Empty Red Wine Glasses in Panama |
March 2015 – There
are no wineries in Panama, but there are plenty of wines in the restaurants,
bars, grocery stores and occasional liquor store. Due to its location, linking
Central America to South America, it is not surprising that the majority of the
wine is from Chile and Argentina. However, we also found a large selection from
Spain, and a few bottles from Australia and California – primarily Yellow Tail
and Gallo brands, such as Barefoot and Apothic.
A positive is that the price for wine in Panama seemed quite
reasonable, and you could purchase a basic glass of white or red wine from
South America in most restaurants and bars for $5 to $7. There were also some
more premium selections priced at $10 - $14 per glass. The currency is the US
dollar, even though Panama has its own money called the “balboa.” However since
this is matched to the US dollar, the majority of establishments use the
dollar, but occasionally they will give you change in balboas. Credit cards are
accepted in most restaurants.
I was in Panama with friends to attend a business conference
and present a research paper. The
temperatures in March average in the mid 90’s everyday, and for this reason we
focused on drinking chilled white wines.
However, I did see many people drinking red wine in the evenings around
the bar and at restaurants. Of course the local Panamanian beer, Balboa, was
always present as well as a plethora of mojitos and other tropical cocktails.
Three Bottles of Wine
in Three Restaurants
We ended up buying three bottles of wines in different
restaurants over the five days we were there.
The first was an Argentinian sparkling rose called Bodega Norton Cosecha Especial
for $40. We had this with sea bass in the Light House Restaurant at our hotel,
the Intercontinental
Playa Bonita. Both the service and the food was excellent, in a lovely
setting overlooking the ocean, with white tablecloths, candlelight, and
beautifully presented plates. Surprisingly the wine was not chilled though, so
we had to wait about 15 minutes for it to rest in an ice bucket near our table.
As I had tasted this wine previously, I was familiar with the fruity
medium-bodied bubbly, which was clearly New World in style. Later I was given a
tour of the restaurant’s impressive wine cellar that proudly featured Concho Y
Toro’s top of the line wine, Don Melchor.
The second bottle was at The Jazz Club in the old section
of Panama City. The club is located inside the American Trade Hotel, and
we ended up having dinner outside in a small alley next to the club. The reason
for this was because when we arrived, we discovered that Wynton Marsalis was
scheduled to play there in two hours.
Since the club was small there were no tickets left to purchase, but we
were told if we wanted to sit in the patio for dinner, we could still listen to
him play. Obviously we jumped at the chance and ended up having an excellent
dinner. This time I had local prawns served in a red sauce that reminded me a
bit of a New Orleans dish. We ordered a bottle of 2013 Masi Tupengato Paslo Blanco
from the Uco Valley of Argentina for $36. It was a strange blend of Pinot Grigio
and Torrentes that was rather heavy on the palate and minerally in character –
more like a Semillon. It lacked the floral notes we were expecting from those
two varietals.
The third bottle was a 2013 Marques de Riscal Blanco from
Spain for $26, that was a blend of Verdejo and Viura. It was crisp, lemony and very refreshing –
perfect for the sea bass with prawns I had on our last evening at Alberto
Restaurant on the Amador
Somm at Alberto's |
Cuisine of Panama
Sea Bass With Plaintain & Sparkling Rose |
In addition to fresh seafood, Panama has some excellent
local dishes, which I had a chance to try at our hotel as well as at local
restaurants and food stands. I found the
food much more interesting here than in Costa Rica, where they don’t use any
spices. Panama has some spicy food, and a compelling blend of cultures that has
allowed them to develop a national cuisine. From the many native tribes that
still reside in Panama, to the Spanish explorers settling here in the 1500’s,
and the West Indians who came to build the Panama Canal, some delicious dishes
have evolved. Following are several examples:
·
Empanadas: made of pie dough and
stuffed with cheese, meats, and/or vegetables.
May be baked or fried.
·
Bollos: made with corn dough and
wrapped in plantain leaves. May also be
stuffed with beef.
·
Patacones – sliced green plantains
that are fried as small disks; similar to potato chips.
·
Ceviche: raw fish cooked in lime
juice with herbs, garlic and onion.
They also eat many dishes which are similar to those found
in Mexico, such as tamales, rice, refried beans, enchiladas, and tres leches
cake. Fresh seafood and fruit is abundant, and
chicken, beef, and pork are common.