Las Tinajas

• Cuisine(s): Central American, Cuban, Nicaraguan
  Price: $, $$
  Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, cash
• Attire: Casual
  Features: Takeout, Catering, Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly, Vegetarian Friendly
  Serving: Breakfast, Lunch
• Alcohol: None, Beer/Wine
  Reservations: Accepted, Not Accepted, Not Necessary
  Parking: No Parking, Street

Description

This Nicaraguan restaurant, which many in the Nicoya community consider the best in town, is open only during the day. More forebodingly, before making your way to a table in the massive pink dining room, you have to pass through its cafeteria line, looking over a steam table stocked with gallons of pinto gallo (fried rice and beans) and mondongo (tripe soup), enough plantain chips for a fraternity Super Bowl party, and desserts portioned into plastic cups. The cafeteria setup belies the food's quality. For the ultimate, three-person Nicaraguan sampler, get the Antojitos "Las Tinajas" platter: gallo pinto, squeaky fried cheese, custardy ripe plantains, a heap of lime-dressed cabbage slaw, and steaks of beef and marinated pork, fresh off the grill. Douse everything in chileros (pickled onions) to counterbalance its heartiness.