We walked by Jola's Coffee House a few times before we decided to stop in and check it out. While walking around our hotel, we were approached by many restaurant staff members handing out menus and shouting out specials. At first, we were a bit put off by the practice, but soon realized to not judge an establishment by the over enthusiastic staff. It was our last night in Panama City and we were looking for a relaxing place to hang out.
Since Jola's was close to our hotel, we checked out their website and noticed the back patio that looked like the peaceful and relaxing spot we were looking for. There were several individually sectioned off areas in the back patio with lounge type chairs. Each section had its own fan and television. If you want some privacy, just untie the curtains. Being a hot and humid day in Panama City, we turned the fan on full blast and left the curtains up.
Pina colada and Sangria
6 each
Our evening would not be complete with out a few drinks. The pina colada tasted like the tropics, but didn't have much alcohol. The sangria was good, but not nearly as good as the one we had a Fina Estampa. It was great to just enjoy the drinks in the relaxing setting.
Ceviche
8
The fish ceviche was good, but the portion was small for the price. The corn was a nice addition, adding a little sweetness to each bite. It didn't have the strong citrus flavor in the ceviche at Casa Blanaca.
Combination platter
25
When we saw the platter on the menu, it was hard to pass up. The platter consisted of mixed seafood, chicken and steak and a side of fries. The meat was our least favorite part of the platter. It lacked flavor and was unfortunately over cooked. The seafood was tender and cooked well with a nice mild seasoning. Of course, the fries were great. I don't think bad fries exist in Panama.
Seafood fried rice
14
The seafood fried rice was our favorite dish of the night. There was a generous amount of well cooked seafood mixed with really well seasoned fried rice. We both wished we had skipped the platter and each ordered our own bowl of the fried rice. The prices were high, but that seemed to be the theme with touristy restaurants in the city. Since the restaurant was walking distance from our hotel, we did saved some money on cab fare, which was not cheap since we didn't speak Spanish.
Jola's Coffee House
Calle Eusebio A.Morales El Cangrejo
Panama City, Panama
A trip to Panama isn't complete without a visit to Casco Viejo, the historic area of Panama City, Panama. During our trip, the area was under going major construction. Every corner we turned, there were buildings being torn down, rebuilt or refaced. Disregarding our cab driver's recommendation to go later, we headed to the area right around noon, the hottest and most humid time of the day.
The surprising thing about the area was the number of armed guards protecting certain side streets and directing tourist traffic. There was a mix of government buildings, apartments, "hole in the wall" eateries and high end bars and restaurants. After a few hours of walking around and hitting the popular historic sights, we ended up in Plaza Bolivar. The outdoor seating in front of Casa Blanca caught our attention and we decided to escape the heat by having a late lunch inside the air conditioned restaurant.
Shrimp Ceviche
8.50
We started our meal with shrimp ceviche served with mangos and cucumbers. It was the tangiest ceviche I've ever tasted. The lime juice was so sour, my face puckered up with every bite, but the flavor was so clean and vibrant, I kept going back for more.
Chicken in chimichurri sauce
10.50
The chicken fillet was covered in a tasty kalamata olive sauce. The chicken was surprisingly moist and the chimichurri added a nice balance of saltiness, tanginess and brightness. The dish came with a side of fries that were perfectly cooked.
Catch of the day - whole red snapper
13
When the whole red snapper arrived, I was in heaven. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fried to perfection. The meat was fresh and moist. I devoured the entire fish from head to tail it was that good. This was one of the best dishes I had in Panama. If you like to get down with your fish like I do, this is a must order and worth every penny!
Casa Blanca was a great escape from the heat and the hustle and bustle outside. It is on the pricier side compared to some other options in Casco Viejo, but worth the money. If you're touring the area and need a good place to eat, I'd highly recommend Casa Blanca.
Casa Blanca
Plaza Bolivar Calle 4
Hotel Colombia building
Panama City has a large population of Peruvians, which also means many Peruvian restaurants. Our hotel staff at Toscanna Inn recommended several restaurants within walking distance and we ended up at Fina Estampa because it was the closest. The restaurant was dimly lit with a large dining room. Most of the staff spoke English quite well. We had the option of an English or Spanish menu, and since I wanted to practice what little Spanish I knew, we opted for the Spanish version. The menu consisted of a wide variety ranging from seafood to steaks and chicken. Since we were in Panama City and so close to the ocean, we decided to go with all seafood dishes.
White sangria 1/2 pitcher
12.95
This white sangria was the best I have ever tasted. I couldn't get the waiter to share the recipe and I don't blame him. To me, it was the perfect white sangria: slightly sweet, fruity and no taste of alcohol, which made it very dangerous. Good thing we only ordered half a pitcher.
Ceviche de corvina
8.75
This classic ceviche was made with fresh seafood of the day marinated in lime juice, red onions, and cilantro. The dish was served with chilled corn on the cob and yam. The seafood was firm, fresh and tender and the flavor of the ceviche were spot on in terms of balance of spice and acidity.
Papas bravas
12.75
Our waiter gave us the option of choosing shrimp or chicken skewers and we decided to go for shrimp to stick with our seafood themed meal. The shrimp was over cooked and I didn't like the preparation and heavy crust that was used. However, the potatoes made up for the poorly executed shrimp. These perfectly fried pieces of potato were coated in a cayenne pepper mixture and topped with the most addicting sauce. I have been on the hunt for something similar in Los Angeles with no luck.
Corvina a lo macho
19.75
This dish consisted of a mix of fresh seafood topped with a jumbo shrimp cooked in a tomato sauce. The seafood included tiny shrimp, squid and mussels. The tomato sauce was very mild to our surprise and could have used a little bit of heat. We quickly realized that Panamanians in Panama City are not as into spicy food.
Penne frutti mar
16.75
The seafood pasta was the most disappointing dish of the night. The penne was grossly overcooked, but the saving grace was the well cooked seafood and complimentary tomato sauce. This dish taught me to stay away from pasta dishes while in Panama.
For our first meal in Panama, this was a nice introduction, albeit on the pricer side.
Fina Estampa
Calle Eusebio A. Morales
El Cangrejo, Panama City, Panama
