Punta Chame Villas

By: Epicurious EmQUOTE:  “The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.”  --William Arthur WardPunta Chame Villas is a boutique-style resort located at the very end of Punta Chame peninsula, approximately 20k from the Pan-Am highway.  The resort has 15 rooms, lovely pools and Jacuzzi, a lobby restaurant and a large, breezy bohio restaurant adjacent to the pool.  The resort is situated just feet from the beach and is pristine and well maintained.  It’s a great place to take a drive for lunch, enjoying a winding road through small towns, mangroves, and orchid farms.  During the week, sometimes you might be one of only a few diners, but the place is usually packed on the weekends and provides great people, lizard, and iguana watching entertainment.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, offering a large variety of Panamanian and Gringo type food.  Breakfasts consist of eggs, omelets, crepes, pancakes, and steak from $5-$10.25.

The appetizer menu lists ceviches, shrimp cocktail, fish and chicken fingers, chicken wings, clams, and quesadillas ($5.50-$9).  Also on the menu is a seafood soup, as well as sancocho, along with large juicy hamburgers, fish, chicken and Philly cheese steak sandwiches, crunchy fish ($9.50) or jumbo shrimp ($16), and a few salads, along with three Panamanian rice dishes.

The rest of the menu is extensive, containing fettucine alfredo, shrimp, octopus, chicken, fajitas, filet mignon, barbecue ribs, and the brass rail, a chopped sirloin steak with bell peppers, onions and a rich brown gravy ($9.50-$19).  Not to be missed are the four “Picadas Platters,” designed to be shared by 2-4 people.  You can choose the seafood, fish and shrimp, a sea and earth combination, or a beef, pork, sausage, and chicken tortilla platter, all with two or three sides ($19-$35).  The whole corvina, small ($12) or large ($15) is one of the most popular menu items.  The crispy corvina filet is also a hit…a nice thick, flaky non-greasy piece of fish rolled in cornflake crumbs.  Side dishes include French fries, yucca, plantains, white rice, green salad, steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes.  Portions are generous, and there is also a children’s menu.

The staff, largely comprised of Dominicans, is friendly and productive.  They serve local and international beers, cocktails, and wine along with blended tropical drinks.
TIP:  Searching for a new possibility for lunch?  Be an optimist--head for Punta Chame Villas!

Epicurious Em welcomes your comments and suggestions.  As always, the information in this article was accurate at the time of the writing, but restaurant owners have the option of changing prices, menu, and hours at any time.  Feel free to e-mail me at em@playacommunity.com.