Caldosas: Costa Rica’s Ceviche-Infused Take on Frito Pie and Dorilocos

Certain recipes can make a restaurant a household name, while others come to symbolize a city or region. Only a select few can redefine a nation’s culinary landscape, becoming staples on menus and captivating diners. In Costa Rica, that dish is the caldosa, a nationwide sensation that began with a child.

Caldosas (meaning “brothy”) feature a bag of Picaritas — rectangular, barbecue-flavored corn chips — piled high with local ceviche, lightly shaken, and served with a spoon. They are Costa Rica’s equivalent to Texas’ Frito Pie or Mexico’s Dorilocos, and they can be found everywhere.

While the dish was reportedly created outside Zaragoza in the Northwest province of Palmares de Alajuela, caldosas are available along the beaches of Puntarenas on the Pacific Coast, in Costa Rica’s Caribbean tourist towns, and at nearly every stall in San José’s Mercado Central. Along the route to Santa Teresa, one of the country’s most popular spots, numerous food stands line the sidewalks, complete with plastic tables, chairs, and signs proclaiming “caldosas here.” This dish fits in just as well at roadside stands as it does in the country’s top restaurants.

What is the origin of caldosas?

The tale begins in the mid-1990s when a young boy walked into Fory Fay, a well-known bar and restaurant famed for its seafood and ceviche. He asked the owner if he could pour some ceviche juice into his bag of Picaritas, enjoying the flavor of ceviche without paying for a full serving. “In the following days, he kept returning, often bringing his friends,” recounts Juan Miguel Pacheco, who has been running this family establishment for over twenty years.

The Pacheco family recognized an immediate opportunity. They could utilize the juice at the bottom of the ceviche, which they previously discarded at the end of each day. Juan notes, “This combination gained popularity, and we began to call it caldosa,” referring to the broth that went into the initial bag. Today, the restaurant draws both locals and tourists. Pacheco mentions that they sell over 2,000 bags of Picaritas each week at the Palmares location alone, and the snack has enabled Fory Fay to expand with cevicherias in nearby Zaragoza and San Ramón.

What makes ceviche and Picaritas chips a perfect match?

At Fory Fay, caldosas are served in glasses, with Picaritas mixed in like cereal in a bowl of milk. The ceviche broth features small pieces of white marlin, along with purple onion, cilantro, green chile, and pico de gallo. In Costa Rica, ceviche tends to be sweeter compared to neighboring countries, often incorporating tomato sauce, ketchup, or even ginger ale. Fory Fay provides mayonnaise and ketchup packets with caldosas, letting customers customize their mix. For takeout orders, Pacheco continues to serve it as originally intended, scooped into a bag of chips.

The sweet and tangy broth amplifies the barbecue flavor of the chips. However, it's the texture that truly elevates the experience. The broth softens some chips while leaving others crispy, creating a delightful combination in the mouth. Achieving the perfect balance of broth to chips requires some skill, as the chips absorb the liquid quickly. It’s best to add the caldo gradually to avoid sogginess. Stirring the mixture vigorously breaks the chips into smaller pieces, which helps maintain some crunch and makes it easier to scoop with the small spoon typically included. Some people prefer to crush the bag before opening it to break the chips.

Why are caldosas so popular in Costa Rica?

Many Ticos have a deep affection for fish and seafood, particularly ceviche. However, the dish can often be too expensive for regular enjoyment, even in a country rich in coastal resources. 'Caldosas became an economical solution,' explains Miguel Barboza Retana, a local journalist and food writer. The ceviche broth, a byproduct that might otherwise go to waste, is much cheaper than the fish that makes up the main ceviche dish. 'That’s the primary reason for their widespread appeal across the nation.'

The popularity of caldosas wasn't purely spontaneous. After their rise in the ’90s, Jack’s, the maker of Picaritas, quickly saw their potential and began focusing on the seafood market. The company hired sales reps to visit cevicherias (now numbering around 200), created promotional materials for venue owners, and marketed caldosas throughout the country. Sales of Picaritas increased by about 30 percent, and cevicherias now account for 22 percent of the company’s revenue.

That marketing effort hasn’t slowed. During the pandemic, when many restaurants had to close, the company launched caldosas.com to support venues that offered caldosas for delivery or takeout. Currently, there are over 500 registered businesses on the site, including cevicherías, restaurants, and bars categorized by province.

As caldosas gain popularity, rival snack brands like Yummies and Frank’s are joining the trend. For example, Yummies is marketing Ranchitas (akin to Doritos, seasoned with cheese-jalapeño powder or lemon-pepper) as a great alternative to Picaritas. They've also created other recipes, such as one that layers black beans, guacamole, chopped lettuce, and various ingredients with Ranchitas in a glass. In response, Picaritas launched Chichalcaldosas, combining chips with chicharrón and pico de gallo.

Even upscale chefs are getting involved in the caldosa craze.

High-end chefs are also embracing the trend. Santiago Fernández Benedetto has crafted his own version at Silvestre, his contemporary restaurant located in the Barrio Amón neighborhood of San José, which highlights Costa Rican ingredients and traditions. Benedetto initially experimented with the caldosa using homemade corn crisps, snook, and octopus, offering a fresh, modern twist. He has since introduced several new variations.

Inspired by Benedetto, other chefs have also put their spin on caldosas, including Sophia Rodriguez Mata, who experimented with a version featuring palm hearts and pejibaye (peach palm) at her restaurant Khali, and Paulo Valerios, who created a variant at Huacas.

Not everyone embraces this trend. Miguel Barboza Retana expresses concern, stating, “I believe these gourmet interpretations of caldosas can alter the essence of the dish.” Benedetto counters that when caldosas first emerged, many viewed them as an affront to ceviche. He adds, “Considering the commercial snack they derive from, caldosas might be seen as ‘anti-gastronomic.’” However, they have evolved into beloved bocas, or bar snacks, and Benedetto regards the latest upscale versions as a tribute to their immense popularity.

At their core, the dish is meant to be fun. Benedetto reflects, “I prefer to focus on the joy the dish brings through its playful mixing of textures. Opening a bag of Picaritas feels like unwrapping a gift, a nostalgic memory from my childhood. For many, caldosas have rekindled that memory.”

Pacheco has witnessed this firsthand. He shares that people travel from afar to experience the birthplace of caldosas, tasting a slice of their school days and reconnecting with their youth through a creation born from a child’s imagination.

Where to enjoy caldosas in Costa Rica

Fory Fay

As the original home of the caldosa, Fory Fay is a cozy, wooden-clad roadside bar that serves bocas (bar snacks) and vibrant seafood dishes. Trophies and football memorabilia vie for attention alongside liquor bottles on the shelves. While the menu features rice dishes, tacos, mondongos, and crispy fish fillets, caldosas are a staple at every table, presented in glasses with Picaritas mixed in. Rincón de Zaragoza, Alajuela Province

Silvestre

Santiago Fernández Benedetto showcases regional flavors and the variety of local ingredients through innovative dishes at his restaurant, located in a beautifully renovated house in the historic Barrio Amón. His ever-evolving tasting menu invites diners to explore the richness of Tico cuisine, featuring everything from fresh seafood to arroz guacho (rice with chayote topped with grilled chicken and shrimp). Currently, Benedetto's caldosa combines mussel ceviche with shell-shaped crispy corn chips. Calle 3A #955, Amón, San José

Pescaderia Isla del Coco

Look for this casual food stall in the vibrant and crowded historic Mercado Central, marked by a giant fake octopus perched on the awning. Named after a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the stall is known for serving some of the most reliable ceviche in the city, featuring chunks of fish marinated in lime and topped with onion, cilantro, and peppers. If the ceviche is this good, you can count on the caldosa to be as well; it comes served in a bag of crunchy Picaritas, best enjoyed right away. Mercado Central de San José, Avenida Central, San José

La Macarena

Along the route to Puntarenas, numerous spots sell churchills, the local take on shaved ice layered with flavored syrups, condensed milk, powdered milk, ice cream, and fruit. Each stall tries to catch the attention of passing drivers with colorful balloons, large flags, and even Minions statues. However, the signs promoting oversized caldosas lead many to stop at La Macarena. This shop prepares its caldosas using ceviche made from the freshest fish of the day, often enhanced with shrimp caught by local fishermen. Avenida 4, Puntarenas

Rafael Tonon is a journalist and culinary writer currently residing between Brazil and Portugal. He authored the book The Food Revolutions.