Trip to Panama

Boquete is nestled beneath the ancient volcano peak of Volcan, surrounded by mountains and hidden in its own fertile crater. It is in the North West of Panama, in the district of Chiriqui and about 300 miles from Panama City along the PanAmerican highway.

Due to its high elevation and cooler climate, Boquete is world-renowned for its coffee. It is also a delightful town to eat out in as there are many high quality restaurants. There were so many cafes, bars and fine looking places to eat, I was gutted that we were only there for 3 nights, and there is a limit to just how many meals even I can eat!The choice on the various menus is excellent, the food is fresh and perfectly cooked, the service is good, and the prices are very reasonable. English is widely spoken which is helpful too.

Top of my list, “Machu Picchu” Restaurant offers an extensive Peruvian menu of fish, seafood, steaks and chicken, many with delicious sauces and a choice of side dishes. I ate the “Corvina Griega”, Sea Bass covered in prawns in a light cheese sauce and baked in the oven au gratin. A delicious and plentiful meal for less than $9. House wine is good and just $2.50 per glass and the service is also very professional. I was forewarned to check my bill, as accuracy is apparently not their forte, but I had no problems whatsoever.

Similarly “Delicias de Peru” has a menu specializing in seafood, but also offers fish and meat dishes. The corvina with bacon wrapped prawns in a brandy sauce is quite delicious. Here the décor is more traditionally Peruvian, and the staff are delightful. The chef even came out to give us the recipe for the brandy sauce! The best tables are perched on a balcony overlooking the steep gardens beneath, which was quite an amazing view.

There are certainly more eateries here than such a small town would seem to warrant, but they all had a clientele, and the healthy competition seems to keep prices down and quality high - no bad thing.

There are several restaurants which offer good food throughout the day including the Bistro which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their menu offers everything from burgers to Filet Mignon and there were always plenty of happy customers partaking of their food whatever the time of day.

The gorgeous Valle de Rio Hotel is just out of town on the road to Valle Escondido. It is very pleasant and well appointed and encompasses a fine Wine Bar and also the Cafe Pomodoro of Panama City fame. There are two different menus but wherever you are sitting, you can order from either.

Finally there is also a Pizza restaurant in the main street, and for desserts, an ice-cream bar. The various Hotels outside the town also have their own restaurants. As this is the center of the coffee-growing area of Panama, there are many coffee shops which also have light lunches, sandwiches and pastries. One thing is for sure, whatever your budget, you will eat well in Boquete and will want to return for more.