For vegetarians in Latin America, dining out often means a meager subsistence on rice and beans. Most get by in Costa Rica by substituting an egg for the meat in a casado – a typical dish of rice, beans, salad, ripe plantain and a portion of meat, chicken or fish – though it may take some convincing of suspicious waitresses.

“Welcome to Mumbai,” said a member of our lunch party who had already arrived at the restaurant. He was enjoying a drink served by a charming young lady dressed in a traditional waitstaff outfit complete with a pillbox hat.

To find a restaurant not overlooking a concrete jungle is a joy indeed. La Casita Inn maintains the rural feel of Santa Ana, a typical country town about 20 minutes southwest of San José that has been hit by nonstop development. Over a period of time, I watched the renovation of this old country cottage and a new construction go up in the abandoned garden. Where a flock of sheep used to graze, an organic garden now flourishes and supplies the restaurant with fresh herbs and veggies.

For a pizza lover, the name La Posada de la Pizza (Pizza Inn) will evoke delightful images of melted cheese, garlic, olive oil and floury crusts sliding together in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.