Meals & Recipe

We believe that good food is an essential part of any fishing trip. That's why we take great pride in offering a diverse selection of local and international cuisine to our guests. Our menu features a mix of delicious local meals and international favorites from France and Italy, so there's something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you prefer savory seafood dishes or mouthwatering pasta, we've got you covered.

What's for Dinner? The catch of the day?

We understand that Costa Rica and Nicaragua may not be widely known as gourmet destinations, but we've been exploring the region for over 20 years and have discovered some hidden culinary gems. If you're looking for some great dining options in the area, we highly recommend Asseri for local specialties, Le Chef Jacques for excellent French cooking, and Fellini for truly gourmet Italian cuisine. These restaurants offer some of the best food that Nicaragua has to offer.

Want to make sure that you have a memorable and enjoyable trip, and that includes delicious and satisfying meals. We look forward to sharing our culinary delights with you and making your fishing trip an unforgettable experience.

During your fishing trip, you will spend most of your time around our fishing grounds. We understand that guests may not want to eat the same meal every day, so we offer a variety of options. While we do serve the traditional Central American dish of rice and beans, known as Gallo pinto, Casado, or Arroz con frijoles, we also prepare delicious French and other international dishes that we've collected over our years of travel. In addition, we showcase the local cuisine by serving dishes such as El Bao, The Tortillas, El Casado, and Los Picadillo. Our goal is to provide a culinary experience that is both satisfying and memorable.

Basic daily "Menu"

At La Esquina del Lago, we pride ourselves on offering a delicious and satisfying daily menu for our guests. We understand the importance of a good breakfast to start the day, which is why we serve traditional Gallo Pinto with eggs, along with freshly baked bread, butter, a variety of mouth-watering marmalades, and seasonal fruits like pineapple, banana, mango, and freshly squeezed fruit juice.

For lunch, we take our guests to our friends' ranchos on the river banks, where we serve a variety of dishes made with the morning's catch, such as filet or whole fish, along with sides like potatoes, yucca, and tiquisque. Chicken is always available, and occasionally we may surprise you with more exotic options like deer, turtle, or turtle eggs. In case we hook a tarpon during lunchtime, we will continue fishing and eat aboard.

We always keep our coolers stocked with fruits, cookies, ham, marmalade, bread, and butter, so you can snack on the go without going hungry. Our goal is to provide you with a delicious and satisfying dining experience during your stay with us.

For dinner, we offer a more sophisticated culinary experience. We usually have dinner at the lodge or local restaurants like Kaoma, El Mirador in San Carlos, Hospedage in Solentiname, and El Castillo. We serve our catch of the day, which can be prepared grilled or in a filet, with a variety of sauces like whipped cream and mushrooms, tomatoes with onions, or garlic sauce. We also offer our famous river shrimp, chicken, meat (sometimes deer), and our recommended Pollo a la Crema del Kaoma dish which is excellent. Our lodge's kitchen has a French touch, ensuring that you have an exceptional dining experience.

 

We take pride in offering a mix of local meals and international cuisine, and we assure you that you won't have to eat rice and beans for every meal. We want you to feel welcomed and valued, and we look forward to providing you with an unforgettable dining experience.

 

River Shrimps, Langostinos, Camarones de Rio, Ouassou...

At our lodge, we take pride in offering a unique and authentic experience to our guests. One of the highlights of our area is the variety of shellfish available, such as River Shrimps, Langostinos, Camarones de Rio, and Ouassou. While they can be more challenging to catch than fish, we always do our best to include them in our menus, as they are an essential part of the local ecosystem and vital for the survival of families living in the jungle. It's worth noting that Wild Camarones de Rio have almost disappeared worldwide, making them a rare delicacy. We are fortunate to have them in our area, and we understand their value to our guests. Recently, we received a request from a gentleman from the Caribbean who was so eager to get his hands on them that he was willing to send a charter jet every week. We want to share this unique experience with you and make your stay with us as enjoyable as possible.

 

In our area, we are fortunate to have an abundance of shellfish, including river shrimps, langostinos, camarones de rio, and ouassou. While they can be more difficult to catch than fish, we always make an effort to include them in our meals as they are an essential part of the ecosystem and vital to the survival of families living in the jungle.

 

Wild Camarones de Rio are becoming increasingly rare, and we are proud to say that we still have them in our area. They are so sought after that people from all over the world ask us to send them. It is a tough fishing process as they are very aggressive and can be dangerous to catch, but our local fishermen have developed precise techniques to catch them safely.

 

We often purchase river shrimps from our friends on the river banks and serve them as a special meal for our guests. These shrimps are around 1lb each, almost the size of a lobster, and have a unique flavor that we believe is even better than lobster. We take pride in offering our guests a unique and unforgettable culinary experience during their stay with us.

Our area is home to a wild species that is a rare treat for those who visit. It cannot be found in Europe or the United States, no matter how fancy the restaurant or high the price. While similar species can be farmed in the Caribbean and Costa Rica, there is nothing that compares to the wild version found here. Trust me, I have tried both and the difference is remarkable.

Cooking: My favorite French Sauce...
Will match almost all fish,

I'm happy to share with you one of my favorite recipes that I've enjoyed with various types of fish. It's versatile and delicious!

To start, you'll need to fillet your fish and cut it into steaks. I recommend a length of around 5 to 7 inches, a width of 4 to 5 inches, and a thickness of 1/2 to 1 inch. To prevent the fish from sticking to the frying pan, lightly coat it with flour.

 

Next, in a small frying pan, heat up some butter or olive oil until very hot. Add one can of sliced mushrooms and fry them until slightly burnt for extra flavor. Then, add 2 cups of salted whipping cream, the juice of half a lime, a few cloves of thinly chopped garlic, and a small amount of thinly chopped onion. Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste. Keep the heat low and stir everything carefully. The sauce should be very hot but never boiling. Keep tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Finally, add some chopped parsley for a fresh touch.

 

While your sauce is simmering, cook your fish steaks to your liking. You can steam them or fry them in a separate pan with butter or olive oil. Be sure not to overcook them, as this can ruin the taste of the fish.

 

This sauce is perfect for any type of fish, from Grouper (Merou in Greece) to Flounders (in Normandie France), Dorado (in Florida and St Martin FWI), Snook (in San Carlos), Rainbow Bass (in San Carlos), and more. I believe it goes well with almost any fish.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please feel free to make it your own by adjusting the seasoning to your preference.

* Bernie's favorite drinks..

Bernie has shared with us some of his favorite classic drink recipes that are sure to impress! He prides himself on creating these drinks quickly and efficiently, without any unnecessary showmanship.

The first recipe is for a classic Martini, and Bernie's version calls for a glass almost full of good gin, a small spoonful of dry vermouth, 3 or 4 large green olives, and a small spoonful of olive juice. Mix all the ingredients in a shaker of ice, let it chill, and then pour it into a martini glass. You can also add 2 or 3 olives or a piece of lemon peel and serve it on the rocks if you prefer.

 

The second recipe is for a refreshing gin cocktail. Bernie recommends using a glass full of gin, a small spoonful of sweet vermouth (or dry vermouth if you don't have sweet), 1/2 a glass of tonic water, and a bit of lemon juice and lemon peel. Mix all the ingredients together and serve over ice. Be warned, after 3 or 4 of these, you might feel like dancing or fighting!

Bernie's drinks are sure to impress your guests and add some excitement to your next gathering. Cheers!

GAR RECIPES..

14th of July 2003 I got this nice E mail from someone around Mississippi...

E mail is  Gopapat@aol.com Thank You Philippe

I wanted to share a couple of exciting recipes with you today that I recently received from a friend in Louisiana. Now, I know what you're thinking, ""alligator gar meat?"". Trust me, if you haven't tried it before, you're in for a real treat!

 

These recipes will take a bit of time to perfect, but don't worry, that's all part of the fun. Here's what you'll need for the first recipe:

 

  • 1 pound of ground alligator gar meat from a large one
  • 1 pound of peeled and ground Irish potatoes
  • 1/2 pound of finely chopped green onions
  • 2-3 tablespoons of minced garlic
  • 2 stalks of finely chopped celery
  • 2 teaspoons of salt and black pepper sprinkled over mixture
  • 2-3 teaspoons of Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning or red pepper. (Tony's is the best!)
  • 2 tablespoons of ""Try Me"" brand Tiger Sauce
  • Yellow cornmeal or corn flour for rolling

Mix all of the ingredients together with your hands and roll into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Flatten the balls to about 0.5 inches thick, then roll them in yellow cornmeal or corn flour and fry them up! Trust me, they're hum-hum good! If you find the mixture sticking to your hands while rolling, try dipping them in cold water.

For the second recipe, you'll need:
  • 2 pounds of fresh gar meat from a large one
  • Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, celery powder, or Tony's Cajun Seasoning
  • Yellow cornmeal or corn flour for rolling
  • Cut the alligator gar meat into steaks about 0.5 inches thick, season with your choice of spices, and roll them in yellow cornmeal or corn flour. Fry until golden brown, and enjoy another hum-hum good dish!