Fonda Lo Que Hay

Inns are to Panamanians what cafes are to Italians. These inexpensive roadside restaurants are an essential part of daily life: unpretentious places where neighbors gather after long shifts at work and owners greet regular customers over steaming pots of beef stew. In its modern version, José Olmedo Carles Rojas offers exclusive versions of traditional dishes, served in a corrugated metal, neon-lit dining room that has all the bustle of a cocktail bar. Menus change regularly to highlight local produce, but the signature dish of toasted yucca with tuna carpaccio and onion ceviche is always offered, for good reason. Reservations are not accepted, so be prepared to wait in line.