Chef Hernan Correa is a young man with big dreams, big talent and the passion to make it happen. My wife and I dined at Riesen when we were visiting Panama in early April 2016. We read about his vision of creating a fine dining experience using only the highest quality local meat, vegetables and produce - a noble concept if you can pull it off. With the help of his incredibly friendly staff (and family) he CAN pull it off and then some. We enjoyed a memorable evening that demonstrated not only his creative skills in the kitchen, but also his generous and honorable business philosophy - It seems that our 7pm dinner reservation on a normally quiet Thursday was never supposed to be accepted - he had a group of doctors buying out the dining room at 8:30 pm that evening, and the automated reservation system had let our reservation slip though. Most restaurants would have simply contacted us with an apology and a cancellation - we were just a couple of tourists on a Thursday night... I can tell you that Riesen is not "most restaurants"! Hernan contacted us personally as soon as he realized the problem, and asked if we could move our reservation from 7 to 6. We arrived to learn that we were the only guests in the small restaurant - he explained his challenge and asked us to sit at the one and only private table being served that night. He and his staff then proceeded to provide my wife and me with a once-in-a-lifetime personal dining experience, with his entire staff focused on only the two of us as we enjoyed his incredible tasting menu. The wait staff included his incredible mother, who shared with us not only her love for her son, but of his dream of creating a new Panamanian cuisine. Hernan came by to tell us about each course, the source of the ingredients, the techniques that were used, and what it meant to him as a chef to prepare and serve it. He is a charming and talented chef with an incredibly bright future. Go to Riesen now - so you can tell your friends 20 years from now that you met Chef Correa when he was just starting - and so you can experience his unique take on the food of Panama and his incredible hospitality. Thank you Hernan! We will tell everyone we know that they need to visit Panama City to enjoy your food.

My wife and I dined twice at Intimo when we were visiting Panama City in early April, 2016 Carlos and his team are creating an amazing dining experience. As frequent travelers who have enjoyed some of the world's best restaurants, and traveling in Panama for the first time, we didn't know what to expect. What we learned is that this restaurant is preparing world-class cuisine in a gracious and friendly atmosphere. Sit at the counter if you can, and share the evening with other guests and with his gracious and talented staff. The cocktails are creative, the food inventive and beautifully prepared. The service is personal, professional and well informed. What a great evening. Thank you Carlos!

My wife and I dined at Donde Jose when we were visiting Panama in early April 2016. We live in Las Vegas and travel frequently, and have experienced some of the world's most acclaimed restaurants. Donde Jose can claim its place among the best of those. Located in a tiny (12 seats) space on a simple, unassuming corner in Casco Viejo, Jose is making good on his promise to "tell stories" about his Panama through the food he and his staff lovingly prepare and serve. The multi-course tasting menu (his story this day was breakfast in Panama) was a revelation - both about the flavors, textures and smells of Panama, but also about Jose and his vision of food and culture and life in Panama. This may have been the most personal "one-on-one with the chef" restaurant experience we have ever had - even more so than Masa in New York City. We left feeling that we had not only enjoyed a world-class culinary evening, but made a new friend in Panama. Sit at the Chef's Table if you can - Jose will tell you the story of his food and his Panama. It was a wonderful evening. Jose and several chefs like him in Panama City are doing much to put Panama City's finest dining on the world stage. You should go to Panama City for the food, not the canal! Thank you Jose!