I lived in Bocas for a year...built a house there for a fella. bocas isn't the best for food but there are some ok places. My favorites - The Reef for beers and Aranitas del Mar - fried baby squid - tentacles only - big basket for $4; Don Chico's for real deal Panamanian stuff and probably my favorite - great tamales, also get a caraminola - meat stuffed yucca fritter thing at breakfast, and the smoked chicken is very good even by my tennessee gringo standards. Don Chico's is good for lunch and really cheap $4 at most including a drink (orange Fanta). Yasi Nori's at Drago - far end of Island has good snapper or corvina (sometimes) - fried, served with beans and rice, plantain, and a side salad - simple but good and $7-8 - better for lunch maybe as the sand flys get bad at night and without a month to get used to them they will drive you insane. The Pirate is good for snapper (pargo) and also ceviches (pulpo, mixta, o pescado) and they have a cheap and good lunch special for about $5. There is a restaraunt in town called Chichra (sp?) that has a good sancocho de gallina - the national dish - a chicken soup with yucca and name, at lunchtime if you're early - 11'ish - she runs out - another favorite spot probably as it is cheap and good - she also has good fried chicken (about $4). There is an indian place (india Indian) called Om that is pretty good - indian spiced french toast was good. Most places are pretty good really - except no one does a good cheeseburger - except maybe Carlos at Blue Nasty Mermaid - a good place and a friend of mine (tell him Mac says hi) - most things there are very good but more expensive, he does sushi sometimes. There is a really good pizza and pasta place that may or may not be open, called Alberto's even Brooklyn Jay liked - good by any standards - run by an Italian guy. Another cheap loacal place is Olga's - I always had a seafood soup and garlic bread or maybe fried rice - nothing great but cheap. Balena is a really good italian place with so much wine you wonder if they isn't another story happening there... for groceries i went to a store called Hibisa (sp?) that is on the road on the way out of town - it is much cheaper than the main street grocery which i avoided as it is crowded and expensive. Also went another grocery on the street just behind the main street called Victoria (I think) - it is next to the wholesale beer place. The other beer place is on the dock with the Reef restaraunt - this is the place to buy cases of Balboa - the better of the local beer. The best place for fish is Mr. Fish inside Surtidora Gigante - which is a large warehouse next to the fire station - this is also the place to buy gas or diesel and real charcoal (carbon in spanish). they have good snapper (pargo), mackerel (mackarela), shrimp, and other stuff. wonderful fresh fresh mackarel - very mild compared with other mackarel i've had. You can also buy cheap frozen chicken and other staples at little store front called Wonsa on the main street - say hello to Edgar for me - he'll be the shirtless fat guy with the little towel wrapped around him. For produce and fruit any of the little stalls are fine, i usually went to the one on the main road closest to the park and below El Pecado (another restaraunt that everyone said was great but i was always a little disappointed but try it some people think it is the best in Bocas). There is also a specialty food place ---I can't think of the name --the gringo gourmet, next to the ferry landing --- fresh and good bread, cheese, lunch meat, fancy stuff. In all i like Chico's and Chitre best for lunch and breakfast and maybe somewhere nicer for dinner - it's nice to get drinks and apps at the reef and then head somewhere else for dinner. An ideal Bocas day would be to wake up hungover but in time for lunch - sancocho at Chitre. Then get a cooler and beer and take the bus to Drago ($2 for gringos). Beers on the beach and a bit of food later at Yasi Nori's and then back to town for the evening. Do you have a place to stay in Bocas - house - kitchen? Also do you have arrangements in Panama City - if not I know a good car service guy - Jose at Bocas Frog - he can pick you up it Tocoumen and make all your reservation stuff - very good very reliable- I really recommend using him as he can take care of lost luggage and really anything else that goes wrong - and it really costs nothing extra. Tell him i sent you. In Panama City the only place I've ever stayed is The Marbella and I usually eat at Manolo's just down the street - get a bowl of clams (almejas) and a ceviche. Otherwise I don't know Panama City too well. At lunch you should at least once go to one of the big diner cafeteria places that are everywhere - Niko's comes to mind - these places are good and cheap. If you want to see the city and eat I'd get Jose to hook you up with a driver named Mario - speaks english and real nice guy - funny. And get him to take you to his favorite places. We ate at place on the Amador Causeway which was very good but even better location and view. You should really try to go to Boquete for a couple days - fly from bocas for $30 to David and get a taxi to the mountains for $15-30 depending on your negotiations and stay at Villa Marita ($50 with a breakfast) - check out the coffee farms and the gardens. And when you get back to the states i'll need a bottle of Abuelo (rum). If you have any questions just ask. Regards, Macon
