Burgers of Costa Rica: A Taste Test

Shaun is a man who appreciates a good burger. Although he doesn’t claim to be an expert, with the amount of burgers he has consumed throughout this trip, he certainly has some experience in this area.

During our time in Nosara, Shaun had some particularly fabulous burgers. So, we figured we would rock a little taste test, as well as mention a few other notable burgers he has devoured during our time in Costa Rica.

Take it away Manfriend!

During our three week stay in Nosara, I had the burgers from The Gilded Iguana, Kaya Sol, and Burgers and Beers. Kate asked me to compare the three for her blog. I am by no means a food critic, but I’ve eaten a few burgers in my time.

On this trip we do a lot of meals in to save money. When we do go out for meals I often go for something we typically can’t make ourselves; more times than not its a burger and fries. I think I’ve had around twenty burgers over the course of our five month trip. Most of them quite good and way better than the ones back in Canada. As for the burgers in Playa Guiones, they were among the best I had all trip. However, Kate wants me rank them so here it goes.

To be fair each of the three burgers were a classic beef burger with cheese. I also ranked the french fries because I love fries, usually more than burgers. This time though the burgers took center stage.

The Burger at Guilded Iguana

The Burger at Guilded Iguana

 

Third Place: Gilded Iguana

Good burger, it was home made patty with good thickness and not overcooked. Could have used a bit more pickles, but that seems to be a common issue down here. The fries were okay, not terrible but nothing to write home about. I rank this number three.

 

 

The Burger at Kaya Sol

The Burger at Kaya Sol

 

Second Place: Kaya Sol Surf Hotel

Great burger, it was also a home made patty that was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Easily one of the best burgers I’ve had all trip. I had this meal on my birthday and it was a fantastic choice (thanks Jorge).  The burger came with tons of fries and they were easily the best fries I had had in all of Costa Rica. If this was a contest about fries, Kaya Sol would have won hands down.

 

The Burger at Burger  and Beer

The Burger at Burger and Beer

 

First Place: Burgers and Beers

Best burger in Costa Rica, there is nothing bad to say about this burger. It was perfect. As I ate it I was getting disappointed as there was less and less left to eat. To top things off I had to share a few bites with Kate. It came with fries, but there weren’t that many and they weren’t as good as Kaya Sol’s, but the burger was perfect. So Burger and Beers gets my first place vote.

 

I feel I should branch out and mention three other notable burgers I’ve had during this trip: Willie’s ABC (Avocado, Bacon, and Cheese) Burger from the restaurant at Mal Pais Surf Camp, the Wipe Out Burger at Kaya Sol and the Bacon Cheeseburger from Nogui’s in Tamarindo

Willie’s Avocado, Bacon and Cheese (ABC) Burger: Mal Pais Surf Camp, Mal Pais: I had Willie’s burger back in January and it was amazing. I don’t usually eat avocado, but something about the soft avocado combined with crunchy bacon made it work perfectly. I have compared every burger I’ve had since to it.

Bacon Cheeseburger- Nogui’s Tamarindo: Even though Nogui’s is mostly Costa Rican food, they do know there way around a burger. I had their Bacon Cheeseburger way back at the start of the trip, and it was really good. The bacon was perfect. I might just really like bacon.

Wipe Out Burger, Kaya Sol, Nosara: I had the Wipe Out burger on our last night in Kaya Sol and didn’t rank it with the others because it was a chicken burger, but it was ridiculously good. Its a chicken breast cooked in buffalo sauce with cheese and bacon. It was like a delicious chicken wing with cheese and bacon wrapped in a soft bun.

I’m so hungry right now.

Thanks Shaun!

Where do you get your favourite burgers?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

 

Beers of Nicaragua: A Taste Test

After the success of our Panamanian Beer taste test, it seemed only fitting that we imbibe in another round in Nicaragua. I would like to thank Colleen for stepping up to the plate and being our third judge in this little adventure.

So without further ado…The beers of Nicaragua

P1020951

P1020952Victoria Frost: Alcohol Content 4.9%

Kate: Watery but still hoppy with a little after skunk. Tastes a big lighter then the other Nicaraguan beers. I could drink a few but would still prefer something lighter and with a lower alcohol content

Colleen: Super light and dangerous

Shaun: Pretty good, but bit of a chemical beer taste. Something may be a bit off with this one.

 

P1020953Victoria Classic: Alcohol Content 4.9%

Kate: Way thicker and hoppier. Hits you between the eyes like its saying “drink lots of me and I’ll make your morning a doozy.” It has a bit of a skunky aftertaste. Tastes like something I would drink out of a red plastic cup at a party.

Colleen: More like a Molson Canadian. Heavier then the frost. Don’t care for the chemically after taste

Shaun: Good name (Victoria), Pretty Good. Could slam back a few, less after taste then the frost but would need to be very cold. It’s pretty bad when warm

P1020955Tona: Alcohol Content 4.6%

Kate: Stronger smell. Thick, like molasses beer. A hint of lime at first. I’m not opposed to this beer but would only drink one on a really hot day and only if it was ice cold. Nice to not have that skunky finish though.

Colleen: Heavier than the other two. Harder to chug!

Shaun: Seems like a heavier beer in comparison but refreshing. Good but not as poundable. More of a winter beer then hot climate beer.

P1020956Cerveza Premium: Alcohol Content 4.5%

Kate: Stinky! Tastes like water compared to everything. I keep sipping it up thinking there might be more to it, but its just bubbly yeast water. Let’s be honest, this is a Kate beer. Fluffy, light, nothingness. Perfect for my delicate dainty palate

Colleen: Not sure if this is even from Nicaragua, what does “Made in Central America” even mean. Not a huge fan. Overall would prefer anything else

Shaun: Judging by the name it must be good. Not very good. Reminds me of a Pacific Pilsner…Terrible

So there you have it! We knew going into this that Nicaragua is certainly not known for its beer. That fact was defininetly reinforced with our taste test. It should be advised, that beer taste tests often result in situations like this.

P1020961

Yes, that is a delicious street side burrito. I regret nothing!

The Costa Rican beer taste test will be finale. We are waiting for the perfect moment though, because we 9 different varieties to try, we may never recover!

Are you in Costa Rica and want to partake in the finale beer taste test? Message us on Facebook!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Beers of Panama: Taste Test

Sometimes having a blog requires us to make some major sacrifices.

Like today for instance, Shaun and I were forced to sample several Panamanian beers in order to write the blog post.

It’s a tough life…

One of the first things we noticed when we got to Panama was how CHEAP the beer was. In the grocery stores beers were around 65 to 85 cents. At Happy Hour you could get them in restaurants for $1, and any other time they were $1.50. We thought we were living the good life with our $3 dollar beers in Costa Rica. Needless to say, our beer consumption increased dramatically in the 5 days that we were in Panama. The thought of going home to $5 dollar beers is very sad!!

Since we knew we would be imbibing in a few Cerveza’s, we figure we needed to take the time to sample what Panama had to offer. So, we popped into the grocery store, and grabbed the 5 main Panamanian beers.

Hello Homemade Happy Hour

Hello Homemade Happy Hour

So here we go, Shaun and I’s not so expert opinion on the beers of Panama. Keep in mind, this is exactly what we wrote down as we went, so the comments may get more creative as we progress!

P1020182Atlas: Alcohol percentage 3.8%

Kate: Light, slightly yeasty, watery, very drinkable,and soft. It’s a light beer, like a Coors Light. I would definitely drink this, and love that it has their Social Media links printed right on the can!

Shaun: Light Lager, reminds me of a Bud Light, not too bad, could easily drink a few

P1020183Balboa: Alcohol Percentage 4.8%

Kate: More bubbly then Atlas, caramel hints, heavier then Atlas, and tastes like it has a higher alcohol content. Probably couldn’t have more then one or two before I felt full. I wouldn’t order this in a restaurant.

Shaun: Medium strength beer, sharper then Atlas, yet quite easy still to drink, Reminds me of Okanagan Springs 1516 which I’m not a fan of. Not a beer I would typically choose, more of a “filler” beer.

P1020184Soberana: Alcohol content 3.8%

Kate: Super light in colour, compared to the others. *takes sip* DISLIKE, coppery, sharp metallic taste, very hoppy at the end. Smells like the last dregs of a warm cup of beer. My first, and last Soberana

Shaun: Light beer with a bit of a fruity taste. Reminds of a somewhat flat Grasshopper from a beer garden back home. Not a beer I would buy but if offered I would not turn down. Hopefully it was just a dud can.

(it should be noted that Shaun and I dumped this can out)

P1020185Panama Light: Alcohol Content 4.2%

Kate: Way more my speed. Not yeasty, refreshing, light, slightly citrusy. Really surprised by how high the alcohol content is for a light beer, and for only being 109 calories. Good to know as they could be deadly. More bubbly then Atlas, but less then Balboa. Social Media on the can as well.

Shaun: Light lager, easy to drink, stronger then Bud or Coors Light, but not quite a Lucky Lager. Good beer for a hot day in the sun.

(it should be noted that Kate made Shaun stop drinking this one, so she could finish it herself)

P1020186Panama: Alcohol content 4.8%

Kate: Seems drinkable at first sip but has a heavy finish, too much malt. I find it amazing how different this tastes from the light version. Reminds me of a Rickards Red, which is a beer I am not a fan of.

Shaun: Strongest tasting of two beers, reminds me of Rickards Red. Good, but not great. A beer I would order for myself

(it should be noted that Kate let Shaun finish this one by himself since she hogged the Panama Light)

So there you have it! We are by no means experts in the land of beer, but know how to have a good time doing a taste test!

I want to let everyone know that we will be toiling away on a beer taste test for both Costa Rican, and Nicaraguan beers as well.

The things we do for our readers 😉

What’s your favourite foreign beer?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress