Authentic flavors and diverse textures that promise to bring us close to Costa Rica’s native population through the gastronomy that the Boruca, the Maleku and other ethnic groups have created in their lifestyle; this is the concept of the new menu of Luna Roja (Red Moon) restaurant, located in the “Paseo Gastronómico La Luz” in Barrio Escalante and part of the offering of Boutique Hotel Luz de Luna.

Through 15 dishes and four desserts, in a menu of lunar phases, divided in crescent moons (entrées), full moons (main dishes), waning moons (appetizers), and honeymoons (desserts). New moons are reserved for novelties. Everything is prepared with local, mostly organic and natural ingredients, remaining faithful to the indigenous traditions.

In accordance to what is offered in the menu, they grow their ingredients needed in their own vegetable garden, which includes, peppers, celery, cilantro, among others; even cumin and annatto seeds are processed in the restaurant, where they also prepare the tomato and tamarindo sauce, the coconut milk, ice cream, seasonings, and chips (yucca, sweet potato, potato, taro).

A tasty story

Silvia Rodríguez, owner of the restaurant, thought about following her country’s own traditional cuisince when she opened her restaurant.
“I am Costa Rican, and I thought that if I was going to cook, I wanted to prepare food from my country’s cuisine, I don’t see myself doing anything else. My happiness is to travel, and that is where I find the identity of each culture, and I felt that we were lacking our own identity, so I figured I had to find it and for that I had to go to the root”, stated Rodríguez.

As of that moment and joining efforts with chef Pablo Vásquez, who shares her vision and concept, they decide to reinvent the Costa Rican culinary identity, “we got close to the native population, we enjoyed the traditions of the Caribbean and all its products, and we took that and we went on to Boruca, we were also with the Malekus and started working with them, documenting each experience to create the different dishes”, Silvia shared.

Luna Roja is open every day from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.