A Little Slice of Italy in Central America
- August 28, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
John Denholm from Pleasanton, California
It seems that every restaurant in town claims to specialize in 'pasta and seafood'. What sets them apart? Restaurante El Dorado is another place I was looking forward to and we 'saved' it until our second to last night in town.
You won't find El Dorado doing any advertising. There are two 'free map' publications around town and it is in neither. In fact, I was hoping it had not gone out of business since my guidebook was printed but we were glad to find the restaurant busy and prosperous. Lonely Planet also gives the restaurant high marks. It is run by an Italian couple who came to visit Samara and ended up moving from Central Italy. The father and son attend to customers and the mother works the kitchen with a few helpers.
The menu is huge with pages of pizzas, seafoods, meats and pastas. One peculiar thing they did have was a tempting dessert cart that looked out of place in the open air, thatched building with grating made of twisted contcrete rebar.
We had bruschetta for an appetizer and it wasn't very good. Perhaps they were working with what they had but I've never had bruschetta on white Bimbo sliced bread. Fortunately the main course was excellent. The prices are right and the service is friendly and attentive. If you're in Samara for dinner (closed Thursdays), this is a great choice.
From journal Guanacaste Honeymoon