Panama City, Panama

I will be traveling to Panama mid November for a combination business/pleasure trip.  I have never been in that country before although I have been to the next country north in Costa Rica.  I understand that safety is not much of a issue there and I will be staying in a Marriott hotel shich is relatively safe.
 
I am not familar with Panamanian food.  If anyone has been there I would appreciate any advice that you may give.
 
Thanks
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul--you should find some "Ropa Vieja"--a stew with shedded meat and onions and peppers---really good stuff---and "patacones"--made of plantains-and verytasty with pico de gallo--and they LOVE seafood there--(i have a Panamainian buddy that cooks a lot!)--ceviche is big there and seabass--and the biggest side dish is arroz con guando--or rice and peas--like in jamaica where i was---its cooked with coconut water. Guando is a bean actually not a pea--from africa. Have a good time!
 
 

Thanks Tiki.  What you suggested was listed as favorites in the Fodor's travel guide I purchased.  I am going to work some and bird some and tourist some.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Some reading for you, Paul
 
http://feistyfoodie.com/tag/panama/

Sundancer7

Thanks Tiki.  What you suggested was listed as favorites in the Fodor's travel guide I purchased.  I am going to work some and bird some and tourist some.
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

You should see some exotic birds down there!

Birding in Panama!! Cool! Have an awesome trip,Paul---and BRING BACK PICTURES!
 
 

Tike and TJ:  Thanks for the advice and I will bring back lotsa pics and sample lotsa Panamanian food.  One of the best birding spots in the world.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Iwanago and myself will leave Sunday AM for Panama.  It is sorta of a long flight.  About five hours from Atlanta but we lucked out and are riding first cabin.  We will have a couple of cocktails to calm our nerves as we fly over Cuba.  We get into Panama City about 10:00PM and will have a adventerous drive into the city of about two million folks.
 
We will take other posters advice on sampling a lot of the food offered in Panama whick will mean a lot of seafood.
 
I will report back on our return.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN   

Have a great time, my friend. I look forward to a trip report full of exotic foods and scenery.

If you read this and are still in country, I can recommend a couple places that are not "tipico" food but excellent nonetheless.  For great pizza, try Napoli's or Italia.  Rincon Suizo/1985 is great for German/Swiss.  Manolo's or Nicko's for breakfast. Finally, for the very best in "tipico" food, hit up El Trapiche on Via Argentina.
 
Hope I got to this on time, lol.

There are several Nicko's here and I discovered it was very good cafeteria food.  Where it gets sorta funky is in some of the small towns.  I was in Coronado at the Coronado Beach and Golf club and the Sea Bass was very good.  I was in Gamboa and the cerviche was outstanding with sea bass, octopus and shrimp.
 
I never knew what a true jungle was like until I was here.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN