Restaurante: Los Camisones

 This is another restaurant that I heard about from numerous people before I could get there. Supposedly they have the best paella in Panama or at least on the beaches. But you have to call ahead and order it, an hour in advance, so it’s ready when you get there. Now I’ve been there a number of times and never had the paella, so I can’t tell you about it. Perhaps someone can leave a comment on it or you can go and try it yourself.

We went on Thursday night and ordered from the regular menu. Appetizers run from $4 for Corvina Ceviche to $9.75. I always get the most expensive appetizer which is the Octopus (Pulpo) Galician. It’s in a red sauce and the octopus is cooked just perfect, tender & not chewy. It is delicious. Also I split the mussels with garlic with a friend. They are $8 and we got 11 of the most plump and tasty mussels I’ve ever had.  Jamuna always gets the Greek Salad ($4.75). It’s a real Greek salad with lots of onions, green pepper, and feta cheese.  The only lettuce you get is the lettuce bowl that it’s served in. Oh ya, there is also an onion soup for $3 that is excellent.

Main courses run $7 for Corvina (Seabass)  to $21 for Lobster Thermador.  You can order a side with the mains of potatoes, yucca or rice. But you don’t get any vegetables. Of course you can ask for anything and they will probably make it for you as they are very accommodating.  Jamuna is a vegetarian so she had them make her sautéed vegetables. For the main I had Lobster w/butter (Langosto) $18. It’s expertly cooked in a dish of butter. What a delight. Our friends had steaks (Filete de Res) for $13.50 with mashed potatoes (Pappas Pure) and said they were good. I scooped a piece and it was tasty. If you want well done you will have to stress this and maybe send it back to be cooked more.  They like to cook the meat rare.

Overall this is a great restaurant. It’s open 7 days a week. It’s got a great outdoor feel to it as it’s an large open bohio style restaurant. It is difficult to find. You basically drive from Coronado to Santa Clara and a few kilometers before Santa Clara you will see a sign on the right hand side of the road. You will not see the restaurant at first as you will have to take the road up a small hill to get to it.

A word of caution: Watch what you are being billed. We thought our bill was too high and we were right, we had been double charged on my lobster. An extra $18. You need to watch carefully in all restaurants in Panama.

Buen Provecho