Best of the Trans-Americas Journey 2012 – Best Food & Beverages

Welcome to part 2 in our Best Of the Trans-Americas Journey 2012 series of posts. Part 2 is all about the Best Food & Beverages from the past year on the road from a gourmet surprise on a volcanic island in Nicaragua to the best chifrijo in Costa Rica. Part 1 covers the Top Travel Activities of 2012 and part 3 covers the Best Hotels of the year.

Yes, end of year round-ups can be lame. On the other hand, they can also be a valuable chance for us to look back on the year that was and remember just how damn lucky we are. Done right, an end of year round-up can also be a quick and easy way for you to get  the best tips, tricks and truths that made our Trans-Americas Journey travels so special in 2012. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll hit the road yourself in 2013 (or 2014, no pressure).

First, a few relevant stats. In 2012 we thoroughly explored Nicaragua, Costa Rica and northern Panama driving 8,349 miles (13,436 km), spending $2,608 on fuel, and making seven overland border crossings.

We also ate nearly all of our meals in restaurants of one description or another from street food stalls to bustling markets to multi-star restaurants. In no particular order, here are our picks for…

The Best Food & Beverages of 2012

Best iced coffee: The talented baristas at the Café Las Flores coffee shops around Managua, Nicaragua turn the organic coffee grown and roasted by Café Las Flores into rich, satisfying coffee drinks of all descriptions including hard-to-find properly made iced coffee (US$2). No hot coffee watered down with ice cubes here!

Fantastic pizzas at El Cielo in Nicaragua.

Best pizza in Nicaragua: The kitchen at Al Cielo Hotel & Restaurant is run by Xavier, a young French chef-slash-surfer who ditched the bustle of Paris in favor of the views and vibe at the ridge top place he helped create minutes from super surf in the town of Aposentillo on the northern coast of Nicaragua. Before he left Paris, a mentor gave him his pizza dough recipe as a going away present. Xavier has perfected it to suit the water and the oven in his new kitchen and, among other tasty dishes, he now offers authentic gourmet pizzas for 180 cordobas (US$7.50).

Best cinnamon roll: They bake a lot of things at La Casa de Don Colacho in Jinotega, Nicaragua but stay focused on the cinnamon rolls which have the sticky sweetness to rich pastry ratio dialed in.

Homemade pasta at Cafe Campestre on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua.

Best casual gourmet surprise: Café Campestre in the village of Balgue on Ometepe Island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua is owned by chef Ben Slow. He turns local, organic ingredients (much grown on his own nearby permaculture farm) into delights including homemade tagliatelle (seen drying, below), chicken curry, real chilli, humus (made with locally sourced jackfruit seeds instead of imported chickpeas—you’ll never know the difference) and much more all for less than many of the run-of-the-mill eateries on the island. His lovely and well-trained local staff and rustic/chic décor are also welcome surprises. Get more in our travel feature about Ometepe Island for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

This place has been serving up beloved ice cream for more than 100 years in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Best ice cream: It’s best to think of the frozen treat that’s been sold at La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora in San José’s 130 year old Central Market for more than 100 years as frozen egg nog with all the nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and rich, custardy goodness that entails. It’s even the same color as egg nog. Locals like it even more with cubes of red Jell-O in it. We liked it so much (sans Jell-O) that we made it one of our 17 Reasons Not to Blow Off the Capital.

The best chifrijo we had in Costa Rica.

Best chifrijo in Costa Rica: Pull into a road side stand just a few miles after you exit the new pay highway from San Jose onto the Costanera highway on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast near Playa Jaco and get ready for the best example of Costa Rica’s national dish that we had during our 5+ months in the country. The chifrijo here, made with white rice and whole red beans topped with chopped tender pork then crumbled with chopped chicharron (fried pork skin) then doused with pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime juice, is sublime.

Best restaurant name: Claro Que Seafood Grill, the formal restaurant for the iconic Si Como No hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica, wins this one hands down with its clever play on the common Spanish phrase claro que si (which means “clearly” or “of course”).

Making the good stuff at Sibu Chocolate in Costa Rica.

Best chocolate: Sibu Chocolate near San Jose, Costa Rica is heaven for chocolate lovers and lovers of the environment. Innovative owners Julio Fernandez Amon and George Soriano not only produce top drawer organic hand-made chocolates they do it with local ingredients from small-scale farmers, they offset their carbon emissions and their elegant packaging is made from recycled materials. Find out more about Costa Rica’s organic chocolate pioneer in this piece we did for TheLatinKitchen.com.

Here’s more about travel in Costa Rica

Here’s more about travel in Nicaragua