terik Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 For our one-year anniversary since our move to Costa Rica, we decided to make the adjustment just a tad more complicated. We decided to give up animal products and eat a low fat, plant-based diet - a challenge anywhere, but particularly here where many of the vegan and vegetarian ingredients available stateside just can't be found. Last week we made a trip to San Jose and found Vishnu (sp??), the vegetarian restaurant - moments after giving up and piecing together a semi-compliant meal at a soda :-) Today we're headed to San Ramon for our weekly trip to the feria. Does anyone know of a vegetarian restaurant there? We typically eat at Aromas Cafe, which does offer some vegetarian options, but nothing vegan. Also, I'm hoping against hope that I can find nutritional yeast somewhere in San Ramon, Alajuela or San Jose. Any thoughts? For the record, Super Sony carries tofu and kelp. Thanks for any help or suggestions. Teri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanaJ Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Hi Teri, could you please post the location of Vishnu, we have vegetarian family coming to visit later this year. I know this will be difficult here, there was a vegetarian rest. here for awhile, but I think its now closed. There is supposed to be an organic rest. opening near the central park, but I don't know when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewart.tb Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Wow ... just wanted to give some cyber support. I'm a vegetarian, but not hard core: I do eat fish and dairy and honey. (Actually, I have eaten chicken maybe 3 or 4 times here in CR, although I would never do so in the states, due to the antibiotics/hormones/Frankenchicken business, not to mention the cruelty in methods of mass poultry production. Anyway, that makes me feel like cheating, flesh-eating carnivore, jaja) Anyway, good luck, and do post about your experience. I will have to try and visit this Super Sony place. What a name! Is there more than one Vishnu? Or maybe I misjudged the one I'm thinking of? I saw a little corner shop called Vishnu in SJ, and was so excited because I thought it was going to include dishes from India (holy hellmonsters how I miss Indian food), but it turned out to be more like a little sandwich shop with sandwiches, of course, and from what I remember, fast food and snack type items? Maybe I got the wrong impression, I didn't end up eating there after looking over the menu. What do you all think? Did I miss something, or is there another Vishnu that is more like a real restaurant? Tiffany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicatt2 Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Wow ... just wanted to give some cyber support. I'm a vegetarian, but not hard core: I do eat fish and dairy and honey. (Actually, I have eaten chicken maybe 3 or 4 times here in CR, although I would never do so in the states, due to the antibiotics/hormones/Frankenchicken business, not to mention the cruelty in methods of mass poultry production. Anyway, that makes me feel like cheating, flesh-eating carnivore, jaja) Anyway, good luck, and do post about your experience. I will have to try and visit this Super Sony place. What a name! Is there more than one Vishnu? Or maybe I misjudged the one I'm thinking of? I saw a little corner shop called Vishnu in SJ, and was so excited because I thought it was going to include dishes from India (holy hellmonsters how I miss Indian food), but it turned out to be more like a little sandwich shop with sandwiches, of course, and from what I remember, fast food and snack type items? Maybe I got the wrong impression, I didn't end up eating there after looking over the menu. What do you all think? Did I miss something, or is there another Vishnu that is more like a real restaurant? Tiffany I don't remember where they are but there are at least two locations for Vishnu. It's been in business for many years. Paul M. == Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewart.tb Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 I don't remember where they are but there are at least two locations for Vishnu. It's been in business for many years. Paul M. == Do you know if they're like a mini-chain, same deal in different locales, or are they two unrelated restaurants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieH Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 There is a Vishnu in downtown San Jose - on Avenida 3 (same avenue as Banco Nacional main branch), and (close to) calle 1. You can get to Super Sony (a Chinese food market, several blocks South of the National Theatre) this way: http://julieandrickincostarica.blogspot.com/2011/06/usa-embassy-to-national-theatre-by-bus.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucybelle Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 I'm pretty sure there's 2 Vishnu's in San Jose, like a block from each other, and I know there's one over near Multiplaza Este too. Honestly, I found Vishnu absolutely mediocre. I think it's perfectly easy to order a vegetarian casado at a soda, which will usually be rice, beans, picadillo de something, and platano. I was vegan for a long time. It is so much easier to be vegan in the states where you can get veggie cheese and vegan pudding and veggie burgers etc etc. And although I still mostly eat vegan in the house (rice, beans, salads, over 80% cacao chocolate), I don't try to figure it out anymore when I go out to eat. I love eating out and it's almost impossible to get vegan things in restaurants, even in the states! I can't tell you how many times I ordered dry salads because there was nothing for me to eat. I make delicious vegan things at home and when I go out I eat whatever I feel like. On the good side- beer is vegan!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terik Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Hi Teri, could you please post the location of Vishnu, we have vegetarian family coming to visit later this year. I know this will be difficult here, there was a vegetarian rest. here for awhile, but I think its now closed. There is supposed to be an organic rest. opening near the central park, but I don't know when. I see that Julie and others have provided locations for Vishnu. I can also tell you, though, that there is a vegetarian resort just north of San Ramon at San Lorenzo. The name is Lands in Love. We stayed there and we have eaten at their restaurant when we made a day trip a few months later to take our grandson on their canopy tour. The restaurant is amazing! Every item we've ever tasted is positively delicious. On our first visit there, we had our 10-year old granddaughter along who has multiple potentially life-threatening food allergies. The chef consulted with us personally and prepared yummy foods especially for her during our stay. It would be fabulous to have something like that a bit closer. Teri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terik Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Thanks for all the feedback and support. We made it to San Ramon and back with 99% compliance to our new way of eating! We had lunch at Aroma's Cafe and ordered vegetarian personal pizzas without cheese. We were a wee bit surprised that the pizza 'crust' was two slices of white bread. (It's anybody's guess what was in that!) but it was loaded with great veggies and was very tasty. We didn't miss the cheese at all!! We also ordered papaya bebidas with water and NO sugar. And after watching the steady parade of lucscious desserts being wheeled from the kitchen past our table and to the front, we shared an order of french fries for dessert. Maybe it wasn't low fat, but at least it wasn't tiramisu. The world does not need one more vegan blog, but I just might have to start one about being vegan in Central America By the way, I figure it would be easier to do this in the U.S. because we could zip over to whole foods and buy that vegan cheese, etc. But easier is not necessarily healthier - which is our primary goal (over ideology). At least here we don't have that temptation and we'll be forced to eat less prepared/processed foods. Teri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 The world does not need one more vegan blog, but I just might have to start one about being vegan in Central America My wife and I have been following a vegan diet for over a year so we are interested in the possibilities in CR. Is tofu readily available? I personally have lost almost 60#, total cholesteral is down to 127 and BP 115/65. It works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shea Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 There are numerous Asian markets in Costa Rica, so you shouldn't have a problem finding tofu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costaricafinca Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 That's if you live in the San Jose area, of course... Not always east to find, otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicatt2 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 My wife and I have been following a vegan diet for over a year so we are interested in the possibilities in CR. Is tofu readily available? Hi Lyle, I saw tofu in the AltoMercado in Alajuela last time I was there. Surprised me to see it there. Of course I've seen in in both Super Sony (in SJ) and in Mercado Asia (aka Kawo) in Tibás. HTH Paul M. == Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanaJ Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Tofu is available at the local Supermercado here in Atenas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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