PANAMA: Ten Popular Panamanian Treats And Where To Find Them

Panama is arguably Latin America’s most international destination.

Thanks in large part to the Panama Canal, this tiny isthmus is home to populations from all over the world: Israel, India, Lebanon, China, France, Brazil, and Argentina to name just a few.

So what is true Panamanian cuisine?

The spicy, fiery flavors of the Caribbean? The seafood-rich diet of the Guna tribes? Or briny Mediterranean flavors dating back to the times of the conquistadors?

When it comes to Panama’s signature dishes, the answer is: all of the above. Happily, in every town and region, there’s a tasty treat just waiting to tempt you.

1. Conch Fritters Fresh from the Caribbean

If you truly want to taste the Caribbean, try the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

Here, restaurants serve up a variety of cuisines with a Caribbean kick.

Most visitors stay on the main island of Isla Colon.

But here's a little secret: a five-minute boat ride will get you to Carenero, where Cosmic Crab Cafe serves up mouth-watering conch fritters.

2. Saus: An Afro-Antillean “Guilty Pleasure”

For something a bit more adventurous try spicy pickled pigs’ feet.

A party tradition stemming from Panama’s rich Afro-Antillean heritage, this treat known as saus is often served at parties, festivals and culinary fairs.

A down-home cafeteria called El Sabroson serves up a slightly sweet version in the mountain town of Boquete. For generous portions and inexpensive fare, this eatery can’t be beat!

3. Guacho: Stick-to-Your Ribs Rice

A favorite for working guys and gals on the go, guacho fuses mild Latin American flavors with spiced meat or seafood.

This “meal in a bowl” comes in dozens of variations, all building on a hearty rice base.

For an elevated seafood version by star chef Mario Castrellón, head to Panama City’s Maito restaurant.

4. The Pigeon Pea: Panama’s Most Prized Legume

Some guachos in Panama feature earthy pigeon peas or guandu.

These tiny green and black legumes are highly nutritious and flavorful.

They’re also the key component in another traditional rice dish: arroz con guandu.

A simple “rice and beans” type dish, it relies on the guandu’s umami quality for depth of flavor.

In island locations like Isla Grande, the dish is made with coconut milk for added richness.

If you find yourself on this “big island” (so small, you can boat around it in an hour), head to La Cholita for an exemplary arroz con coco y guandu.

5. Ceviche: A Panamanian Twist on a Latin American Staple

Speaking of seafood, you can’t leave Panama without sampling some ceviche.

Unlike spicier Peruvian versions, Panama’s take on this dish is all about the tart flavor of citrus.

Locals “cook” fish, shrimp, and other types of seafood by soaking in lime.

The marinated ceviche is then served with crackers or fried plantains.

With a light Panama beer, it’s a perfect pre-dinner snack. Every town in Panama has a good ceviche spot. But at Panama City’s seafood market (Mercado de Mariscos) you can sample a range of different varieties.

6. Flaky Fish With Butter & Garlic

Panama’s most popular signature dish may well be corvina al ajillo.

In this dish corvina, a light flaky fish, is lightly poached in a garlic and butter sauce.

It’s a meal best enjoyed overlooking the Pacific.

Head to the capital’s Amador Causeway, where restaurants like Al Dente serve it up with a side of patacones or fried green plantains—Panama's most beloved side dish.

Locals say that the word Panama means “an abundance of fish”…and there are plenty more signature dishes you can sample from both oceans.

But there are also many sweet and savory treats here that don’t come from the sea.

7. Sancocho is Panama’s “Penicillin Soup”

Panama’s version of the cure-all that is chicken soup, sancocho is usually made with big hunks of chicken and starchy root vegetables.

Some of these, such as the purple-hued otoe may be completely foreign to first-time visitors.

But not to worry, they taste much like that other popular tuber, the potato.

Where to get the best sancocho? The competition is fierce, so sample as many versions as you can …starting with El Trapiche Restaurant in Panama City.

8. Not Your Mexican Mama’s Tamale

Panamanian tamales are moist bundles of ground corn filled with chicken and olives.

If you think you’ve had tamales, think again.

The Panamanian ones are very different from their Mexican counterparts, which tend to be more crumbly in texture.

Though often served at weddings, tamales are also popular workday snacks.

You can pick them up ready-made at local Riba Smith supermarkets.

Better yet, find tamales and many other delicacies at Grand Deli Gourmet cafés.

9. Pesada de Nance: “Pucker-Up Pudding”

Once you’ve had your meal, try a little postre—that is, something to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Unusual Panamanian desserts available at shops like Deli Gourmet include pesada de nance.

A pudding made from the nance or golden spoon fruit, it’s an acquired taste due to its sour flavor.

La Batea, a Panamanian-style restaurant in the Rio Hato beach district makes a “crème brûlée” version that takes this dessert up a notch.

10. Cocada: Looks Like a Chocolate Truffle, Tastes Even Better

If you’re in the countryside, keep an eye peeled for little sweets referred to as cocada.

A sticky mass of coconut and sugar cane juice, this decadent dessert has a rich, molasses flavor.

Look for it at roadside kiosks or at Panama’s most famous outdoor market, in the crater town of El Valle.

11. Sweet and Refreshing Chicheme in a Cup

If you’re in the mood to sip a sugary treat, try a glass of chicheme.

Made from fresh corn ground to a milky pulp, this drink is popular all over Panama…and even in Costa Rica.

Not going quite that far? Make a pit stop at Quesos Chela en route from Panama City to Coronado Beach.

A Panamanian institution, this shop in Capira usually has a line of locals out the door. Along with ice-cold chicheme, you’ll find soft curd cheeses, fresh baked empanadas, and much more.

Happy eating!



Tourism Observer

PANAMA: Three Types of Easter Treats You Won’t Want to Miss

Easter time in North America conjures up images of beautiful baskets brimming with colorful eggs and sweet treats. Kids stuff their faces with chocolate bunnies and cream filled eggs, cute baby chicks made of sugary marshmallow, and Jordan almonds in pastel shades.

A good Easter supper might feature hot cross buns and a baked ham or roast lamb, not to mention an assortment of casseroles, cakes, and pies.

But if you’re in Panama, what can you expect? Never fear!

As in other countries around the globe, here ‘tis a time for great food and cheer.

Easter traditions abound, so get out there and sample some of Panama’s classic seasonal treats.

Culminating in Easter, Panama’s Holy Week or Semana Santa comes around every March or April.

The exact dates vary in accordance with the lunar calendar, which is packed with holidays and observances this time of year.

First comes the Carnival season (usually in February), then Lent, which is typically a time of sacrifice.

Finally, with Easter comes a time for family trips and special meals.

During Lent and Holy Week, many abstain from eating meats such as beef, pork, and chicken, choosing instead to dine on fish.

So it should be no surprise that delicacies from the Pacific and Atlantic top the list of popular summertime treats in Panama.

But that’s not all! Traditional Holy Week treats run the gamut, from savory to sweet.

Here are some traditional eats to track down during your visit:

1. Fish dishes for the Easter season:
During the Lent and Holy Week season, corvina and red snapper sales shoot through the roof as thousands of Panamanians eschew meat dishes. Instead, they choose cold ceviches or hot preparations al ajillo (with garlic and butter) or a la criolla (a red-tinged annatto sauce of peppers, tomato and onion).

Looking for something a little bit different? The different regions of Panama have their own particular Easter season dishes.

In the Herrera province, Lent and Holy Week breakfasts typically consist of polenta-like bollo, a simple farmer’s cheese, and dried or smoked fish known as bacalao.

In the Caribbean province of Colon, this dried fish is often served up on Good Friday in escabeche, a vinegary concoction made with veggies and hot peppers.

2. Unique treats with a twist:
Popular ingredients like beans and yuca are featured in many a savory preparation.

But during the Easter season, these ingredients find their way into unusual sweets.

A dish that’s typical of Panama’s Caribbean Coast is enyucado.

It’s said that this dish originated when Panama was part of Colombia, where this dish is also popular.

A cross between pudding and casserole, the dish consists of sweetened grated yucca, fragrant anise seeds, shredded coconut, and crumbles of white farmer’s cheese.

In rural Panama, unshelled cashews are traditionally roasted over an open fire and eaten two days before Easter, on Good Friday.

It’s a laborious process that takes hours and a careful eye to ensure the husks blacken but don’t burn.

A unique sweet called cocada is also made with these flavorful nuts.

Cashews are pried from the “apples” on which they grow around this time of year.

Each delicious cashew fruit sports a single nut.

They are roasted and shelled—often by hand—then added to a sweet, gooey mixture of coconut and sugar cane syrup spiced with cinnamon.

The mixture is allowed to cool, then formed into little molasses-colored balls.

You’ll find these for sale all over the Chiriqui province and in other regions during the Holy Week holidays.

Even more unusual is a similar preparation made in traditional towns like Penonome, province of Cocle. Instead of cashews, cooked beans are the main ingredient in this Holy Week sweet, known simply as dulce de frijoles.

3. Sweets with universal appeal:
Two of the most delicious dessert items sold this time of year are bon and bienmesabe.

These are labor intensive to make. But as they are made with simple ingredients—no nuts or beans here—they’re universally popular.

Present these sweet treats to kids and grown-ups, foreigners and locals they’re sure to be a hit!

Bon is widely associated with the Colon Province, where it has been popular for as long as locals can remember. With a population predominantly descended from Afro-Antilleans, Colon has a cuisine all its own.

During Holy Week, Panamanians all over the country (many of them of Afro-Antillean descent) petition local bakers for bon bread.

Said to represent the bread that Jesus broke at the Last Supper, circular loaves of bon are made with dried fruit, raisins, local cheese, and orange rinds.

The dark, molasses coated dough is often topped with a bit of lighter dough in the shape of a crown or cross, to symbolize the life and travails of Jesus Christ.

It takes hours to make bon, because the dough is worked and left to rise several times.

To make bienmesabe, on the other hand, one must be prepared to spend hours at a hot stove.

The recipe makes use of the blank palate that is rice—either in the form of rice flour, or cooked and processed to create a rice “cream.” Mixed with raspadura (unrefined cane sugar) and milk, it is cooked down over a period of four hours, stirring all the while to avoid lumps.

Once the milk has darkened and the mixture is very tick, it is molded into small circular patties.

As they cool, the bienmesabe rounds take on a rubbery consistency.

Traditionally, big leaves are trimmed and used to form the molds.

As a result, these sweet treats look like large, caramel-topped pieces of sushi! The best thing about bienmesabe? The name. Roughly translated, it means: “tastes good to me.”

Savory, sweet, or somewhere in-between, traditional Semana Santa eats are fun to seek out and try. No matter which regions of Panama you visit, locals will be happy to tell you about their favorite Holy Week foods and traditions.

And if you want them, you’ll be able to find Easter eggs and bunnies, as well.

Being such an international destination, Panama has adopted plenty of traditions from overseas.




Tourism Observer