Food Critic
Tiki’s Restaurant
Linda and I have been wondering about Tiki’s for a while now. The advertisement looked appetizing, but we needed to check it out. Tiki’s is 300 meters on the right-hand side, leaving town on the road to Matapalo and Corcovado National Park.
Tiki’s is a small restaurant with a hip, intimate vibe, tucked off and down below the roadway. The bar and kitchen are cleverly crafted out of a converted shipping container. The seating is casual with wooden benches and barstools. We found a table in the back. Linda had brought a cushion to sit on. The wait staff came immediately to bring us menus and take our drink order.
While we sipped on our drinks (I had a Pilsner, and Linda had a yummy Pina Colada), we perused the menu. They have a very big and creative selection of burgers, but I opted for the chicken cordon bleu. Linda had the bean and veggie nachos.
It took less than ten minutes to get our orders. Presentation for each dish was excellent. 5 stars for service and presentation!
As I took a bite of my salad, I noticed the chef had put in bites of cheese along with some fresh rosemary–almost a Greek salad, and it was off the charts.
The Cordon bleu
The cordon bleu was also excellent. The outside texture was crisp, and the chicken was moist, which is hard to do with this dish. The center was filled with melted cheese and pieces of ham. 5 stars
I had been looking at the vegetables as I ate the salad and chicken. At first glance, they appeared overcooked. I ate them last, expecting them to be a bit mushy. I was happily surprised to find them prepared perfectly. They, too, were delicious. A pat of butter would’ve taken them over the top. Still, 5 stars.
Linda’s meal was also excellent. You would expect the typical nachos, but it was not the case! These nachos were loaded with fresh veggies, and underneath was a soft, tasty bean spread. The generous bed of chips was especially delicious because they were handmade and fried on site. The sauce on top was unique and quite tasty. I asked how it was made because I knew it was not store-bought.
The chef told me it was her secret sauce, and that was all that she would tell me–isn’t that just like a chef? The nacho plate was so generous that Linda could only eat half of her meal. 5 stars
The total bill was 30,000 Colones. Drinks were 12,800 C (3 beers and two pina coladas). Food was 17,200 C .
Overall, I give the Tiki Restaurant 5 stars. I want to go back and try one of the burgers.
