Panama is commonly referred to as the crossroads of the world. As such, you can notice that the food of panama is a combination of the Central America cuisine and South America cuisine. Though there are American fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell, KFC and McDonalds to trap some Panamanian tourists, the various places to eat and savor the distinct tastes that represent national foods are truly Panamanian attractions.

A typical Panamanian meal will not be complete without plantain. This is a vegetable that is available all year round in Panama. These are usually being peeled, sliced and fried. Then they will be pressed into thin patties and fried again. A Panama tourist can buy this in every street and restaurant in Panama. Patacones is called for green fried plantain while Tajadas is for ripe plantain. You will even find Patacones at Panama attractions such as fairs and baseball games.

Another popular food of Panama is sancocho. This is considered the national dish of Panama. If you want a Panamanian to be delighted, just serve him a bowl of sancocho and a hefty serving of white rice. Sancocho is a spicy stew. It has chicken and a starchy root vegetable called name.

Should you want to enjoy a journey into Panama tourism, here are some other popular foods of Panama:

Breakfast:

Tortillas-These are different with the Mexican dish. If you will go around Panama, their tortillas are made from thick corn dough that is fried. It can be served with eggs or cheese but even without these, tortillas are still superb.

Hojaldras-These are Panamanian doughnuts. These are delicious together with a hot cup of coffee, café con leche. You can sprinkle cinnamon or sugar on top for added flavor.

Carimanola-This is a roll made from yucca plant with meat and boiled eggs filling. They are crispy treats since the roll is being fried.

Ceviche-These are little sea bass called corvine. They are being cooked with spices and lemon juice. Little restaurants serving Ceviche are practically Panama attractions and can be found in many locations that serve this delicacy.

Dinner:

Tamales-This is a burrito, Panamanian version. It is dough of grounded corn that has chicken or pork filling, rich with spices. It is being boiled after being wrapped in a banana leaf.

Arroz con Pollo- This dish can be found in any restaurant in Panama. It is a festive rice dish with capers, green olives, and green peas. People of Panama love rice. It is present in a typical Panama plate, together with beans and plantain.

Desserts that you can try:

Raspados-These are snow cones available in different flavors. These can also be grazed with condensed milk.

Tropical Fruit Batidos-These are tropical milk shakes that you must try. They are available in every restaurant, resorts and spas and every street of Panama. Make sure to choose recommended flavors such as papaya, pineapple and strawberry. They are so refreshing. They are also called chichi in Panama.

Should you pay a tour to Panama make sure to make a good itinerary of destinations, pay close attention to where you can find these delectable foods of Panama. Panamanian restaurants are like attractions and the dishes are somewhat simple but definitely tasty!

Whether you are drawn for Panama tourism or attractions and activities in Panama, it would be good for you to know and understand some things about this beautiful tropical land. For Westerners and especially Americans, Panama will probably seem very familiar since the country has adopted many things like the United States; same currency, same setup for utilities and television.