Orquidea Updates

Customize Your Cuisine

Design a fully customized meal plan catered to your tastes and itinerary. 

Ready, Set, Eat

If it feels like the Orquidea is a bit of an outpost, that’s because it is! (How else could we enjoy no other man-made structures in our panoramic ocean view and wild monkeys swinging in our trees?) But we think that you will agree that some distance between us and town is worth it. This being said, it requires that we work with you in advance to plan your food options for your stay with us.

Set It And Forget It

Let’s face it: no one wants his or her vacation to be saddled with the responsibility of meal planning, shopping, prepping, cooking, serving, and cleaning up for a large group. We take that burden off of your shoulders and get everyone in your party back to relaxing while we take care of the legwork. Our meal planning has two main elements: Advance Shopping and Menu Selection.

Advance Shopping

There are items you know in advance that you will want for your stay, and we know where to get them. For example, most groups will want a selection of beverages (beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks, juices) and snacks (chips, cookies, crackers) to have on hand in between meal times. Talk to us about what you would like and we can create a shopping list that we purchase for you in advance and have stocked prior to your arrival.

Menu Selection

Most travelers agree that one of the best parts of visiting another country is trying its native food! We bring in local chefs to prepare a menu of authentic Nicaraguan classics based on your preferences. Typical favorites include:

  • Vigorón – Crispy pork nuggets served on a bed of vinegary coleslaw and boiled yucca
  • Tostones con queso – Plantain discs topped with fried cheese and pico de gallo
  • Guiso de pipián: Pipián (a native squash similar to zucchini) stewed with tomatoes and other vegetables in a rich and creamy sauce, accompanied by chicken or shrimp
  • Chili con carne served over rice, yucca, or plantains
  • Beef and sautéed onions
  • Chips and guacamole
  • Freshly prepared juices including watermelon, tangerine, pineapple, and tamarind
  • Arroz con leche – Traditionally prepared rice pudding

Breakfasts are more traditionally North American and can consist of egg casseroles, breakfast meats, waffles, granola and yogurt, fresh fruit, and, of course, delicious Nicaraguan coffee. Lunches are likely to be the most variable meal based on the plans of the day and can include hot panini sandwiches, pizzas, soups, salads, and other lighter fare.

Your selection of what meals you would like to have prepared for you will depend largely on your trip’s itinerary. Breakfast will always be a part of your plans, and lunch and dinner will be dependent on whether you stay close to the Orquidea all day or spend a portion of your day off property. For this reason, it is important for us to get a general sense of how to plan to spend your time with us so that we can adequately prepare for kitchen staffing and purchasing food. Visit the Adventures section of our website to get ideas or feel free to talk to us about anything else you may have in mind.

Dietary Restrictions?

If the list above has you searching for some animal-free options, don’t worry. We can bring in a different local chef who specializes in amazingly flavorful, globally-inspired vegan cuisine. Her meals are also gluten-free, in case anyone in your group is gluten intolerant.

What About Dessert?

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, or simply have a sweet treat always on your mind, we can arrange for many different kinds of desserts. Let us know if you would like a typical chocolate or vanilla cake, a traditional tres leches cake, or a variety of gluten-free, dairy-free treats such as almond date balls or coconut lime bars (all subject to availability).

Putting It All Together

By now, we hope you have a sense that we will work with you to create the highly customized meal plan your dream vacation deserves. The budget you can anticipate depends on your selections and what you would like for us to stock for you in advance. With this in mind, a general estimate for all breakfasts and 10 lunches/dinners for one week is $250 per person (not including alcohol). Your food plan includes costs for the start-to-finish labor associated with obtaining and preparing your food, gratuities for service across all meals, and kitchen clean up so you never have to wash a dish. All you have to do is show up when the dinner bell rings… buen provecho!