Casado

Casado is the most popular dish in Costa Rica, consisting of white rice, beans, meat such as pork, chicken, or beef, and a salad such as iceberg or coleslaw. Additional side dishes may include avocado slices, French fries, cheese tortillas, fried plantains, and potato-based stews.

The name casados translates to married, and it is clearly visible on the plate as all of the ingredients provide a nice balance of protein and carbohydrates, making it a nutritionally valuable dish as well as a tasty one. According to a popular legend, the dish was usually eaten by newlyweds, and as the two would not know the other one's preferences in food, a variety of ingredients would be served on one plate in order to find out the favorites of each newlywed.

Today, whichever traditional restaurant (called sodas) you visit, it will most likely be on their menu.