Manolo Caracol

Frommer's Review

Manolo Caracol is my favorite restaurant in Panama City, hands down, but this artistic eatery may not appeal to every diner. I say give it a try. Manolo, the Spanish chef, professes "cooking with love," and an adventurous and creative daily menu embraces fresh, in-season products he finds every morning in the local market. (He's the only chef in town who personally trolls the fish market seeking the best and most exotic seafood.) There's no ordering here: Customers pay $17 for lunch or dinner (drinks excluded), and sit back and wait for a vibrantly composed parade of up to 12 courses to be slowly ushered to their table. A day's menu might include sole carpaccio, green mango ceviche, pork loin with pineapple, and gingery prawns. There is also an $8 three-course lunch for smaller appetites. The dining area is within an antique colonial building, and is casually elegant and warm, with wood tables, white stucco walls, and local art.

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