Local Lens: A food lover’s guide to Panama, Central America

About this video

Join superstar chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas and his filmmaker wife Chevy Tyler as they eat their way through the country, from Panama City to the Caribbean coast. Read our interview here: https://www.expedia.com/magazine/local-lens-food-lovers-guide-panama Did you know that in Panama, you can hop from the Pacific to the Atlantic in just two hours? José and Chevy kick off their adventure in Panama City and its old town, Casco Antiguo: a melting pot of nationalities, folkloric dance, rooftop bars, tempting restaurants and always—always—music. Wake up early with José and Chevy as they hit the nearby Mercado de Mariscos, the capital’s vibrant and sociable fish market, where visitors can buy seafood, gobble a fresh ceviche, or sit back and watch the spectacle. After a tasting of—as José puts it—“badass coffee” at Sisu Coffee Studio, a space run by Geisha pioneers the Lamastus family, José and Chevy hire bikes on the Amador Causeway at sunset. Follow them past the iconic Panama Canal and Frank Gehry’s colorful Biomuseo, a museum dedicated to Panama’s biodiversity. Day two begins with a dawn ride in a dugout canoe to a very special place: the Indigenous village community of Emberá Parara Purú. Living deep in the rainforest of the Chagres National Park, the community welcomes José and Chevy with open arms, showing them how to cook, dance, live and play the Emberá way. With the village’s message of sustainability in mind, the couple immerse themselves in nature with a hike to the beautiful Quebrada Bonita waterfall. And as José points out, “When you meet a waterfall, there’s only one thing to do: jump in!” The next stop is the fort town of Portobelo, home to the country’s Afro-Antillean culture and the Congo dance of Colón, and a great base to explore the laid-back islands of the region. José and Chevy take us to Isla Mamey the local way via the heart-shaped Love Tunnel, then onto the white-sand beaches, where the pace slows down and the Caribbean vibe kicks in. There’s only one place this odyssey could end: Restaurante Adriana, right on the water at La Guaira beach. Cold drinks, hot sauce, ingredients as local as they come—and a reunion with chef Alina, who José used to visit regularly after a tiring day of surfing. This really is Panama on a plate. 00:00 - Intro 00:33 - Mercado de Mariscos 2:05 - Sisu Coffee Studio 3:04 - Amador Causeway 3:44 - Chagres River 4:06 - Emberá Parara Parú 5:12 - Quebrada Bonita 6:02 - Love Tunnel 6:12 - Isla Mamey 6:55 - Restaurante Adriana 7:59 - Outro