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Kapi Kapi

Kapi Kapi

Destination: Manuel Antonio

Kapi Kapi is one of the institutions of Manuel Antonio where visitors make reservations a day in advance to get a seat at this Pan-Asian seafood restaurant.

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As an appetizer, the seafood cigars, $12, tuna and mahi-mahi fried spring rolls with a srirachi aoli, came highly recommended but didn't quite live up to the expectation; they were a little greasy and overwrought with aoli. Though, the white Sangria, $9; sauvignon blanc base with Flor de Caña rum, triple sec, green apples, lime and sugar (and a little blue umbrella) served with the appetizer helped to improve the first course.

Principally, Kapi Kapi's a seafood restaurant with Asian influences, as in the spring rolls, or the peppercorn seared ahi tuna, $22, served in a citrus browned butter sauce with Thai inspired green-papaya salad and chopped peanuts.

Unfortunately the menu can be hit and miss, we sidestepped the recommendation and tried the panko snapper, $21, with grilled balsamic eggplant in a red-bell pepper sauce, which sounded delicious, but the balsamic eggplant was served over the top of the snapper leaving what would be a crispy panko crust, soggy and overpowered with the flavors of balsamic vinegar.

Luckily, we'd already put in our order for chocolate soufflé, $8, (on the server's recommendation) before dinner, and we were delighted with the rich, light texture of the dessert, paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the most simple and decadent part of our experience at Kapi Kapi.

Ambiance

Dim golden lighting washes over the black tables and Asian-styled decor at Kapi Kapi's open-air, restaurant. Strip lighting winds around the trees and flora that surround the patio accompanied by green back lighting.

Service

Servers go out of their way to take care of guests and provide their well-rehearsed recommendations.

Price

Apps $9-$12; Entrees $16-$20

Hours

4 p.m.-10 p.m.

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Kapi Kapi in Pictures