Panama
Food
Panama City has every kind of cuisine, from Chinese and Thai to Mexican and nouvelle gourmet. The town of Boquete also has a variety of restaurants, plus excellent coffee. Elsewhere food is of good quality, but more limited variety.
Panamanians eat a staple diet of rice, beans and meat with a variety of local vegetables and fruits such as yucca, squash, papaya, banana and watermelon.
Visitors to the islands of San Blas and Bocas del Toro enjoy excellent seafood and the occasional coconut straight from a palm tree.
Panamanian specialties include:
- Sancocho — Panamanian stew with chicken, meat and vegetables
- Empanadas — turnovers filled with meat, chicken or cheese
- Casado — a plate that includes rice, black beans, a piece of chicken, meat, or fish, and often a small salad
- Gallo pinto — the rice-and-beans plate for breakfast, often accompanied by eggs
As with most Latin American countries, the food is fresh and healthy because it is served close to where it is grown.
