Food and Drinks: Unlike other Latin American countries, Costa Rican food is not spicy or hot. There is a large variety of hot sauces available to add to your meal which allow for individual preferences. The most popular side dish is rice and beans (arroz y frijoles); together with meat, salad and plantains this makes up the full typical meal called “casado”. The most traditional alcoholic drink is called “guaro”, a clear spirit distilled from sugarcane. The quality of the domestic beers is excellent, as is the coffee liquor -“Café Rica”. Fresh juices made of different tropical fruits are also common in Costa Rican tables and, of course, coffee is present everywhere.