Time to experience the legend…
When we weren’t lounging and reading books or snapping selfies, we managed to sneak a little time in town. One night we had dinner at Gingerbread with our friends and owners of Agua Inn, Trent and Javier. Kim and the girls were dying to finally try this place, having lived in the area years ago and hearing about this restaurant. They never went, but they were taking me!
but first, the man responsible.
We immediately met the owner and chef, Eyal Ben-Menachem. Originally from Israel, Chef Eyal received his Culinary Degree in 1998 and traveled the world, looking for places to share his passion for cooking. He eventually settled in Costa Rica, creating his signature blend of French, Mediterranean and Californian cooking styles.
We started with…appetizers!
Our dinner party of seven spent some time looking at the menu and deciding what we wanted, but that was all for naught. When a party is larger than five or six people, according to Chef, he decides what the table eats. The experience was amazing: we just sat there while he and his staff brought plate after plate. He explained each dish, telling us what was in it and if applicable, even from where the ingredients were sourced. I felt like a VIP. We were just missing a velvet rope.
We hesitantly tried the tuna first, as our host at Agua Inn had suggested to do. That way, our palates were fresh and untainted by any other essences of flavor. We rarely eat anything raw with the exception of marshmallows and at home, we say we love sushi but we’re actually just referring to California rolls made with vegetables or cooked meats. Collectively nervous, we wanted to be respectful and adventurous! And we actually liked it! The sesame dressing was sweet and nutty and the tuna practically melted in our mouths.
I loved the mushrooms, personally. While the rest of mi familia ate a respectable bite each, I could have eaten the entire plate. I love meaty, earthy, thick mushrooms. These tasted amazing. The Gorgonzola complimented them without overwhelming the taste. I was sad when this plate was passed to and remained at the far end of the table.
The lamb was a little spicy and had other seasonings in it reminiscent of curry. The squash acted as a delicious vegetable pillow for the lamb to sit and rest on.
I also could have eaten the entire plate of salad. You can add garlic bread to just about anything and it will turn my head, but this salad could have stood alone also. There were Kalamata olives, Feta cheese, cucumber, tomatoes…all the deliciousness of a Greek salad. This was probably the simplest dish on the table but it was as amazing as the other appetizers.
The main courses.
We could have stopped at the appetizers and been fine. More than fine. Happily stuffed and satisfied. But no, Chef Eyal was just warming up.
In this round of culinary delight, I found the risotto to be my favorite. I love shrimp, I love risotto, and I love Parmesan. Chef put the three together and hit a home run.
The beef tips were a close second to favorite. The brown sauce had a teriyaki-type flair. I am not a beef connoisseur but I was served a medium done piece and it did not kill me. I added a little sauce to color the rest of the meat the brown that I thought it should be and it tasted great. The fried yucca were very popular also.
The chicken was also moist and tasty. Schwarma/Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish and Chef is obviously paying homage to his roots with this one. Kim loved this dish so I focused more on the meats from sea and land and left her the one from the air. (Chickens do fly, trust me. They don’t fly far, but I’ve seen it.)
We have a bit of a sweet tooth.
Our hosts sat back in their chairs, food comas setting in. Technically and gastrointestinally, we were full enough to stop eating. We could have been done. We should have been done, but we had seen the menu and had read about dessert. And our servers politely asked if we had room for dessert. We didn’t.
For a table of seven people, two desserts does not seem fair. While we did try to share, I have to admit that these two dishes mostly stayed at our end of the table. Aubrie laid claim to the boca negra and I had the bread pudding all to myself. We were beyond happy. And beyond full.
The boca negra is an intense chocolate cake. It tasted like dark chocolate so I pretended it was healthy. It had whipped cream and raspberry drizzles. The one bite I stole was rich and creamy.
The bread pudding was also rich with the right balance of spice and sweet. Dense and moist, the bread pudding’s warmth contrasted perfectly with the vanilla ice cream on top.
Dining at Gingerbread was an amazing experience. I felt like a world-class customer even before I knew that Chef Eyal is a world-class chef. There’s something about his presence, his demeanor toward people that make you feel welcome and valued.
Chef clearly has a passion for his craft and that passion, coupled with his charm and zest for life makes for a very memorable night. If I am ever in Costa Rica in his neck of the jungle again, I will look for a seat at one of his tables. Hopefully there will be shrimp risotto and bread pudding that night! Check out Gingerbreads FaceBook page HERE and their website HERE. If you are ever in Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica you MUST go here!
At first i thought you meant the ginger bread. But this is a restaurant. The food looks so appetizing. I havent taken my breakfast yet. I hot hungry perusing on your blog 😵😵😵
Erica…..I can’t even tell you how phenomenal this food was. I have never had a experience like this. We felt like a table of royalty….they kept bringing out different courses with a in depth description given by the chef. It was AMAZING! The food was so rich and delicious….there was not one thing presented that I had ever eaten before.