I hadn't lived in Panama for nearly a year but when I did this was one of my absolutely favorite restaurants. I had dined there more than a dozen times and it was a "go to" restaurant for reliable food and service. I was meeting old friends on a Sunday night and it was a pleasure to find that not only was my old favorite open but that they offered a substantial discount for reserving online. Four of the five in our group had dined at La Strega before. When I arrived in my group of three, the other two were already waiting and studying the menu. After sitting for close to 15 minutes with no other menus and no offer of drinks, I asked a busboy to send the waiter. 5 minutes later he showed up, with an attitude, to take drink orders. The menus never came. In the past I had ordered the foccacia, which came like a fresh pizza from the oven without toppings. It had been perfect to pair with the provoletta and the carpaccio de manza (beef). We ordered two foccacias. When they came, instead of being hot and fresh, they were in ragged pieces which had clearly been pre-made, broken up and re toasted. The provoletta, which is a baked melty cheese, came lukewarm, again seeming to have been pre made and reheated. They brought the wrong carpaccio (fish instead of beef) which was eventually replaced. All of the appetizers except for the carpaccio where awful and the carpaccio was a very ungenerous portion. When I questioned the stale foccacia I was told that this was how it was served. The waiter then took the main course orders. I asked about my favorite dish, a beef and pasta that was typically offered as an off menu special for two people. The waiter said that they had it but since we had reserved online and were receiving the discount, I could not order it and cut off any further discussion. I asked about the so called "rack of pork" wondering if it could be ordered slightly pink in the center so as not to be over cooked. He said yes. I then asked if my side of pasta could be ordered with amatriciana sauce for an upcharge, which I had always ordered in the past. I was flatly told "no" with no further discussion. I cannot remember having a less helpful or more unpleasant waiter. The main courses were comically bad. Instead of a "rack" I got a single boneless rib, which had been braised so it could not possibly have been served a little pink, with a tiny side of pasta. My girlfriend had the cartoccio of chicken, a thin over cooked piece of breast which had seemingly been precooked (the cheese was congealed instead of melted) and was so thin that it only could have been from a single breast piece that was cut in half to make 2 portions. My friends chicken parm was rubbery and overcooked with congealed cheese. It almost seemed that the chef had precooked everything and left it warming in the oven all day. My friend's wife is a tiny woman who eats like a bird. In nine years of dining together, I had never seen her finish a main course. Her beef ravioli was such a stingy portion that not only did she finish it but she claimed that she was still hungry. When the hostess came with the bill, she asked if we wanted to include the tip. For the first time in memory, I said no. She never asked if there was anything wrong even though we were clearly unhappy. If fact no one ever checked on our table, despite the presence of the owner who had been very friendly in the past. Overall, this was a very unpleasant dinner with awful food and service. It was particularly disappointing since it had been such a favorite in the past. While the restaurant may have downgraded the food and service in order to offer the discount, we would have gladly paid full price for a decent meal instead of the pre cooked substandard food we received. The discount is a promotion offered by the restaurant and the customer should not be punished for accepting it. I will never return to this restaurant no will I recommend it to friends even though I had done so in the past with enthusiasm.

Went to Burger Factory for a spur of the moment lunch yesterday after looking at reviews on this site. The place is bare bones but clean and comfortable. The server who seems to be one of the owners, besides being as cute as can be, could not have been more efficient, making it clear that the burgers could be prepared in any way we wanted without regard to the menu. It took awhile to get our food but that demonstrated that it was being prepared freshly. I ordered the burger on the menu called the "Times Square." 1/2 lb. of ground angus, caramelized onions, substituted mozzarella for the american cheese and some sort of bacon sauce. The beef was full of flavor and perfectly cooked to the requested medium rare, the bun soft and fresh and the toppings delicious. I asked if next time I could have a fried egg on top and was told of "of course". The sides were steak fries (crispy and hot) great cole slaw and onion rings. The rings were the only thing I could criticize. Instead of battered fresh onions, they were the sort served by Burger King"; commercially prepared onion paste, usually frozen. They were not bad but not up to the rest of the meal. I hope they will start preparing their own fresh onion rings. I have lived in Panama for 7 years and this is the best burger I have tasted. If you like burgers, come support these guys; you will not regret it.

This restaurant reminded me a hotly anticipated first date. I had read the previous reviews and was prepared to love the place; it sounded like everything I want in a high end restaurant. Alas, after dining there last night, I liked the restaurant, I will probably dine there again, but I didn't fall in love. Located in the space vacated by the first incarnation of Rausch, the atmosphere was completely original; dark and candlelit with furniture made of local teak and chairs covered with mola slipcovers. This theme continued with food plated on unique vessels. The service was impeccably attentive. Our party of 5 were the only diners on a quiet Monday night which gave the place a bit of an eerie feel. 2 of us had the tasting menu and 3 ordered a la carte. The food was creative and mostly tasty but not all of it was extraordinary. The octopus was delicious, as was the pork belly and the osso buco. The fish dishes were less successful but still tasty. The deserts on the tasting menu were super creative but not memorable. The in house baked bread and spreads were truly delicious. The ingredients in the dishes were creatively used but not luxurious enough to justify the very high cost ($60 for the tasting menu). Also, most tasting menus include the option of a half glass wine pairing with each course for a fixed price. This was not offered or available. There is a lot of talent behind this place and I really hope it comes together because I'd really like to love it. As it stands now, I will have to settle for liking it.

Tonight was the second time in the last 2 weeks that I had dinner at this restaurant. I find this to be a very difficult review to write. While every single morsel of food that I put in my mouth on both visits was absolutely delicious, I am not sure that I like this restaurant or want to go back. The truth is I don't like anything about this place except for the food. There is no parking and street parking is hard to find. The place is cheaply furnished and brightly lit and the whole effect is somewhat less than comfortable. The hard surfaces make for very poor acoustics and conversation is strained and unpleasant. Cocktails are not available so one has to make do with beer. The servers are friendly and helpful and eager to please but are inefficient. The portions are on the small side and the prices are not really high but are not a particularly good value. There were 3 of us tonight. The first person got his main course, and when he was almost done, I got my main course. The 3rd person's main course was delivered as I was finishing my plate. My plate was cleared at the same time the last plate was served. Ah, but the food. Ceviche made a la minute redolent with aji amarillo. Tender charred octopus with grilled veggies. Crispy fried seafood, fresh and not greasy. Aji de gallina that tastes exactly the way it does in Lima. So there you have it. Terrific food and mediocre in every other aspect of the dining experience. Is the tradeoff worth the price? That, you will have to decide for yourself.

Lately I have noticed how the Peruvian restaurants in Panama have gone downhill. For me, this is a shame since I love Peruvian food. Today, I found myself in Costa del Este around lunchtime and wandering around the street with all the new restaurants in search of something good to eat. Most of the places looked trendy and boring and were mostly empty. The exception was Tanta, which was full, and through the window I could see business people munching on all manner of deliciousness. There were no tables but I was by myself and didn't mind sitting at the bar. I ordered "Tiraditos con dos Ajies" for my appetizer. The perfectly fresh and thinly cut corvina was beautifully presented with a yin and yang of red and yellow pepper sauces. I wanted to lick my plate. The attentive and friendly waiter recommended "Pescado Chorillano" after I asked him what he thought was the best seafood dish on the menu. What emerged from the kitchen exceeded my expectations. A beautifully seared fish filet mounted on top of a chunky yellow puree of yuca, swimming in a tangy tamarind sauce and studded with perfectly sauteed slices of red onion and tomato wedges. This was the best comida peruana that I had tasted in a long time. I can't wait to go back with friends and work my way through the rest of the menu.

I will now officially add this place to the list of restaurants to which I will never return. Over the years I've had a couple of good meals here but they were invariably followed by really bad experiences. Today, forgetting about the last time I dined here, I was in the area and felt like seafood. The menu has about a dozen corvina dishes that are topped with various other seafoods. Most of them come in a cream sauce. I did not want cream so I ordered Corvina del Chefs, described as sea bass in a white wine and red and purple pepper sauce, topped with langostinos and octopus. I asked for fried yuca, well cooked, as the accompaniment. The dish came out in the standard thick white cream with no sign of peppers. When I pointed this out to the waiter he insisted it was the right dish. I told him to read the menu. He did and took the plate away. He returned in a minute from the kitchen with the same plate but a few sliced red peppers were scattered on top. The sauce was gloppy and the fish and langostinos were overcooked. To add insult to injury, the yuca was mostly raw. This is not the first time for bait and switch at this place. Some of the corvina dishes say they are topped with centollo. When you order them, there is no centollo and they say "sorry we were out of centollo." I don't think centollo has ever made it to the inside of this restaurant. Unless you enjoy a side of frustration and indifferent service with your meal, give this place a pass.

I really wanted to love this restaurant. There is plenty of parking. The view is spectacular and the decor is elegant. The menu is full of interesting choices. The place has a cool vibe. Ah, but the devil is in the details. Each thing our group of 4 ordered was in some way flawed. The clams were tasty (nothing different than usual) but a bit sandy and many had not opened. The ceviche was beautifully presented but tasted of cumin; not horrible but weird nonetheless. The bacon wrapped filet came with good tender beef but the bacon was not crispy. The pulpo al carbon was tasty but chewy (there is no excuse for chewy octopus in a restaurant that aspires to fine dining). The entraña was tasty and tender but was a little over salted and came on a naked plate. The lomo was tender and a generous portion but a little lacking in flavor. The crispy baby pig was soft and juicy with nicely crisped skin and was probably the best dish of the night. This could be a 5 star restaurant if it would do the following: 1) Execute the food properly and professionally. These flaws can be corrected with proper attention from the head chef, and; 2) There are no included accompaniments. Naked protein on a plate is not appealing visually or satisfying to the palate. One now has the option of ordering several types of potatoes, rice or mixed veggies for $4 or $5. But, these sides are not created to enhance the main courses. Part of the pleasure of gourmet dining is creative and complimentary sides and sauces that make the protein sing. Often, I have ordered a dish again because one of the components on the plate made the whole dish. The approach of the restaurant in this regard is both lazy and a naked attempt to up the check. Unleash the creativity of the chef and present complete plates. I have hope that this restaurant will make the necessary changes and achieve the top tier to which it aspires. It is too stylish to settle for such a mediocre dining experience.

When I saw the reviews of this restaurant on Degusta I was excited to try it. Since I had moved to Panama, I had been looking for a casual and fairly priced seafood restaurant. This place seemed to fit the bill and I was primed to like it. I dined there with my wife and daughter last night and I would have to say it was a complete disappointment. When we arrived at 8pm there was only one other table occupied. For starters we ordered sobrecitas de langosta (envelopes of lobster), which appeared to be the most frequently mentioned and photographed dish on Degusta, and, clams with garlic sauce. The sobrecitas turned out to be fried wanton skins with bits of minced lobster inside, served with a chinese style sweet and sour sauce that was undoubtedly from a jar. The good reports on this dish had much more to do with the Panamanian love of fried wantons than the quality or taste. The clams were in a standard al ajillo sauce but were super sandy. No bread was provided and when we asked we were served some over toasted pieces of hot dog buns! The nice young waiter asked if all was ok and we told him the clams were full of sand. No response at all. They were not replaced and remained on the bill. Next we shared lobster thermidor, pulpo diablo and a salad with shrimp. The lobster was priced at $26.50 per pound. We thought this to be wildly expensive but we wanted to try it so we ordered a 2 pounder. It was decent but at $53 a terrible value. That price was as expensive as any elegant restaurant in town and not appropriate for this dive. The octopus was fresh and tender but was not picante as advertised. Instead it came in a cloying asian style sweet and sour sauce (think sweet and sour pork) which was not a good match for the pulpo. The salad was lightly dressed watercress (berro) with shaved parmesan and shrimp. Not bad bad but not special either. Overall, this restaurant was overpriced and mediocre at best. We could have paid for a fancy dinner at one of Panama's toniest restaurants and had a much better dinner for the same amount of money. My search for a good casual seafood restaurant continues.

I had dined at this restaurant a few years ago after they first opened. The food was not particularly good. The chef/owner passed by my table and asked how everything was. I told him that my ravioli was served cold. His response was: "Hopefully the next time you come it will be better." Needless to say, there was no next time. A week ago we were invited to join a group for dinner so despite our earlier experience we agreed to try it again. The chef/ owner took our order. I think people think he is friendly and gregarious. In reality he uses that impression for virtually constant upsetting throughout the meal. The prices of the specials are not mentioned. No sides are included. I ordered corvina Sicilian style and was told that it should be accompanied by white rice. I said okay. When it arrived, there was a bed of potatoes under the fish. They charged $3 for a tiny portion of white rice, Seriously? We were served some very nice chopped marinated hot peppers with onions in respone to a request for hot sauce. One of our group asked if it was available for purchase. They brought 2 jars to the table without further comment. We were charged $6 each without asking if we wanted them. Frankly, I don't understand why people like this place. The food is mediocre at best and I am surprised people tolerate the constant upsetting. Perhaps they don't look at their bill but the whole experience feels to me Like an assault on your wallet. There is much better Italian food in Panama City. If you like good value, I suggest you skip this place.

I first dined at this restaurant when I was considering moving to Panama about 8 years ago. I thought it was nothing special and kind of expensive, all things considered. I never considered returning. Last Sunday I was invited to a boy's night out and the organizer had chosen Gaucho. I was unenthused but went along. It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. I ordered the sweetbreads (mollejas) for my appetizer and they were perfect; simply grilled and delicious. The waiter brought a cart of raw steaks and they had my favorite cut, vacio. I chose the larger version while most of the others ordered Delmonico (ribeye). The steak was cooked to the requested rare and was tender and delicious. I asked for grilled veggies and was served whole charred onions, tomatoes and peppers. The provided chimichurri was one of the best I had tasted. The service was professional, if unenthusiastic. Typical steakhouse atmosphere. Fine, but not the place for a romantic dinner. All in all, very enjoyable and I will put it on my list of restaurants to which I will return.