Welcome to Panama!!

Crossing the border from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica to the archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama was no easy task. Granted we hired a van, crossed a bridge that should have been out of commission years ago (Don’t look down is a good mantra), trekked through a single lane wheat and banana field “road” with sixteen wheelers competing for space (think I-95 traffic in the middle of a farm), got packed into a tiny boat with a slightly over confident captain who charged at giant waves like we were on a navy vessel and all of this in the down pouring rain but we made it! Bocas del Toro, Panama. And to be honest- I love the adventure of traveling in Costa Rica- it always makes for interesting stories.

Our first pit stop was a random local bar and restaurant called The Pirate (easily found on the main strip due to the giant pirate head on top of the restaurant). The food is nothing great but it quieted our hunger pangs. We had arroz con pollo (Caribbean style is made with coconut milk) and fried fish with patacones (fried plantains). The meal was cheap and easy and something to tide us over before we headed to dinner at El Ultimo Refugio.

El Ultimo Refugio, on the other hand, was exactly the type of restaurant I anticipated on this trip. The restaurant sits directly on the water and with its mix of reggae and hippie ambiance (hemp tarps on the ceiling, bamboo laden walls, chill reggae beats) I felt immediately calm sitting down for dinner. The chalkboard written menu changes daily (depending on what’s fresh) and it was difficult to choose just one thing to order. A well-written menu always makes for tough choices. We decided to start with deviled eggs as I have yet to see them on a menu in Central America and was intrigued. There were two deviled eggs for each of us and one was topped with salty caviar and the other with bacon and celery. I’m a huge deviled egg fan and these were done extremely well (although cannot beat my BF’s mother’s recipe). And for $1.50 for an appetizer, you just cannot go wrong. For our main course my BF ordered mahi-mahi with spicy pineapple salsa and I ordered curry chicken. The mahi was cooked well and flanked with coconut rice in the shape of a fish, and perfectly sautéed veggies. One thing I have found in Central America is that restaurants really know how to cook side veggies well. They are never soggy or uncooked, always a lovely al-dente. My curry chicken was to-die-for. Having grown up in a country with a 50% Indian population, I tend to be a harsh curry critic. But this curry chicken was succulent and seasoned well with a hint of coconut in the sauce and the typical rice and veggies were a nice compliment. I was truly happy with this meal. The service wasn’t overly nice but was very fast which is unheard of in these parts. Pair all this with a $15 bottle of red wine and we were all smiles. El Ultimo Refugio is the real Bocas deal.