The rangers in this forest offer tours for students, visitors, and those who are interested in rainforest conservation or who are researching the biodiversity within Costa Rica. The rangers also have a mini-cafeteria situated within the reserve, and the owners of this restaurant welcomed us to a bountiful lunch, which obviously included...gallo pinto!
The gallo pinto itself was black beans with yellow rice which contained peppers, garlic, and green onions. But as mentioned, sides were served in addition to gallo pinto in order to have a full and balanced meal. We were given two different types of salads, one with cucumber and radish and the other with lettuce and carrots. For the meat side dish, it was this extremely soft, what I believe, pork belly which was served along with roasted red bell peppers and caramelized onions. The last side dish that was served was yuca frita, which is fried cassava. Cassava is a type of root vegetable that’s pretty similar to yam. It was my favorite side dish amongst all the delicious ones.
And lastly, for dessert, we were served an apricot and peach pie with a heavenly delicious vanilla ice cream. This whole lunch was an absolutely delightful experience!
When I first tried gallo pinto at my host family house, I honestly was not a fan of it. The rice that is served in Costa Rica is different from how I typically eat it at home, so it was difficult for me to adjust to the texture and taste. In my family and culture, we would eat rice plain, and it is very soft.
