Food Glorious Food – a restaurateur’s journey to exotic living

Howler Staff - JAN 31, 2017
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Your Lead Paragrpah goes here

It is a fairly common dream. Pack it all in and move your family to an exotic paradise, make pina coladas for a living, and never wear closed toe shoes again. We did just that. We are Nancy and Scott Megit and this is our story.

Tired of the snow, congestion and a stressed out lifestyle, we moved from Toronto, Canada to the warm climes of Playa Conchal, Costa Rica. Tagging along was our youngest, Rachel, who is now enrolled in 11th grade at the Costa Rica International Academy (CRIA) in Brasilito.

Our daughter had veto power over the move. If she didn’t want to join the adventure to Central America then we were staying put in the snow. She was all-in though. And having an institution like CRIA for Rachel to continue her studies made the dream attainable.
Since landing here the journey has been exciting. Ticos are as warm and friendly as advertised and the ex-pat community is extensive, supportive, and frankly a lot of fun. We have been quick to embrace the social scene as there is a lot to do on any given night. Obviously there are many bumps along the road to getting settled but that is to be expected, isn’t it?

To get the most out of our time here, it was important that we jump in with both feet and really embrace Costa Rican culture and life. With over twenty years in the Canadian restaurant industry our family established CR Restaurants – comprised of Tikis Seaside Grille in Brasilito, The Beach House in Flamingo, and Numu Cocina y Cabinas in Potrero.

The restaurant business is not an easy business at the best of times, but it is increasingly complex in a foreign culture and in a foreign language. It is especially difficult in the absence of what is known and comfortable to us. We are fortunately blessed with a staff that sees the hospitality industry is a career and not a holdover until something better comes along. They are very dedicated and professional, and without them our transition would have stalled.

Despite the steep learning curve, we had to focus on what makes a restaurant successful – service, food, and ambiance. Regardless of what language it is, that is universal. There is only so much we can do to improve our restaurants’ atmosphere. We just completed an extensive renovation at Tikis, and Numu has a very fresh, upscale feel about it, but nothing can beat warm breezes, swaying palm trees and inviting ocean views. So the levers we are left to pull are great food and warm, hospitable service.

We implemented an Executive Chef to oversee the food operations in the three restaurants to ensure we are serving food that looks great, tastes great, and offers choices that appeals to a varied demographic. One of the many benefits of operating in Costa Rica is the tremendous access to fresh, wholesome, non-processed raw materials. Restaurants here generally prepare meals from scratch. Nothing of significance is poured from a bottle. Our flavours needed to be fresh and authentic to give us the foundation to create great tasting meals.

The priority was to embrace local suppliers that are accountable for delivering high quality, fresh products at an appropriate price. Having the three restaurants gave us exposure and leverage with the food supply chain. We have been able to source fresh, high quality raw materials, in a timely manner.
We also recently added another chef charged with making sure the food presentation is as exciting as the recipes. Plate presentation is an art. Customers eat with their eyes, too.

While all three restaurants have traditional North American fare like burgers and fries, the result is three distinct culinary options inspired by the environment around us. The newest restaurant, Numu Cocina in Potrero, presents an eclectic fusion of international cuisines like Pad Thai, sushi and red curry. There is a large offering of vegan and gluten-free alternatives. The Beach House in Flamingo overlooks the ocean with epic sunset views and naturally has a large offering of seafood dishes to choose from like the recently launched Lobster Feast menu. Tikis Seaside Grill in Brasilito is set in large, beautiful, rustic wood building with ocean and sunset views. The menu has a more Latin American vibe to it but still has some familiar favorites. With the explosion of craft beers in North America, we added 12 local drafts on tap after our recent renovation.

Sometimes working in paradise is, well…. work. It isn’t always margaritas and sunsets. On a daily basis we experience challenges that we could resolve quickly “at home.” But customers are here to de-stress and have a good time at the beach. That’s infectious. It is an amazing experience to work hard and then play hard. Since we landed in Costa Rica we have been trying to soak up as much of the beauty this country has to offer. After a hard day at the office we are still able to get out and enjoy walks on the beach or day trips to Arenal, or simply a beautiful sunset.

It is a journey that began with trepidation but is playing out as an stimulating, exciting, pura vida experience. There is no end in sight. And most important as a parent, the fact that Rachel is getting a great education, meeting new friends from around the world, and creating memories that will stick with her for a lifetime.

Website: www.crrestaurants.com

Tikis: (506) 2654-9028

Numu: (506) 4702-8689

The Beach House: (506) 2654-6203

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