Thread: Panamanian Cuisine

In Mexico .f. - the y serve meals and eat èm "hot and spicy"
but in Chile they prefer European Style like food without pepper and chilli..
Does a typical inhabitant of Panama prefer "hot" ?

Or better: " S o m e like it hot" :-) ?

Cheers
Mike, Frankfurt

What about Panamasian Beer?
It`s like Heineken or Michelob?
Millers or Molson?
:-)
Does they have their own breweries in Panama?
And how does it taste?

Originally Posted by Laura

Here is a pic of patacones that I found on google:




This pic is from toomanychefs.com

Laura

Whats in those things?

Thanks for sharing such information. I don't know any Panamian food. The food in the pictures look delicious. Is there a special beef or pork Panamian cuisine?

mmm..

Where we can get Recetas/Recipes de Panama Food?

Originally Posted by GeekZ

Whats in those things?

Those are plantains that have been smashed and fried.

Panamanians like to use the herb culantro in their chicken soups.

Originally Posted by Bodine

Those are plantains that have been smashed and fried.

Panamanians like to use the herb culantro in their chicken soups.

Is it spicy or even HOT ?

Originally Posted by MultiVista

Is it spicy or even HOT ?

I am not sure which you are refering to, but neither the fried plantains or the herb culantro are spicy.
Panamanian food is not spicy per say.
When a Panamanian wants spicy food, he goes to a Mexican resturant.

Napoli is a great restaurant and I like their pizza, but have decided that the pizza at Pizza Italia is better (the owners of the two restaurants are related). My favorite restaurant in Panama is the Waikiki Aloha, near the intersection of Calle 12 de Octubre and Via Espana. It's a step down in classiness from the Napoli, but I like their menu, and it's inexpensive. They also have the best sangria I have had anywhere in the world, including Spain.

If you're looking for an interesting twist on Panamanian cuisine, there's a restaurant called Apetito's near Condado del Rey that is delicious!

During conversations with my brother in the US about my Latin America intentions, he mentions 'World's Best Coffee" .. quite dear, I suppose. Can someone shed some light .. as well as price and ordering info .. on this super java?

Originally Posted by Bodine

I am not sure which you are refering to, but neither the fried plantains or the herb culantro are spicy.
Panamanian food is not spicy per say.
When a Panamanian wants spicy food, he goes to a Mexican resturant.

No Thai food in Panama?

Try the private chef at B&B Inn Cerrito Tropical Panama on Taboga Island, Typical Fresh Fish with Signature Sauces - Criole and Garlic Butter. He makes delicious fresh everything to order (please make a reservation in advance), Sancocho, Ceviche, Coconut Rice, Flan de la Casa... and more.

People living in the coastal region of Panama usually eat fish though lobster as well is really famous in such areas. People from the Inland areas raise a lot of cattle and therefore produce a lot of really great beef cuts. They grow coffee - which is great as well.

I am not much into seafood, as I grew up in a landlocked country, and didnt have any seafood till a few years ago...
but if Panamian cuisine has a bit similarity to Mexican, what i happen to love a lot, then I will like the food there too

Not much of a seafood fan either but luckily there is plenty to choose from
I'm in a cooking mood lately (having more time on my hands) so I love trying new recipes, thanks guys for posting the recipes links, I don't know why I haven't thought of those before.

I am new to the site. I can't believe no one has mentioned empanadas. The corn and beef filled are my faves, but I can only make flour ones here. I can't find the right corn to make them with.

Here's my pic

I was just wondering, are the menu's in the restaurants in Spanish and English?

Also what would the prices be for some of the places that was mentioned in this posts for the pizza and the other foods?

I have been to over 25 countries in my life, and I found that the Filipino foods were the worst. Very unhealthy as alot of the foods are fried in the Philippines, or served with all the fat on still like Leachon. [Whole cooked pig, with all the fat on]

I love the people in the Philippines, just that nothing to exciting to eat there, except for some simple mango deserts, that are just ok. Not much else, that is why you never see any filipno restaurants in any other countries.

In Panama City, most restaurants have some English translations; the more upscale, the more this is true. In the interior, it is less common (except in Bocas and Boquete).

Prices, like anywhere, are all over the map. You can get an entire pizza for around $3, or go to a gourmet joint and spend $8. Panama City has a very, very strong restaurant scene -- the only things missing are good Mexican and Thai -- and you can spend $2 or $40 for a meal, not including drinks. Just depends on the place. In the interior (other than Bocas and Boquete), it's very difficult to spend more than $10. But, don't expect tablecloths, a wine list, etc.

I Like "Pinto".
But I found it only in Costa Rica.

A mixture of

Beans and Rice with a little of chicken...
and spicy...

Another Question:

Where I can buy "alimentos" (food) cheap in Panama
to create my own "Gringo-Meal"?

Cortco is in Panama?
http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/locator.aspx

Where?
And are the prices cheaper than in REY oe Supper 99?
Above all for beer ? :-)

Cheers

Mike

Yes, you can find Pinto Gallo in Panama -- usually at the more traditional places.

PriceSmart -- very much like Costco, but no longer financially related -- is in Panama City and David.

Prices there can be cheaper, as long as you're willing to buy the jumbo size: you cannot buy two apples, or one can of soup, or four rolls of toilet paper. After you factor in the annual membership cost of $35, I'm not sure it's much cheaper, unless you're buying lots of stuff. (Many small hotels and restaurants stock up there, as well as people from the interior who don't have megastores near where they live.) But it is also a good place to find certain things: fresh salmon, for example.

Beer (national brands) in supermarkets is 49¢ per can. Bottles in the tiny grocery stores (called chinitas) are usually 40-50¢, including the 5¢ deposit. Or, you can go to a distributor and buy a case; per-bottle cost is 35¢ (plus a deposit on the bottles and the plastic case).

One other note about Panama shopping: Like all of Latin America, bigger does not mean cheaper. E.g., when you need to stock up on toilet paper, it may be cheaper to buy six packs of four rolls, rather than the mega 24-roll pack. Ditto almost everything, except those things you buy by weight.

And, to make matters more confusing, we use a mix of metric and US measures here. On the roads, it's all kilometers. At the gas station, it's US gallons. Carpenters and plumbers use both inches and centimeters. And in the grocery store, you'll find ounces, liters, pounds, and kilos -- all mixed together.

THX!
"Like all of Latin America, bigger does not mean cheaper. E.g., when..."

But why is it ?

Better to go to COLON?
Free Trade Zone...

very cheap.. but no food, I think....

Mike

Sancocho... mmmm the best chicken soup ever, especially with white rice.
Pescado Frito con patacones (fried fish with plantains). with a side of chicha (juice)
ropa vieja... so good!
sao (pigs feet but very good!)
ensalada de mango (mango salad)

...i can go on & on!

Why is it? I'm not sure, but I would guess it's largely due to the "no-tomorrow" attitude so pervasive in these cultures -- they simply don't plan ahead, so why buy more than you need for the next couple of days? Therefore, the stores have no reason to push volume.

Another example: The wildest, most active nights in the bars are the weekends closest to the 1st and 15th of any month -- because those are the days people get paid. (I know, that's stereotypical talking, and I apologize -- but sometimes the stereotypes ring true.)

As far as Colón: No, definitely not. The Free Trade Zone is designed for companies buying 100 televisions, or 1,000 pairs of sneakers at a time -- not for the one-off shopper. And even if you do buy there, you need a broker and shipper to get your items to you. It's a pain, and not worth it.

If you want to save money on food, the best bet is to hit the public markets for produce and meats. They're easy to find in the smaller towns, not so easy in PC. And, those markets won't have your dry and canned goods.

If you eat like the Panamanians do, you'll find that groceries cost less here than in the US. If you insist on buying US brands, or can't live without other imported goods, you'll pay more -- except on liquor, which is cheaper here across the board.

Originally Posted by exilio

The Free Trade Zone is designed for companies buying 100 televisions, or 1,000 pairs of sneakers at a time -- not for the one-off shopper. And even if you do buy there, you need a broker and shipper to get your items to you. It's a pain, and not worth it.

In Colon You can buy cheap

ONE TV or
ONE Cognac or
5 pairs of shoes...

5 there are cheaper than one in Panama City...

Cheers
Mike

OK, MultiVista, but did you actually do it? I.e., buy a TV and get it out of Colón?

I didn't say it is not possible -- I said that the FTZ is not *designed* for one-off shoppers. And every single person that I've spoken to who lives here -- Panamanian and ex-pat alike -- say the hassle is large, and any price savings are pretty much wiped out by duty, fees, travel expenses, etc.

If you have experience to the contrary -- e.g., you bought a TV in the FTZ and got it back to Panama City (or wherever) at a *total* cost less than what you'd pay at one of the megastores in Panama City -- well, then, I'd very much like to hear about it.

PS: I hope the moderator or admin will break this discussion of the FTZ off into a new thread, because it has nothing to do with cuisine. Still, it is a frequent topic among those coming to Panama...

Hey buddies,

I am in TX now and coming to Panama on next JAN,
Before I come here, I just want to know more about
foods there and when I googled I have got this page, It is informative
really good hints & links too,

I hope I will be able to find some good information about
panama real estate industry too,

Cheers,
Mary

I love food!!!! Especially vegetarian & vegan food! Try www.VegCooking.com

My favorite is Calamari.. May be because squid is popular in Australia also. Prawn?Shrimp dishes are also really good in Panama. Once I tasted Rabas de Calamar, which I found really tasty. My #1 restaurant is Barandas Restaurant at the Bristol Hotel, Panama City.