Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One breakfast staple is
tortillas de maíz
. Unlike those found in Mexico and Guatemala,
Panamanian tortillas are much thicker, and are essentially deep-fried cornmeal cakes.
They go quite nicely with eggs or roast meat.
Hojaldras
are also served at breakfasts and
available at snack bars. Like a doughnut, this deep-fried mass of dough is served hot and
covered with sugar.
At
almuerzo
(lunch), many Panamanians opt for
comida corriente
, the meal of the
working class. This is an inexpensive set meal of beef, chicken or fish served alongside
arroz
(rice),
frijoles
(black beans),
plátano
(fried plantain), chopped cabbage and an egg
or an avocado.
Seafood is abundant. On the Caribbean coast and islands, everyday foods include
shrimp, crab, octopus, lobster and fish such as
corvina
(sea bass). Along the Caribbean
coast, dishes have a West Indian influence. Seafood is often mixed with coconut milk;
coconut rice and coconut bread are also Caribbean treats.
In Panama City you'll often see men pushing carts and selling
raspados
(cones filled
with shaved ice topped with fruit syrup and sweetened condensed milk).
Drink
Fresh fruit drinks, sweetened with heaped tablespoons of sugar and mixed with water or
milk, are called
chichas
, and are extremely popular. Also be on the lookout for
chicheme
(a nonalcoholic concoction of milk, sweet corn, cinnamon and vanilla).
Coffee is traditionally served very strong and offered with cream or condensed milk. Es-
presso drinks are available only in major cities and tourist destinations.
The national alcoholic drink is made of
seco,
milk and ice.
Seco,
like rum, is distilled
from sugarcane, and popular in the countryside. Popular in the central provinces,
vino de
palma
is fermented sap extracted from the trunk of a palm tree.
By far the most popular alcoholic beverage in Panama is
cerveza
(beer), and the most
popular local brands are Panamá, Balboa and Atlas.
EATING PRICE RANGES
The following price ranges refer to a main dish.
$less than US$10
$$$US$10-$16
$$$
$$$more than US$16
