/$5.20), and a rich creamy garlic and coconut milk soup (₡2,950/$6).

All were deemed a success. The tilapia in pineapple with sautéed celery, chard, onion and carrot vegetable mix and flavorful rice worked well (₡4,200/$8.40), but the tilapia with miso (₡4,950/$10) was overpowered by the sauce and very salty. The tagliatelle of rice noodles and vegetables with salmon chunks in coconut milk sauce (₡4,500/$9) was generous in size – and tasty. 

Desserts are limited to vanilla ice cream sprinkled with tempura crumbs (₡2,750/$5.50) and caramelized pineapple pieces (₡1,000/$2), although specials are added occasionally.

Alquimia Restaurant

Location: 300 m north of Red Cross, Santa Ana, opposite Más X Menos
Hours: Mon.-Fri., noon-4 p.m., 6-9 p.m.; Wed. and Sat., noon-4 p.m., 6-10 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.
Contact: 2282-2641, www.facebook.com/restaurantealquimia

Trending Now

Keylor Navas Leads Pumas to Victory in His Liga MX Debut

Keylor Navas kicked off his Mexican league journey with Pumas UNAM in style, leading the team to a 2–0 win over Querétaro at Estadio...

Costa Rica Surpasses 500 Homicides as Gang Violence Escalates

Costa Rica has officially surpassed 500 homicides so far this year, according to figures released Monday by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ). As of...

Guatemala’s Gang War Funeral Attack Leaves 7 Dead and 13 Injured

At least seven people were killed and 13 wounded in an armed attack Tuesday night at a funeral in downtown Guatemala City, which authorities...

Costa Rica President Stays in Office Amid Legal Pressures and Speculation

President Rodrigo Chaves Robles has announced that he will not resign from the Presidency, ending months of speculation fueled by political rumors and legal...

Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano Park Reopening to Tourists With Safety Measures

The Poás Volcano National Park will reopen its doors to tourism starting July 30, after  scientific entities reported a decrease in volcanic activity. This was...

Keylor Navas Joins Pumas After Controversial Exit from Newell’s

Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas is officially the newest player for Pumas UNAM, but his move from Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys has been anything...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica