Eating Cow Tongue at the Mirador Restaurant in Esparza

I have to admit, I was pretty surprised when my boyfriend ordered a plate of cow tongue for lunch last week in the Mirador Restaurant off Hwy 1 in Esparza Puntarenas.  You can see the dish itself, and admire the grainy texture of the cow tongue in greater detail, in the picture below.

The Mirador Restaurant serves a variety of meat and seafood dishes. Although I was brave enough to try one bite of the cow tongue, I opted for a dish of batter-fried tilapia accompanied by steamed and fresh veggies.  The restaurant also serves as a banquet hall for various events, and a bar area is available.  It makes for a convenient stop for a meal if you are on your way to or from the beaches of Puntarenas.  The only other people in the restaurant when we stopped for lunch were 6 nuns, quietly eating at a table next to us, and an older couple who had ridden in on a Harley motorcycle - foreign retirees no doubt.

I found myself especially entranced by a beautiful white horse that was visible out the back window of the restaurant.  The horse, against a backdrop of gorgeous mountain scenery, seemed to me more like a magical unicorn from a fantasy story.  We asked the waitress if we could go out back and pet it after we finished eating.  She advised that it was no problem at all, as you can glean from our smiling faces in the pictures below.  I would definitely check out the Mirador Restaurant if you are passing through Esparza.  It's across the street from the Texaco gas station on Hwy 1.  I can't recommend the cow tongue for your main course, however, unless you fancy yourself a VERY brave soul!