Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FOOD AND DRINK
Given Panama's clichéd status as the “melting pot of the Americas”, it's no surprise
Panamanian cuisine is infused with numerous culinary influences, notably Afro-An-
tillean, indigenous, Spanish, Chinese and American. Cosmopolitan Panama City offers
the greatest variations in terms of gastronomy and price (see Eating ), from a $3-4 plate
of noodles and chicken in the public market to ornate fusion cuisine served on damask
tablecloths. You can take your pick from Italian, Japanese, Lebanese, Brazilian, Amer-
ican - and thankfully not just McDonald's and KFC - Swiss or Indian fare. In the cap-
ital, Panamanian food rarely features on the menus of the mid- to high-end restaurants,
outside a few tourist-orientated venues, but in markets, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and
out in the interior, it's much easier to find local culinary specialities - often heavy on
starch and frequently fried.
Outside the capital and the major tourist destinations of Boquete and Bocas, there is less vari-
ation and dining is often more informal and a lot cheaper; travellers on a tight budget can eas-
ily find simple well-cooked food in fondas (basic restaurants), which offer comida corriente
- also known as the the menu del día - (meal of the day) for very little. Vegetarians will be
challenged since, as elsewhere in Central America, even the veggie staple of beans and rice
can be cooked in pork fat. Your best bet is to head for a Chinese restaurant, present in most
towns, or one of the proliferating pizzerias, or stock up with the fresh fruit and vegetables
that abound in many local markets.
 
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