Chef Darren Remy has only been living in Costa Rica for about six months but he's already figured out what makes the country so popular with food lovers.
"The fish is amazing," said the talented Californian, who cooked in Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach before opening the stylish Kapi Kapi restaurant near Quepos in October. "It's the best anywhere and I get offers of great fish from different purveyors four or five days a week."
Remy says that dorado (also called mahi mahi), red snapper, and tuna are abundant in local waters. (Quepos is in the middle of the country on the Pacific side.) Shrimp, too, are local. Swordfish and grouper come from farther-flung waters but they are handled with impeccable care by Martec Industries, the impressive seafood company that’s based in Quepos.
Fish this fresh and this good doesn’t need any help from fancy sauces or fussy chefs. It’s great simply tossed on a grill with some salt and pepper or marinated with olive oil, garlic and cilantro in a plastic bag for a half hour, then grilled.
But, a little black dress can always use a string of pearls. And great mahi mahi is even more alluring in Remy’s simple but seductive roasted chile butter sauce.
For the preparation, Remy lightly pats the fillet with crushed macadamia nuts and panko crumbs, pan-sears it and finishes the cooking in the oven. Then he adds just enough butter sauce to complement the fish’s richness and a final drizzle of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce to bring out its sweet, ocean-fresh flavor.
Though Macadamia Mahi Mahi is the top seller at Kapi Kapi, Remy says he himself is partial to the local ahi tuna that he treats to a touch of citrus brown butter sauce. “I serve it on a green papaya salad that I pound in that bowl,” he explains, pointing to an enormous wooden mortar and pestle. Along with the green papaya, Remy works in some raw green beans, cherry tomatoes, peanuts, fish sauce, sriracha hot sauce and fresh squeezed citrus - lemon, lime or orange. It’s a celebration of tastes and textures.
The menu at Kapi Kapi, which boasts one of the most beautiful, open-air dining rooms in the Quepos-Manuel Antonio area, also offers Sugar Cane-Skewered Prawns that are lightly glazed with rum and tamarindo; a fire-roasted red snapper served with citrus salsa; and seared yellowfin tuna that’s paired with wasabi aioli.
For folks who want turf instead of surf, Remy also does a chicken breast stuffed with a savory mix of jasmine rice, chorizo, sweet plaintains, coconut milk and curry powder, and an “Eggplant Boat” filled with coconut curry pork.
Kapi Kapi is located on the road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio. It’s open daily for dinner. There’s no Web site; the phone number is 777-5049.
Great read; I had an amazing fishing trip down there in 2000.
Posted by: FoodieInSD | February 15, 2008 at 11:11 AM