First time at Donde Jose, the innovative 'modern' Panamanian restaurant in Casco Viejo. Great place on the edge of the gentrified 'tourist' zone of the old city - not far from the American Trade Hotel. There is no sign on the door or outside Donde Jose. Your taxi drive may not be able to find it. But it is worth the effort (and, FYI, it is next to the old National Lottery building). Inside the restaurant, there are 6 tables and 4 seats at the chef's bar. I was able to snag a seat at the chef's bar and, other than precariously high bar stools to sit on, it was a blast. Chef Jose Carles is there to chat and tell you about each small course (the prix fixe menu had 12 small dishes). The menu changes twice a year and there are 1-2 seatings each night. You need to reserve in advance and pay a deposit to secure a reservation (I made mine 6 weeks in advance). The night I was at Donde Jose, the chef served small corn cakes with a soft cheese and sweet jam, an amazing tea cup of sancocho (the best I've tasted in Panama), a sort of shumai type dumpling with a tamal filling, a very tasty pork belly with crackling skin (largest dish of the night), a small palmito salad with greens found on Ancon hill, and a couple of desserts (this is not a comprehensive list). I started with a sort of Panamanian mojito that had seco. The cocktail list are in old books - but the drinks are very innovative. I also opted to pay extra for the wine pairing which was well worth it. Everything on the menu from what I could tell is sourced locally or within Panama. Jose Carles is very proud of Panamanian ingredients and told me that there is a long list of things he wants to forage or find to implement into his food. Total cost for one with wine pairing, pre-dinner cocktail and a double espresso and 10% tip was around US $135.00. Expensive but a really interesting evening learning about the food(s) of Panama and talking to a very talented chef.

Chalet Suizo - 1985 (a.k.a. Rincon Suiza) is one of my favorite restaurants in Panama City. It is old school - nothing flashy but the food is very well prepared and not as pricey as many of the hip newer places. The menu offers a wide variety of Swiss dishes like fondue, raclette, bundnerfleish and sausages. I really liked the Parmesan salad which is a mixture of romaine, honey, oil/vinegar and grated parmesan. Delish! The Hungarian gulasch is quite good as is the chicken in a portabellow mushroom sauce. Side dishes include Swiss "rosti" potatoes (excellent), steamed vegetables, and provencal zucchini. The restaurant has won several Wine Spectator awards for its wine list (although - sadly - there are no crisp Swiss Fendants on it). Nice place (dressy) and worth an evening while in PTY.

Hacienda Real is a restaurant that serves a variety of food, mostly Mexican-style (I say style because there is very little of the spicyness that you normally get in Mexican or Tex-Mex food). The interior of the restaurant is very attractive - lots of leather, small sculptures and an open kitchen. Wish I could say the same for the food: I had guacamole (very good - with freshly made totopos), a house salad (OK, supposed to be made from romaine lettuce but a bag salad mix was used). For my plato principal I tried shrimp al ajillo - but they shrimp came out with a dijon (mustard) sauce. Too bad. The shrimp were a bit undercooked but came with rice and a smallish baked potato. Nice place but would be worth the $$$ if they had a Mexican chef cooking in the kitchen.

Aki has great food and excellent cocktails - served in a stylish, boho kind of interior. I had a passionfruit caipirinha to start; it was a perfect way to cool off a bit from the heat of the day. I tried the tuna on rice cakes (delicious) and the ahi tuna roll (also very good). The tuna was fresh and the other ingredients were a good companion for the fish. The only thing I didn't like that much was the gyoza which were kind of doughy and didn't match the high standards of the other dishes. This is a really good addition to the restaurants of PTY. Two thumbs up - can't wait to go back....

Stylish place with wide variety of maki sushi (not much in the way of nigiri). Lots of different rice dishes. It's more 'Asian' than sushi but overall not bad for the price.

Lovely restaurant - perhaps the most elegant in Panama City. The shrimp with a Jerez lobster sauce was delish as was the garlic bread (off the menu item). The corvina is served several ways and very fresh. Dress to impress.

Great pastries like macaroons (at a price) and a short menu of club sandwiches, croque Monsieur, and a few entrees

BBQ brisket sandwich is tasty. A couple of local craft beers on tap. Nice ambience. Upstairs has a more sophisticated menu.

Love Camila's - just behind the new Ferrari dealership. The marinated tenderloin is a bit pricey but the best steak in Panama. Tasty fried yucca too. Good bar if you want s glass of wine. Classy place. Two thumbs up!!

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Panama. A commitment to Panamanian-grown, organic ingredients and a deft hand in the kitchen yields some very good food. The hamburgers are delicious - i love the Merlot Burger with mozzarella, merlot sauce and Angus beef on a bun made daily is a good dish. The caprese salad with a side of grilled chicken makes for a good lunch. Desserts are strong, too, with the lime pie and warm pecan pie (with vanilla ice cream) are both worth a try. Great place.