Restaurants
The following photos are of four restaurants found in or near the town of Cañita, a little west of Panama City. The restaurants pay nothing for this, we do it as a service to people visiting the lake area for the first time. Additional restaurants will be added in the future. All menu items and prices listed below were found in May of 2011. Click on any of the photos to see a larger version.
As you approach Cañita from Panama City, the restaurant above is the first one you will see on your right as you enter Cañita's area. Its name is Don Mr. There is an interesting story to that name that the owner will share in Spanish. The standard lunch menu includes Tasajo or beef steak accompanied by rice, plantains, fries and salad. The price is $3.00 for the lunch, 40 cents for sodas, and sixty cents for beer or fruit juices. They are open daily from 6 am to 9 pm.
The second restaurant will be on your left about 100 meters beyond the Don Mr. Its name is Yendis Fonda. The standard lunch menu includes: Tasajo or beef steak, or roast pork, accompanied by rice and a salad. The standard price is $3.25 and and 50 cents for fresh fruit juices. They are open Monday through Sunday from 6 am to 9 pm.
The third restaurant is called El Descanso and is on the left roughly 300 meters from Yendis Fonda. The standard lunch menu includes smoked chicken, smoked pork, steak, or fish filet (usually tilapia from Lake Bayano) in a Creole sauce or breaded. Side dishes include patacones (fried green plantains), french fries or rice, with a simple salad and rice with lentils (miniestra). The standard price is $3.50. It is also possible to request special dishes of various kinds for $4.25 and they serve a variety of bottled drinks. They are open every weekday from 5 am to 9 pm.
As you arrive at the center of this small town, the road divides. The road to the left will take you to the lake. The road to the right will take you through the very short "main street" of Cañita. The fourth restaurant, called Doña Docha, is on the left-hand side of this main street. The breakfast menu includes eggs, pastry, tortillas, beef liver, beef steak, or local sausages with onions. The standard lunch or dinner of the day can be beef steak, grilled chicken, or special dishes such as fried chicken, grilled fish (tilapia from the Lake or corvina) with fries or patacones (fried green plantains) and accompaniments. Regular accompaniments are rice with lentils (miniestra), salad and sliced ripe bananas. The standard price is $2.00 for breakfast and from $2.75 to $3.50 for lunch or dinner, sodas 50 cents and fruit juices 75 cents. Special orders such as steak, grilled chicken, grilled fish or seafood with prices from $3.50 to $5.00 may also be available. They are open every weekday from 6 am to 10 pm.
