During our brief visit to Panama, my wife and I received several recommendations to try El Trapiche. On our last night in Panama City, we decided to give it a try. This happened to be last Saturday night, when Colombia and Panama played each other in the Copa America competition. Most of the restaurant patrons were glued to the television. For anyone who pays attention to these things, it was a very disheartening night.
Unfortunately, my dinner experience reflected that disappointment. After receiving two top recommendations for El Trapiche, my hopes were high. Understanding that this is a reasonably priced family restaurant featuring Panamanian food, I still expected a degree of quality.
After reviewing the menu, I ordered a passion fruit juice and ropa vieja. I am a fan of the Cuban take on ropa vieja, so I figured this was a safe bet. I also ordered an appetizer of pork belly. My wife opted for the pork in garlic gravy. Service was about what one would expect at a busy restaurant. We didn’t wait an inordinate amount of time for our food, so I would grade the service favorably.
The food, on the other hand, was not so great. My ropa vieja was inedible. I ate a couple of bites and left it. It was far too tough and didn’t have a lot of flavor. It was served with rice, salad, and a plantain, which constituted most of my meal. The pork was overcooked and dry, but the flavor was good. My wife shared some of her pork with me. Had it been tender, it would have scored highly. With that said, the pork belly was pretty good. I would also note, as demonstrated in the photos, that the portion sizes are generous.
The prices were reasonable. Everything was under ten dollars, to be more accurate, under eight dollars. I believe all three items were priced about the same. The pricing was slightly cheaper than what you would pay at a diner in the United States. This felt similar to a US diner experience, which can also be good or bad, depending on where you go.
I would probably not go back to this restaurant on a return trip unless convinced by a trusted friend that our experience was an anomaly. I tend to think this was typical, and it may also have been a factor of what we ordered. But having both entrees equally tough seems more than an anomaly. Not recommended.
Our experience at El Trapiche differed dramatically from our meal at Restaurante Almeria. Although they do not serve Panamanian food, this Spanish restaurant in Balboa Boutique is an amazing alternative option.
Overview of our three-day trip to Panama!