![]() ![]() True to her artistic practice, Steinvorth recycled as much of the old wood as she could from the little homes that used to sit on the property. Steinvorth bought the property next to her home overlooking the crystal clear Caribbean sea, the old Hotel Aguas Claras, where she actually used to stay when she first started coming to the area. “The whole process has been like a story,” Steinvorth says, one that’s unspooled over the past few years. ![]() 30 years on, she’s brought together all of these various interests with Hotel Aguas Claras. Then she owned and operated a small shop in San José where she sold her own hand-crafted goods, much of which she made from recycled materials. ![]() It was very simple, but everything was so beautiful and easygoing that I didn’t care if we didn’t have light or water,” Steinvorth says.Īt that point in time, Steinvorth worked as a translator after moving on from a nascent career as a ballerina. “We had to shower very quickly because we used water from the rain. The first paved road was laid about 8 years ago-before then, people would just ride their bikes everywhere, which is still the preferred way to get around for most locals. Even in 1995, there were only three phones in the village, so people would wait in long lines to make calls. “Back then, there were no lights, no water, nothing,” Steinvorth says. She eventually purchased a rustic house, which looks much like the private little cabins of the hotel, with her late partner they would come to escape from the city. “After I came to visit we started coming every month,” she says. Less than a 5-hour drive from the capital, the small town felt like a completely different world than the one she was used to. She grew up in the mountains surrounding San José, riding horses and swimming in the nearby river, but she had never heard of Puerto Viejo. The chef and owner is very friendly and cares about your experience.Įveryday there are only a couple of dishes on the menu – personally I always like it when the menu is small – and he knows how to grill them to perfection.Steinvorth first traveled to Puerto Viejo 32 years ago after the tropical locale came up in conversation with one of her colleagues. It makes for a great romantic dinner in the jungle with a private atmosphere. El Refugio GrillĮl Refugio is past Punta Uva on the main road heading towards Manzanillo. Not the cheapest, but all in all a cute restaurant with good dishes and a laid-back atmosphere. Not only the food, but also its presentation is very nice in this place right in the middle of Puerto Viejo. Every day the cook chooses the sauce of the day, to accompany the freshly delivered fishes with some creativity. In here you’ll find Caribbean fish with a French twist. Eating here every night would bankrupt you (compared to the majority of the restaurants in the area), but as a one-off it’s definitely worth it. It’s wise to book in advance in the weekends, as it is popular and usually quite busy. Apart from that, if you could, you’d probably lick your plate in the end. ![]() In case you’re on a salt diet, you should skip this place. The food is simple, fresh (home made bread and pasta!) and the ingredients are all of good quality and rare to find in the Caribbean. Just enjoy the show he’ll take you into the wine room and helped you pick our bottle and next describe all the specials of the day for you. with a beautiful open air atmosphere.Īs often with Italian restaurant holders, the owner is a bit of a character. It’s a gem tucked back off the main road. Need a fancy break from all the rice and beans? Or do you have something to celebrate? Go the Pecora Nera: probably the best Italian restaurant in Costa Rica, or at least on the Caribbean coast. ![]()
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