A cool experience from beginning to end.

What started as a food car, parked in different locations in Panama City, ended up settling (who knows for how long) at El Apartamento, a very casual rock and roll lounge with a hip twist.

The menu is described as Pan-Asian and was designed by Maito’s Chef Mario Castrellón, one of the most recognized chefs in the culinary scene in Panama.

The first thing we noticed when we entered The Apartment was the music from Radio 10, 88.1, and whoever plays that radio station in their venue is a friend of mine.

The menu is presented to you on a funky canvas with a section for you to choose and combine, and a section for individual dishes.

The choose and combine section allows you to create your dish by choosing your base, there are 3 options: rice, chow mein or rice noodles, followed by your choice of protein: pork, poultry or vegetables, then to finish your dish you must choose your sauce: curry-coconut, sweet and sour or teriyaki.

The creative and super popular menu includes pork belly buns, pulled pork teriyaki sliders, Indian chicken wings, curry-coconut shrimp won ton, portobello spring rolls, crunchy satay sweet and sour chicken, siu mae glazed with hot sauce, and tuna mango sushi rolls.

We decided to order almost all the dishes on the menu and the overall experience was completely satisfying. Our noodle combination was incredibly good – we combined pork, noodles and teriyaki, and to our surprise the presentation, perhaps new to Panama but standard in USA, was the ever familiar take out container, so A+ for that!

The pork buns were very tender and savory, we tried the pulled pork sliders from the comfort section of the menu (arguably the best in Panama), we were blown away by the curry-coconut sauce that came with our crispy shrimp wontons, and we ended on a hot and delicious note with the siu maes.

The prices are incredibly affordable, the service was excellent, and the ambiance complemented the whole experience.

We will be back soon!

Location:

Wegala is currently located at El Apartamento at the end of the Federico Boyd Ave., on the top floor of El Mundo de los Globos. (They move from place to place so make sure to follow them on Facebook as Wegala Panama or Twitter @wegalatruck

Tel: 396-5190

Kitchen hours:

Tuesday to Saturday

Yet another creation of one of our favorite chefs Fabricio Torcivia. Originally from Mendoza Argentina, Fabricio brings to the table the traditional cuisine style of his home town in a very straight forward approach offering three different settings – a semi-formal dining room with private rooms for meetings and gatherings, an air conditioned thatched roof tavern, and an open air garden terrace.

A Fuego Lento means slowly cooked and that is the standard for their house specialties. In the back yard, you can observe the traditional Mendozan rotisserie racks (traditionally called a la llama or a la cruz) where they slowly roast lamb and pork as well as a brick grill and oven where they use aromatic wood to feed the fire.

The menu is very refreshing offering imported meat, lamb, poultry, fish and seafood, risottos, pizzas, very creative starters such as zucchini carpaccio topped with caramelized nut brittle, Vietnamese clams, flank steak or lamb empanadas, scallops, Provoleta (a melted provolone cheese ceramic pot served with a crispy foccacia rubbed with garlic and herbs), and the most delicious flank steak and portobelo mushroom burgers with a fine herb mayonnaise.

On this occasion, we started with both flank steak and lamb empanadas with a delicate crust and moist andl delicious fillings accompanied by an exquisite dipping sauce. This was followed by the tenderest scallops served over caramelized onions with a hint of lemon oil.

The Provoleta was very indulging and fun to eat.

Then came the master of the house, a huge juicy and tender ribeye, cooked the way meat was meant to be cooked, with love!

A Fuego Lento has one of the best custard desserts in the whole country, and their crêpes are to die for. As Chef Fabricio once told us,

“I bought my first car by selling crêpes outside nightclubs in Argentina”.

So, we trust his expertise.

We ended our meal with what is called a citrus symphony, a passion fruit cream, a lemon cream, the closest thing to drinking a lemon pie, and sweet Monastrell wine.

 Location:

A Fuego Lento is located in

Obarrio, 60th Street, house

#55, beside the Japanese

Embassy.

Tel: 269-3000 / 269-6000

 Hours:

Monday to Saturday from

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

After a few casual and exciting restaurant visits, we decided to share an elegant lunch, so we headed to Rausch located at the boutique Hotel Esplendor in the heart of the banking area.

From the moment we stepped in, all the hustle and bustle of the city disappeared and our senses were greeted with a soothing complimentary mushroom cream cappuccino and delightful house bread. We were ready to be pleasantly surprised.

We decided to go for several entrées starting with a delicate yellow tail tuna tartar served with an oriental vinaigrette and wasabi mayonnaise, sprinkled with black sesame seeds. We followed this with a generous lobster and guacamole tian, served with a balsamic reduction, mango coulis and grapefruit sorbet.

We shared a mushroom and chicken mousse ravioli, topped with an exquisite foie gras sauce.

And we finished with soft shell crab served with an amazing gribiche sauce on top of a brioche toast, an artichoke confit, dried tomatoes, avocado and deep fried capers.

On our next visit, we will be sure to try the main dishes and the desserts since the menu looks amazing.

Location:

At the Esplendor Hotel in the banking area, at the beginning of Samuel Lewis Street and Gerardo Ortega Street.

Tel: 209-9600

Hours:

Every day: Lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and dinner from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Fenicia is located just a few meters before Rausch and offers the eclectic combination of Lebanese and Japanese food.

Initially, we were told by friends that it was a Lebanese restaurant so our minds were already predisposed for Mediterranean food so we stuck to our original plan and we were not disappointed at all.

The restaurant offers a variety of dishes and mezzas. Mezzas are selections of various small dishes meant to share and are an excellent choice when you don’t know what to order and, also, the illustrated menu really helps.

We ordered the Mezza Fenicia that comes with hummus, kibbeh, cheese sambusek, stuffed grape leaves, falafel, baba ganoush, tabuleh, fatush, musaka, hot potatoes, suguk, labne, kefta skewers, shish tauk and shish kabob. Well, we didn’t stop there. We also ordered the kibbeh nayyeh and a pickled vegetable dish.

Where to start? I don’t think I can describe the 18 dishes without exceeding the superlative adjective quota and the space in this article, so I will summarize the experience as a wonderful meal, a voyage through delightful flavors and aromas, an excursion through spices and textures and a very good experience, and would do it all over again…no hesitation!

 Next time, we will explore their exotic sushi.

 Location:

Banking area, Campo Alegre building, ground floor, between Vía España and Manuel María

Icaza Street, diagonal to the Continental Hotel.

Tel: 269-0187 / 269-0188

Hours:

Sunday to Thursday: from 11:30

a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Friday and Saturday: from 11:30

a.m. to 3:00 a.m.

In a carefully crafted environment with great atmosphere, sophisticated yet casual, stands the latest creation of David Henessy: Elephant Grill.

The moment you receive the menu in your hands, it is an invitation to play.

Do you feel like eating with your fingers? Perhaps with chopsticks? Or maybe from a bowl? Perhaps all, let’s share. That was our initial reaction!

So….we decided to each choose a dish and share, and exchange thoughts and discoveries.

While we decided on the menu, edemame beans entertained our palates.

One has to start somewhere, so let’s start with our fingers: the pork buns were moist and fluffy with tender pork and savory zucchini. The duck tacos were presented flawlessly, generous cuts of duck served with chives, zucchini and plum sauce.

Moving on to chopsticks, the gyosas were glorious, simply outstanding. Sometimes delicate simple things open a rainbow of greatness.

The scallops were perfectly cooked, tender yet savory, served with a lightly seasoned salad, so delicate yet so flavorful.

When you think of a bowl, you automatically think of soothing, calming comforting, and the Pad Thai, was all that and then more, a symphony of aromas and flavors…so many layers to it, so good.

Elephant Grill is the perfect place to transport yourself from the mundane life, and live a little like Asia in Panama City, at least just for a little while.

 Location:

Uruguay Street

Tel: 264-5652

Hours:

Monday to Saturday from

Lunch: from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Dinner: from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

On the corner of the bustling Federico Boyd and opposite to the Double Tree Hotel, you will find the home for all things smoked.

A laid back restaurant/cafeteria with inside and outside seating is the home of the famous gator bites, lightly battered and served with the best honey mustard dipping sauce I have tried in a long time.

I was especially delighted by the three varieties of wings, and no surprise, they were awarded the best wings at the 2011 BBQ fest.

You can try the traditional Buffalo with a twist, the aromatic and delicious lemon-pepper and my favorite the honey wasabi wings…I can’t stop thinking about them.

The coconut shrimp were perfectly cooked and served with a delicious sweet and hot sauce. The pulled pork smokiness and the tanginess of the BBQ sauce were very enjoyable; you can also order the pulled pork sandwich if you feel like it.

At the end of the meal, we tried one of the house specialties, the BBQ ribs laced with a thick and savory BBQ sauce, slowly roasted and falling off of the bone.

Beer drinkers will be delighted with their international selection of brews.

Smoke Shack serves a variety of interesting choices of starters, a variety of imported meats, sandwiches, creative salads, excellent fries and hearty sides, but the thing I liked the most, was all of their sauces. I think the chef is a sauce artist.

Location:

On the corner of the Federico Boyd street and opposite to the Double Tree

Hotel.

Tel: 398-5025 / 398-5026

Hours:

Monday to Saturday: from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Recognized as one of the world’s best accordion players, Panama’s cultural Ambassador and folk music (música típica) icon, Osvaldo Ayala is part of Panama’s musical elite. His music is lively and refined, above and beyond popular standards; he is the first Panamanian artist to perform with the National Symphony.

www.myspace.com/osvaldoayala

Q. What are your favorite beach and mountain destinations?

A. Pedasí beaches and San Marino in Colón

Q. What are your favorite restaurants?

A. Seafood restaurants and grills

Q. What are your favorite Panamanian dishes?

A. The Panamanian chicken soup, “sancocho de gallina”

Q. What is the thing you most enjoy about Panama?

A. The festive atmosphere all over the country

Daughter of Panamanian art royalty Alfredo Sinclair, started her expressive career at

an early age. Sinclair is considered to be one Panama´s best artists and her recognition

has no boundaries. Her individual style includes abstract, figurative painting and

sculpting. www.olgasinclair.com

Q. What are your favorite beach and mountain destinations?

A. “Boquete is my favorite, but I must admit that every corner of our country is

beautiful, as long as you can see the sky, the stars, and that the environment is kindly

cared for. Contadora, Coiba, San Blas and Bocas del Toro’s scenery are magical.

Q. What are your favorite restaurants?

A. La Chesa and Acha

Q. What are your favorite Panamanian dishes?

A. My favorite is the coconut rice with guandú. I eat it very often at my parent´s house.

Q. What is the thing you most enjoy about Panama?

A. When everybody from town flees to the countryside on holidays and the city is left

empty, no traffic jams……I love that feeling….also the lighthearted nature that depicts

General and Laparoscopic Surgery/ Specialist

Studies:

Doctor in Medicine
Escuela Autónoma de Ciencias Médicas, Dr. Andrés Vesalio Guzmán, known as UCIMED, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas.
San José, Costa Rica

Internships:

Caja Costarricence de Seguro Social, San José Costa Rica
Complejo Hospitalario Metropolitano C.S.S., Panamá
Hospital Rafael Hernández, David, Chiriquí
Hospital Dionisio Arrocha, Puerto Armuelles, Chiriquí

Practicing since:

2004

Specialties:

General and laparoscopic surgery consultations, minor surgeries, biopsies, thyroid surgery, breast surgery, hernia and abdominal wall surgery, gastrointestinal surgery (gastric and small bowel tumor resection), colon and rectal surgery, venous permanent catheter placement (port-a-cath), peritoneal dialysis catheter laparoscopic placement (tenckhoff), trauma surgery, emergency consultations and emergency surgery.

Societies:

Member of the Panamanian Association of surgery (ASPACI)
Member of the Latin American Federation of Surgery (FELAC)
Member of the Latin American Association of Endoscopic
Surgery (ALACE)
Member of the International Society of Surgery (ISS)

Residence:

General surgery and laparoscopic surgery – Complejo Hospitalario Metropolitano C.S.S, Universidad de Panamá, Faculty of Medicine.
Basic laparoscopic courses and advanced laparoscopic courses.
Multiple surgical training courses and laparoscopic workshops in USA and Latin America.

Current position:

General and Laparoscopic Surgeon, Department of Surgery, C.S.S., Panamá
General Surgeon, Hospital San Miguel Arcángel, Panamá
General and Laparoscopic surgical staff, Clínica Hospital San Fernando, and Hospital Punta Pacífica

Practice:

Panama city:

Clínica Hospital San Fernando
5th floor
Suite #49
Tel: (507) 305-6365
Messages: (507) 264-5155 / 811
Hospital Punta Pacífica (affiliated with Johns Hopkins)
5th floor, suite #505
Tel: (507) 204-8315

Chiriquí:

Hospital Mae Lewis
(Weekends and by appointment)
Tel: (507) 774-4616
Cel: (507) 6616-5938
alejandroyuil@hotmail.com
Follow on facebook as Grupo Quirúrgico Especializado
Twitter @grupoquirurgico

24 hour service in your clinic or hospital of choice.

Languages:

Fluent English and Spanish, and advanced Portuguese
Local and international insurance accepted

Orthopedics and Traumatology / Specialist

Studies:

Doctor in Medicine
University of Panama, medical school
Pediatric Orthopedics
Hospital for Joint Diseases. NYC, NY, USA.
Orthopedics and trauma
Complejo Hospitalario Metropolitano. C.S.S., Panama.
Hand and upper extremity surgery
Miami Hand Center. Miami, Florida. USA.
Hand surgery
Cleveland Clinic. Naples, FL. USA
Hand surgery and microsurgery
Institut Universitari Dexeus. Barcelona, Spain, and Hospital
Virgen de la Torre. Madrid, Spain.
 

Practicing since: