No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeDiningOld recipe, new twist

Old recipe, new twist

Black bean soup is as old as the hills – but this version at El Sano Banano made the recipe seem new again. Thick, savory, and delicious, the soup is like a liquid version of refried beans. Add a butterfly drawn with sour cream and the warm glow of candlelight, and even paradise gets a little more perfect.

Located on a main street (there are really only two) in downtown Montezuma, El Sano Banano Village Hotel & Restaurant is famous for its comfy rooms, rainforest aesthetic, and scrumptious menu. The restaurant is the kind place where you can dress in a polo shirt and cargo pants and still dine like a yacht club member. The restaurant also hosts various cultural events, including movie screenings.

Montezuma caters to itinerant surfers and backpackers, and the town is packed with guest houses, hostels, and cabinas. But for folks who prefer middle-class lodging and first-rate meals, El Sano Banano is worth the higher price. And if you’re feeling feisty, you can almost always step outside at night and see a crowd of hula-hoopers or fire-throwers. It’s just that kind of town.

Trending Now

Tropical Wave 41 Crosses Costa Rica With Afternoon Storms and 75 km/h Gusts

Tropical wave No. 41 moved into Costa Rica before dawn today, and the part that matters for the rest of your day arrives after...

Route 1 at Cambronero Closed for up to Two Months After Bridge Damage

If your drive west runs through Cambronero, plan on going another way for a while. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport says the...

Tico Time and Why Life in Costa Rica Doesn’t Always Run on Schedule

I don't want to hear about Tico Time. Where did that expression even originate? It has been around for at least the 35 years...

Costa Rica Supreme Court Considers Changes After Judicial Corruption Cases

Costa Rica’s Supreme Court has ordered a review of the rules judges use to determine whether suspects remain in jail or are released under restrictions as organized crime and corruption cases put new pressure on the justice system

Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya Communities Push for Greater Say in Protecting the Sea

Fundación MarViva has published two resources on the Gulf of Nicoya that together make a single argument: the people who have fished, gathered and...

Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Is Drying Despite Heavy Rain

Monteverde remains one of Costa Rica’s wettest places, receiving more than 2,500 millimeters (98 inches) of rain a year. Yet scientists are finding signs...

Saprissa Ends Three-Year Morera Soto Drought With 2-0 Clásico Win

Deportivo Saprissa beat Liga Deportiva Alajuelense 2-0 at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto on Saturday night, taking the Clásico Nacional in Alajuela for the...

Costa Rica’s president says US ground operations would benefit national security

President Laura Fernández said US ground operations on Costa Rican soil would be good for national security if they pursued shared targets, while stressing...

Watch Spider Monkeys Return to Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula

A camera trap project on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula produced an unexpected discovery: Central American spider monkeys living wild in an area where the species had once disappeared.
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel